Study Aids for CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF By Tennessee Williams.

Study Aids forCAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

By Tennessee Williams

Table of Contents: Synopsis

Part One: Drama: A short introduction

Part Two: Tennessee Williams: A biography

Table of Contents: Part One

Drama: A short introduction– Classification– Definition– The concept of Aristotles– The Shakespearean drama– 20th century drama– Important dramatists after 1945

Classification

3 genres3 genres

lyriclyric epicepic dramadrama

poem novel playincludes:

Definition

Drama = work meant to be performed on stage by actors

The Concept of Aristotle(384 - 322 BC)

tragedyhistorica l top ic with k ings and gods as m ain characters

trag ic hero: fa lls despite his good intentions

comedyset in bourgeoisie

happy ending

drama

Unity of:• time

• place • action

Distinction:

Division of plot into acts

The Shakespearean drama Blurring of the strict conventions of

the Greek drama:

• comic elements in tragedies• (f.e. drunk porter in Macbeth)

• tragic elements in comedies • (f.e. faked death of the heroine in Much ado about nothing)• some tragedies are set in bourgeoisie

• (f.e. Romeo and Juliet)

20th century drama

The drama in the 20th century distinguishes itself by an increasing diversification

20th century drama

realistic „kitchen sink“ drama:

set in working class, contains social criticism

(f.e. George Bernard Shaw: Pygmalion)

20th century drama

absurd drama:

surrealistic plot

(f.e. Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot)

20th century drama

After 1945: increasing individualism of the dramatists.

Important Dramatists after 1945

Edward Albee (Who‘s afraid of

Virginia Woolf)

Important Dramatists after 1945

Arthur Miller (Death of a

Salesman)

He was married to ...

... Marilyn Monroe !

Important Dramatists after 1945

Harold Pinter (Look Back in

Anger)

Important Dramatists after 1945

Sam Shepard (True West)

He is also a famous actor

(f. e. The Pelican Brief with Julia Roberts)

GOOD LOOKING !GOOD LOOKING !

Important Dramatists after 1945

Thornton Wilder (Our Town)

Important Dramatists after 1945

and of course ...

... Tennessee Williams !

Table of Contents: Part Two

Tennessee Williams - A biography– childhood– university years– his success– his decline

His childhood

March 16, 1911: Tennessee Williams is born as Thomas Lanier Williams in Columbus, Mississippi

1911 - 1918: grows up in Clarksdale, Mississippi

1918:familiy moves to St Louis

University years 1929: Enters

University of Missouri

1931:Leaves university because his father wants him to work in a shoe company1938:Graduates from University of Iowa

1937:parents admit his sister Rose to a lunatic asylum

His success

1939: Wins his first prizes for American Blue and Battle of Angels.

1940: outs himself as a homosexual

His success

1944 -1955: writes his most famous plays

1944:The GlassMenagerie

1947:A Streetcar Named Desire

1955:Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Hot! Hot!

Hot! Hot!

HOT!HOT!

His decline

Lack of success causes phases of depression

death of his longtime companion in 1963

increasing addiction to alcohol and pills

Feb 25, 1983:

dies in a hotel room as a result of his addiction