Literary Perspectives in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Play Essay

Introduction

The play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" by Tennessee Williams has utilized various literary perspectives for the continuity of the story, and to enable the author to realize his main intended aspects of the communication. Many critics have now been presented in different published articles all of which recognize the unique approach of the writer of the play in which the issues in most scenes are not clear. This has led to many accounts with the varying idea presented by different authors who are trying to analyze Williams' original play. However, all the different accounts are related in that their respective authors recognize that the mysteries around the life of their characters are not clearly revealed.

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The critical essays of Winchell and Crandell of the "mystery" posed by Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" tend to present different views concerning Williams' strategy to hide the various encounters of the characters. Winchell and Crandell base their analyses on the popular quote, "Some mystery should be left in the revelation of character in a play," according to Tennessee Williams. Williams appeared to react to individual criticisms and argued that the encounters involving Brick, one of his characters, present a dramatic progression which should remain obscure even if the conversation is expected to be revelatory (Crandell, 1999). The authors note that audiences are most likely to suspect that the whole truth about Brick is not told regarding the given character. It is, therefore, an interesting approach which requires a further analysis for a better understanding. Comparing the critical analysis of the articles can reveal why the author of the original play had to use the strategic approach.

Comparison

In both "Come back to the locker room ag'in, Brick honey" and "Echo Spring, Reflecting The Gaze Of Narcissus In Tennessee William's Cat On A Hot Tin Roof , " the respective authors, Mark Winchell and George Crandell recognize that the author of the play tries to make sure that the relationship between Brick and Skipper is made clearly known to the audiences. They both indicate that Skipper died, therefore, their relationship with Brick cannot be clearly traced. Through this, the author was trying to show the various aspects of love between them to, however, he recognizes that the occurrence is a great mystery, therefore, tends to hide it as a way of demonstrating a given principle. Winchell, like Crandell, argued that the companionship is not dramatized since one of the partners died before the beginning of the play. To show only the overview of the relationship, the writer Williams only shows the audience what he feels could happen in terms of their encounter with Brick, if Skipper would be alive.

The two different authors agree on the idea that Brick is loved by both girls and boys because he was handsome. This happened in the play when the given character was bound to be involved in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. This draws from the American culture in which sexual relationship of the same sex is allowed and is not as strange as it is considered in the other parts of the world. Mark Winchell and George Crandell recognized that Williams rested his arguments on the fact it was normal to have such a relationship in the society. Winchell (1995) observed that through that, Williams has ensured that he influences the audience to accept such occurrence and responds with minimal or no criticisms to such cultural perspectives. They, therefore, feel that Williams did not want to portray the act to be wrong.

According to Jungae (2014), even though there exist such considerable si. similarities between the viewpoints presented by the two different authors, their interpretations of the original ideas appear different at some points. For instance, Crandell argued that Brick considered the relationship two complicated to bare since his male lover had already died. Crandell interprets the given aspect that Brick the main character, is not enjoying what he is going through in the relationship with Skipper however much Williams embraces their love. On the other hand, the analysis provided by Winchell presents Brick as a character ho cherishes the relationship and could easily influence the others to show respect for such a companionship. The difference between the two is based on what the individual interpretations present on how Brick handles and feels about the relationship.

Conclusion

There are various interpretations of the ideas presented by Williams in the play. It is, however, important to note that the analyses in the interpretations are drawn from the central issue of concern; "Some mystery should be left in the revelation of character in a play" Tennessee Williams." This has promoted the writing of the reviews as a way of reacting to the writer's approach. Based on the fact that the same issue influenced the critique, several similarities are therefore drawn from their individual inputs. Nevertheless, the suggestions are based on the opinions of the individual writers hence they also demonstrated significant variation at some point. The different interpretations present theatrical functions almost similar to many viewpoints of in any work of art. By reflecting on the form of presentation of the communication in the play in which there are many perspectives, readers can understand better how Brick and Skipper are related. This is possible by considering the impact of the friendship on the entire cast of the characters. It, therefore, follows that uncertainty remains with the view of Williams himself.

References

Crandell, G. (1999). "Echo Spring": Reflecting the Gaze of Narcissus in Tennessee Williams'sCat on a Hot Tin Roof. Modern Drama, 42(3), 427-441. doi: 10.3138/md.42.3.427

Jungae, N. (2014). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: Big Daddy and Sexual Politics. Studies In English Language & Literature, 40(4), 67-86. doi: 10.21559/aellk.2014.40.4.004

Winchell, M. (1995). Come back to the locker room ag'in, Brick honey!. The Mississippi Quarterly. Retrieved from https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Come+back+to+the+locker+room+ag%27in%2C+Brick+honey!-a018115416