Tennessee Williams
*This blog will explore possible triggers such as mental health, racism and abuse, common themes in Williams' writing, although I will avoid going into too much detail!*
One of the texts I had to study during my English course was the script to 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (abbreviated to 'Streetcar'); this was my introduction to Williams' work. I immediately fell in love with his style of writing, from his complex characters to the exploration of taboo themes (in Post-WW2 America), such as mental health and the sexuality of women.
Context:
Tennessee Williams was an American dramatist who pioneered 'plastic theatre': a form of storytelling where props, lighting and sound is used to convey symbolic meaning. This intimate atmosphere complimented William's themes of sexuality and morality, and also better helped to establish the genre of 'domestic tragedy' (personal issues faced by the middle/lower classes).
Many themes and characters reflected Williams' own life, for example, his sister was lobotomised in 1943 as her shizophrenia worsened, and the same would happen to Blanche in 'Streetcar'. Additionally, Williams was a homosexual during the 1940s; this too would be a part of his theme of 'moral decline', for example, Blanche's late husband was caught cheating on her with a man which would later trigger his death and contribute to her spiralling. Despite the subject matters, he presented them neutrally: themes such as the sexuality/mental health of women or homosexuality often times led to tragedy, however, they weren't presented as being at fault, rather society's maltreatment of them was.
Southern Gothic:
The Southern Gothic subgenre stems from the 'death' of the South that followed the loss of the Civil War; the dissolution of plantations shattered the class system, and therefore, led to the social decline of people from old money. This decaying 'culture' and disturbing lack of morality (that had pillared the Southern economy) was adapted into literature, for example by Williams himself, and often follows deeply flawed and disturbed characters. An example of this is Blanche Dubois, 'Streetcar', a Southern Belle who lost her home, family, and sanity as she - a vulnerable woman suffering from alcolism and trauma - is forced into a box with her sister's abusive husband. Her character is majorly flawed, however, her lack of control and maltreatment makes her an overall tragic figure. She's trapped into a box, and forced out again after being lobotomised and institutionalised, as she no longer serves any purpose as an aging women with no class value.