A Mirror Of Self: Studies Of Repressed Female Images In Tennessee Williams’ Plays

Tennessee Williams is regarded as a wonder in American and the world theatrebecause of his great contribution to art. After World War Ⅱ he is one of outstandingdramatists in America. Although Williams is so famous, he is always living in themargin of the society. In his childhood, he was named “Miss Nancy” by his ownfather and he was isolated by the other children. After being an adult, he identifiedhis sex orientation: homosexual. During creating works, he was also immersed indrugs and alcohol. His family is also very different from the main stream of America.The relationship of his parents is not harmonious and his sister had the mentalillness.Tennessee Williams’ childhood is filled with tension, despair, and familyviolence. Although Tennessee Williams is a homosexual, many female people havethe great influence on him, such as his mother Edwina and his sister Rose. In hisworks, these female figures have been used as prototypes.Based on such elements: marriage, family, society, the value of main stream,homosexual, and patriarchy, this thesis will analyze the repressed female images inTennessee Williams’ plays, such as Laura in The Glass Menagerie, Blanche in AStreetcar Named Desire, and even Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and exploreTennessee Williams’ marginal life with biographical approach.