¶ … Glass Menagerie: The Importance of the Father
One of the reasons for this plays success and its acceptance as an "American Classic" of the theater is the strong and resonating themes of imprisonment and freedom; which are presented in the play in a contemporary and recognizable context. The play revolves around the central character and narrator of Tom Wingfield who is trapped within the psychological and financial constraints of his family. He is deeply frustrated by the need to be free and to live his own life and express his individuality, but is held back by his sense of guilt and responsibility to his mother and sister. The underlying background to his internal conflict is the ever-present and pervasive image of his absent father.
The father deserted the family years before and although he does not appear in the play, his presence is felt and his character is a dominating force throughout the drama. This fact is symbolized by the picture...
Amanda is a former southern belle, who enjoyed a very comfortable and somewhat decadent upbringing. After her husband leaves, and she struggles to raise and financially support her children alone, her social life suffers, making her frustrated and lonely just like her highly introverted daughter. This is perhaps why she is so focused upon finding a suitor (and eventually husband) for Laura. She does not want her daughter to
Eugene O'Neill's play, "The Emperor Jones (1921)," is the horrifying story of Rufus Jones, the monarch of a West Indian island, presented in a single act of eight scenes of violence and disturbing images. O'Neill's sense of tragedy comes out undiluted in this surreal and nightmarish study of Jones' character in a mighty struggle and tension between black Christianity and black paganism (IMBD). Jones is an unforgettable character in his
classic pieces of literature. The writer explores the primary texts, and secondary sources to develop a critical analysis of the characters and their dysfunction and how escapism is used in both situations. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams and The Sound and the Fury are compared and contrasted while at the same time being individually analyzed for the purpose of exploring dysfunction, escapism and how it affects the family
Hamlet Annotated Bibliography Cook, Patrick J. Cinematic Hamlet: the Films of Olivier, Zeffirelli, Branagh, and Almereyda. Athens, Ohio: Ohio UP. 2011. Print. This book focuses on the many versions of Hamlet that have been made for the silver screen. The play by William Shakespeare is one of the most frequently filmed works and each version of the story has a unique perspective. Director, screenwriter, and of course actor each influence the overall
Fences & Topdog/Underdog The course of dramatic literature reveals truths of the human condition. Drama is a study of human nature, its tendencies and reactions, its inner-most thoughts. Every play chooses as its theme various facets of humanity to study in various contexts, and some explore multiple ideas, indeed, the more, the richer the play. Take, for example, Fences by August Wilson, and Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, each of which
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