The goal of the paper is to identify features relating to homosexual identity, based on a characterization of Williams’s female characters.
Among other studies, Tennessee Williams’s work has commonly been researched from a gay study perspective by literary scholars and queer theorists. The motive for that was mostly Williams’s own homosexuality and the stigma that surrounded the issue around the time he published his most famous pieces. He has written plays which explicitly involve the topic of homosexuality, as the eminent Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but most of his work does not embrace homosexuality precisely.
Nevertheless, on the grounds that literary studies is fairly limitless, for literature provides many different fields for analyses, it is possible to involve literary pieces into the field of gay studies, even though it initially does not specify the matter.
The arguably most interesting element in Tennessee Williams’s drama are his characters, many of whom seem to share similar characteristics as struggling individuals. Analyzing the fictional characters with regard to gay writing could help find a possible pattern, draw conclusions about the influence of Williams’s personality, and thus, support the assumption that homosexuality is integrated in his plays.
Gender is also fundamental for an approach based on sexuality. Taking that into consideration, below, the focus will be on Williams’s female characters, especially on the protagonists Laura Wingfield from The Glass Menagerie and Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire. These women are not necessarily gay themselves; in the plays, there is no clear evidence about them being sexually or romantically attracted to the same sex. Instead, sexuality is a broad concept with more meanings attached to it, which will further be discussed in the third chapter.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Cognitive and Gender-Specific Approach to Characterization in Drama
3. Homosexuality in 20th Century American Literature
3.1 Gay Writing
3.2 Queer Reading of Tennessee Williams’s Drama
3.2.1 Williams’s Female Characters
3.2.2 Explicitness and Themes
4. Gender and Sexuality: Characterizing Blanche DuBois and Laura Wingfield
4.1 Gay Themes
4.2 Character Constellation
4.3 Gender Roles
5. Conclusion
6. Works Cited
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the representation of gay experience and sexuality in the dramatic works of Tennessee Williams by analyzing his female characters, specifically Blanche DuBois and Laura Wingfield, through the lens of cognitive stylistic and queer literary theory.
- The intersection of personal identity and character construction in Tennessee Williams’s plays.
- Cognitive approaches to characterization and the role of reader interpretation.
- The manifestation of "gay experience" and "closet" narratives through female protagonists.
- Societal norms, gender roles, and the struggles of non-conforming characters.
- The projection of the playwright’s own life experiences onto fictional, fragile female characters.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Gay Writing
Prior to an in-depth analysis of Williams’s plays and characters, it is important to be aware of gay writing, or gay literary studies, with attention being paid to 20th century American drama. An observation of gay writers, gay drama, and gay themes in respective literature of the Tennessee Williams era shall clarify the motive of studying Williams’s drama in view of gender and sexuality.
There are certain principles attached to the study of gay literature. These include for instance the “identification of authors involved with homosexuality […], whether positively or negatively, biographically and through analysis of their works in an effort to expose the often hidden influences of their sexuality on their creative product” (Dynes 15). The textual signs referring to homosexuality in 20th century American drama are not explicit in many cases because of the homophobic political climate of that time. In fact, specific laws concerning censorship prohibited the publication of texts that openly dealt with homosexuality (13); Tennessee Williams was also among the playwrights who had to avoid addressing the topic in their work (14-15).
But rather than excluding it entirely, the notion of homosexuality was constructed through “vocal, gestural, and other semiotic codes” (Dolan 487). In this manner, neither the government nor the general public would be able to detect them, but gay readers were likely to identify these codes (487). This means that, based on the differences between their identities and life experiences, homosexual people could interpret certain texts differently than heterosexuals.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on Tennessee Williams’s female characters as vehicles for expressing gay experience and identifies the methodological foundation.
2. Cognitive and Gender-Specific Approach to Characterization in Drama: Discusses the theoretical framework of cognitive stylistics and schema theory in relation to how readers construct and perceive fictional characters.
3. Homosexuality in 20th Century American Literature: Explores the historical and social context of gay literature and how Williams’s work leaves room for diverse, queer-informed interpretations.
4. Gender and Sexuality: Characterizing Blanche DuBois and Laura Wingfield: Provides a detailed analysis of how specific themes, character constellations, and gender roles reflect the playwright’s struggle and gay identity.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the finding that Williams’s female characters function as significant vessels for illustrating the volatility of sexuality and gender identity.
6. Works Cited: A comprehensive bibliography listing the scholarly sources used throughout the thesis.
Keywords
Tennessee Williams, Gay Literature, Queer Theory, Blanche DuBois, Laura Wingfield, Characterization, Cognitive Stylistics, Gender Roles, Homosexuality, Closet, Arcadia, Sexuality, Drama, American Literature, Identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?
The work explores how Tennessee Williams integrates his personal gay experience into his plays by projecting his internal struggles onto his primary female characters.
What are the central themes addressed?
The central themes include the "closet," the search for privacy and protection, societal rejection of non-conforming individuals, and the performative nature of gender roles.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if Tennessee Williams’s female characters, such as Blanche DuBois and Laura Wingfield, can be interpreted as legitimate objects of study within the field of gay studies.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The study employs a cognitive-stylistic approach to characterization, focusing on how readers assign meaning to characters based on their pre-existing social and literary schemata.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body moves from theoretical frameworks of cognitive characterization to the historical context of gay literature, followed by a comparative analysis of character interactions and gender dynamics in the plays.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Key terms include Tennessee Williams, queer theory, gay experience, characterization, gender roles, and the concept of "Arcadia" as a symbolic private space.
How does the author define the relationship between the playwright and his female characters?
The author argues that Williams projects his own sensitive, troubled, and non-conforming personality onto his female protagonists, viewing them as reflections of his own existence as a homosexual man in a homophobic society.
What role does "Arcadia" play in the analysis?
Arcadia represents an idealized, private alternative world where characters like Laura Wingfield seek refuge from the harsh, mainstream world, symbolizing the longing for a safe space for homosexual expression.
Does the work claim that Blanche DuBois is explicitly a lesbian character?
No, the study emphasizes that these characters are not necessarily gay themselves; rather, their behaviors and struggles are interpreted by the reader as reflections of the gay experience.
- Citar trabajo
- Bünyamin Yuvarlak (Autor), 2017, Tennessee Williams’s Female Characters: Problems of Gender and Sexuality, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/998184
