AP+2.Tennessee+Williams

Cultural

Shelby Fenderson After writing many different prize winning novels and plays, Tennessee Williams had a huge cultural impact during the 1940’s through the 1970’s. Many of his plays, such as The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire became very popular and soon became shows on Broadway. One article states, “His first critical acclaim came in 1944 when THE GLASS MENAGERIE opened in Chicago and went to Broadway” (About Tennessee Williams 1). This play, along with many of his other plays became very famous during this time. In the article “Tennessee Williams,” it states, “Williams combined semiautobiographical material with innovative technique in The Glass Menagerie (1945; film, 1950), and with this secured both that year's New York Drama Critics' Circle Award and lasting fame in the American theater” (Tennessee Williams 1). Through his plays, many people heard the message that he was trying to get out, which impacted the cultural aspect of that time.

Williams was also known for his ideas of transforming Southern Literature during the time of racial tension. In his article “Tennessee Williams,” Eric W. Cash states, “Williams helped transform the contemporary idea of the Southern literature. However, as a Southerner he not only helped to pave the way for other writers, but also helped the South find a strong voice in those auspices where before it had only been heard as a whisper” (Cash 1). Williams helped Southerners culturally because he allowed them to “find a strong voice” and to finally be heard. Williams’ work through his literature helped many people see what was really going on in the world, and it had a very huge impact on the culture during this time. __Works Cited__ :  “About Tennessee Williams.” PBS.org. American Masters, 8 February 1999. Web. 7 November 2011. Cash, Eric W. “Tennessee Williams.” The Mississippi Writers Page. N.p. N.d. Web. 7 November 2011. “Tennessee Williams.” Gateway to New Orleans. N.p. N.d. Web. 7 November 2011.

Audience: Destiny Estrada Tennessee Williams’ plays were ordinarily aimed to the Southern people. “However, as a Southerner he not only helped to pave the way for other writers, but also helped the South find a strong voice in those auspices where before it had only been heard as a whisper” (Cash). One of Williams’ biggest audiences were people from the South. Being from the South himself, Williams usually centered his books in one way or another with the South. His plays and other works expanded the ways that other writers’ worked and paved the way for them in the South. Although not everyone understood his plays. “Thus, it appears intended for a limited audience of intense theatergoers” (Adler). There was a specific audience that Williams wrote for which means that not everyone would understand his plays or even like them. However there are more audiences than just people from the South. __ A Street Car Named Desire  __  by Tennessee Williams is geared towards those who might be confused with their sexuality. In this particular play Blanche’s husband is confused with his sexuality. “  His writing in the face of puritanical opposition made him a pioneer of gay drama in America—and, by extension, a vital figure in the ongoing fight for equal rights   ” (Tennessee). Because of his writings his followers ended up being other people who were gay. Others included people who wanted equal rights for everyone. His main audience ended up being these people who wanted equal rights for everyone and people who were gay. This could be seen through many of his plays but especially with __  A Street Car Named Desire  __. The content of his plays often had something to do with him. For instance this play deals with the confusion of sexuality and he announced that he was gay.

__Works Cited:__ Adler, Thomas. //Tennessee Williams (1911-1983).// N.p. N.d. Web. 8 Nov 2011.

Cash, Eric W. //Tennessee Williams.// The Mississippi Writers Page. N.p. N.d. Web. 7 November 2011.

//Tennessee Williams Is Back for His Encore.// //The Daily Beast.// N.p. 27 February 2011. Web. 8 Nov 2011.



Historical: Dillon Padilla Born as Thomas Lanier Williams he had a very difficult childhood that it would ultimately influence who he would become.“After struggling with his sexuality through his youth, he finally entered a new life as a gay man, with a new name, a new home, and a promising new career” (Grade Saver 1). After finally accepting himself for who he was and having the self confidence to show it he matured into a great legend.Tennessee had a great deal of problems growing up, though he also had a great many influences that determined who he would become. A father who was always absent, a mother with infinite love and a sister who had mental problems contributed to Williams character. Tennessee Williams character was very unstable and radical lifestyle though after going through some much needed self acceptance he became one of the world’s greatest authors of plays.

After graduating from the University of Iowa in 1938, he moved back to New Orleans where he started going by his nickname of Tennessee. “His works, which are among the most popular plays of our time, continue to provide a rich reservoir of acting challenges” (Gussow 1). Throughout his career, Tennessee Williams was the author to more than 25 plays. These plays to this day both require intense emotion and skill to act out some of the very violent intensive scenes. Tennessee Williams held nothing back and through his plays expresses where he came from and the struggles he had to deal with in a figurative sense. Even to this day his plays and works inspire both iner passion and both figurative and literal struggles.

__Works Cited__ "Biography of Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)." Grade Saver. Grade Saver LLC., 1999-2011. Web. 8 Nov 2011.

Gussow, Mel. "Tennessee Williams."The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 26 February 1983. Web. 8 Nov 2011.

Aim: Patrick Montaño

“In 1975 he published MEMOIRS, which detailed his life and discussed his addiction to drugs and alcohol, as well as his homosexuality.”

 Tennessee Williams, is an author and playwright. He has created some of the most popular plays of the time, and he is recognized for self-reflection in his works. In “MEMOIRS” he expresses his aim as a writer, by using his life to express drug and alcohol addiction, and also homosexuality. The topics he wrote about have derived from his real life experiences, and he uses them to express his ideas on the subject.

“He wrote with deep sympathy and expansive humor about outcasts in our society. Though his images were often violent, he was a poet of the human heart.”

 The works of Tennessee Williams were often “violent”, and dark, which reflected his aim. He wanted to express the dark parts of life, and he used some of his real life experiences and challenges to do so.

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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Works Cited__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kakutani, Michiko. "Tennessee Williams News - The New York Times." Times Topics - The New York Times. 08 Nov. 2011. Web. 08 Nov. 2011.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Tennessee Williams - About Tennessee Williams | American Masters | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 08 Nov. 2011.