| This study has two goals. The first is to recover the last twenty years of Tennessee Williams' plays from the realm of invisibility they were consigned to as a result of their initial, negative reception. To achieve this goal, I have made these plays the study's focal point. I felt it was imperative that the plays themselves were allowed to reintroduce themselves to us, giving us the chance to see this realization. The second goal is to connect these plays with their famous predecessors and complete the portrait of Tennessee Williams the playwright. Williams' major intention was for his characters to create a space for themselves within which they could realize their unique Selves as much as possible. Thus, I focus my discussion through the lenses of Self and the space within which the characters create it. To achieve this second goal, I have structured my study as follows: The connecting thread of all three chapters, is a thematic exploration of desire, entrapment and control. Chapter 1 discusses the major plays of Williams' successful years 1945–1962 and sets up the thematic background against which we look at the plays that follow. Chapter 2 covers the period 1962–1972, and Chapter three covers the period 1972–1981. Lastly, the last two chapters answer the questions: “Did these themes continue to inspire Williams? If yes, how? If not, what thematic concerns replaced them?”... |
