Why Do You Think Tennessee Williams Called

His Play Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Essay, Research Paper

This title manages to capture the essence of the story in one sentence as it becomes increasingly evident that almost every character in the play is on edge about something or like cats on a hot tin roof . The whole family are trapped by their circumstances, no one more so than Maggie and her deteriorating marriage to Brick.

Maggie is essentially a good person who loves her husband despite the obvious challenge it is for her to get any sort of reciprocation of feelings. However because of this, the real Maggie, the pleasant Maggie, does not appear too often and we are presented with a woman that has:

gone through this hideous! transformation, become hard!

This side of Maggie is bitter and frustrated with Brick and the state of their relationship; she is lonely but loves him too much to leave;

Living with someone you love can be lonelier than living entirely alone! If the one that y love doesn t love you

She is continuously battling with Brick to regain his love, utterly determined to have her way;

one thing I don t have is the charm of the defeated,

my hat is still in the ring, and I am determined to win!

The idea that she is like a cat on a hot tin roof highlights various traits of her character and the most obvious is her determination, for;

What is the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof. I wish I knew

Just staying on it, I guess, as long as she can .

There is a reason for this obvious dislike Brick has for his wife but it is a subject that is strictly unmentionable between them the subject of Skipper. At the mention of his name Brick becomes agitated and tries to escape, which makes it evident that, this is the root to all his problems he is trying to run away from;

Maggie shut up about skipper. I mean it, Maggie; you got to shut up about Skipper.

Maggie knows this and uses it to her advantage; she tries to make Brick talk about it – to break the laws of silence that have been imposed. She pushes the issue by asking Brick questions hoping he will open up to her;

What were you thinking of when I caught you looking at me like that.

Were you thinking of Skipper.

And when he won t talk she becomes catty again;

Oh, excuse me, forgive me, but laws of silence don t work! No, laws of silence don t work .

As well as emotional rejection Maggie has to endure physical rejection from Brick as he makes it painfully clear that he detests any form of bodily contact with her:

Brick; I ve dropped my crutch

Maggie; Lean on my shoulder

Brick; I don t want to lean on your shoulder, I want my crutch!

Not only does he do this to her when they are alone, but he even does it in front of the rest of the family:

Big Daddy; Why did you do that.

Brick; Do what, Big Daddy.

Big Daddy; Wipe her kiss off your mouth like she d spit on you.

However, even when she has so much she should upset about with regards to the way her own husband is treating her she sees outbursts as a step forward;

that s the first time I ve heard you raise your voice in a long time, Brick. A crack in the wall. Of composure. I think that s a good sign . A sign of nerves in a player on the defensive!

On top of all of this, everything that goes on in the house is repressed by the fact that the walls in this house have ears i.e. Mae is probably trying to listen to what is going on so she can report to Big Mama;

Big Daddy; You listen at night like a couple of rutten peek-hole spies and go and give report on what you hear to Big Mama

This little game is all part of the ongoing rivalry between Maggie and her sister in law, there is a constant battle over even the pettiest things, but the main reason behind it is the inheritance. It is mentioned that Big Daddy has written no will so it has become a competition to see who will get the estate when Big Daddy does pass away. Maggie seems to think that;

Mae an Gooper are plannin to freeze us out of Big Daddy s entire estate because you drink and I m childless

This in fact isn t far from the truth because Mae is constantly making little digs about Brick s drinking problem and the fact that he won t sleep with Maggie, but even though this hurts Maggie she doesn t show Mae this and gives as good as she gets so to speak;

Mae; Brick you should ve been downstairs after supper! Kiddies put on a show. Big Daddy just beamed! He just beamed!

Maggie; oh, I bet. It breaks my heart that we missed it! .. But Mae why did y give dawgs names to all your kiddies.

Mae; Maggie. why are you so catty.

Maggie; Cause I m a cat!

To some all of this cattiness over the inheritance may seem like Maggie is being greedy but in fact she just wants to make sure that they get their fair share so she can look after herself and Brick and not be so God damn disgustingly poor as she has been all her life.

She does not have any malicious feelings towards Mae, she is just consumed with envy an eaten up with longing at the fact that Mae has so many children and she herself has none but that is something she plans to overcome;

Maggie; you see. they gloat over us being childless I ve been to a doctor in Memph

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать