An Analysis Of Binary Oppositions In Tennessee Williams’ Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Tennessee Williams is considered as one of the greatest writers in the south ofAmerica, and the originator of the new play of post World War II. He has beenawarded with Pulitzer Prize for his successful writing, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Overthe decades, many literary critics have analyzed this play from homosexual theme, hotcat image, metaphor and characters. The critical theories are mainly focused on thefeminist criticism, prototype criticism, psychoanalysis, etc. In this thesis, the authortries to find three pairs of binary oppositions to further analyze its theme. And fromthe view of deconstruction, my thesis eliminates the oppositions between men andwomen, homosexuality and heterosexuality, life and death under patriarchy. Hopefullythis thesis can help readers understand the interpretation of this play.This thesis is divided into five parts. In the introduction, the writer introduces thecreating process of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and summarizes the literary criticism fromabroad and home. Also the writer briefly introduces the binary oppositions anddeconstruction. The writer analyzes the binary opposition between men and womenand deconstructs the unfair status and relationship under the patriarchy in the firstchapter. Women begin to earn their happiness through struggles, not subjected to men.As victims in the patriarchy society, men should establish a harmonious and equalrelationship with women. In the second chapter, the writer analyzes the traditionallove relationship, heterosexuality in the play, and the oppression on the homosexuallovers, deconstructing the hegemonic status of heterosexuality. Also the writer pointsout that, love is beyond sex, and should be respected. Through the analysis of thedeath and living experiences of the three male characters in the play, the writerdeconstructs the binary opposition of life and death that are not completely oppositesides but exchange to each other under some conditions. The last part is theconclusion which summarizes all the ideas that the playwright wants to establish akind of harmonious and more open world, in which people will feel free and enjoymore equal rights.