REFLECTIONS OF THE
PAST: AN ANALYSIS ON THE EVOLUTION OF GENDER IDEOLOGY THROUGH TIME IN TENNESSEE
WILLIAMS’ THE GLASS MENAGERIE
S. Preethi Shalina
Assistant Professor
of English
Sona College of
Arts and Science
Salem
Abstract:
Tennessee Williams’ play the Glass
Menagerie probes the intricate dynamics of gender roles that prevailed in a
1930s American household, providing an analysis of outdated gender assumptions.
The play focuses on Amanda Wingfield, who personifies outdated archetypes of
womanliness, forcing her daughter Laura to marry for security, despite Laura's
emotional and physical encounters. This mirrors the common beliefs employed on
women to fulfil the role of wives and mothers in American society. In contrast,
Tom Wingfield, the male protagonist and the narrator of the play, is destined
as the breadwinner of the family, which is abandoned by the father figure, but
craves for liberation, reflecting the masculine urge of soul-searching and
escape from family responsibilities. The emotional strain between Amanda’s
traditional understandings and Tom’s longing for liberty highlights the
conflict between yesteryear’s gender roles and evolving individual desires.
Thus, this paper is an attempt to scrutinize how gender perspectives have
moulded and continue to mould individual desires and relationships, both in the
past and present, through the play The Glass Menagerie.
Keywords: Gender ideology, Dependency,
Selfishness, Escapism, Fragile
The evolution of gender ideology has
emerged as a significant topic in literature, mirroring the shifts in social,
cultural, and political viewpoints of individuals. Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie exemplifies the
intertwined themes of memory, longing, and repression, effectively illustrating
how gender stereotypes shape one's life and relationships. Set in 1930, at the
height of America's Great Depression, The
Glass Menageriecaptures the complexities of identity, authority, and desire
within a family struggling to navigate personal and societal restrictions, as
depicted through the characters of Amanda Wingfield, her daughter Laura, and
her son Tom. Williams provides a lens through which we can observe the changing
dynamics of gender during a time characterized by economic hardship and
evolving social norms. Therefore, it serves as an investigation into how
perspectives on gender have shaped, and continue to shape, individual desires
and relationships both historically and in contemporary contexts through The Glass Menagerie.
The years 1929 to 1939 marked the Great
American Depression, a time of widespread unemployment and poverty, resulting
in women focusing on domestic duties while typically only one member of the
family would work, with men often filling that role. In the 1930s, American
women found themselves compelled to compensate for financial shortages by
taking on part-time work such as sewing and laundry. The man, as the sole
provider for the family, faced challenges regarding his role and the
responsibilities expected of him. During this period, feminist activism
experienced a decline, as women gravitated towards the stability found in
marriage, household duties, and motherhood to help manage financial hardships.
The communal stereotypes prevalent in that era are expressed through the
interactions and responses of the play’s characters, who grapple with the
pressures of the intense gender ideologies that shape their lives, identities,
and choices. The three central figures in the play embody the mind-set of
traditional womanhood, the young provider's struggle to fulfil personal
desires, and the helplessness faced when confronting the conservative
expectations placed upon young women. These societal norms generate conflict
and psychological tension throughout the play.
Amanda Wingfield, a mother of two, was
deserted by her partner without explaining his abandonment of his duties as a
father and husband. From the outset of the play, she is portrayed as a mother
who desires happiness for her children by emphasizing the societal gender
expectations that existed during her daughter's age. The following words of
Amanda is the witness of a typical mother, “I’ll tell you what I wished for on
the moon. Success and happiness for my precious children! I wish for that
whenever there’s a moon, and when there isn’t moon. I wish for it too” (Williams,
V.43-47). At the same age as her daughter, Amanda was skilled in the art of
conversation, which drew the attention of seventeen gentlemen callers on a
Sunday afternoon at Blue Mountain. She insists that girls in her youth knew how
to engage in conversation with men. Amanda urges Laura to adopt the mind-set of
the women from the past. She wants her daughter to embrace the domestic life
that she once experienced. She recounts how, as a young girl, she would talk
about worldly knowledge with her gentlemen callers. This indicates that, in
Amanda's view, a young girl should be adequately prepared to marry into a
wealthy family. Achieving that lifestyle requires being informed and knowing
how to communicate. She even takes pride in the gentlemen callers who pursued
her, claiming they became well-established. Even after their passing, their
partners were left with vast tracts of land that would support their
livelihoods.
Mrs. Wingfield also claims that at a
young age, individuals should possess enough charm to attract the opposite sex.
She serves as a testament to this belief. She fell in love with Mr. Wingfield
because of his charm, despite being aware that he worked as a telephone man.
She holds certain stereotypes regarding the expected roles of men and women.
She wishes for her daughter to remain in rest so that she can be well-presented
when the gentleman caller arrives. Amanda desires her daughter to be as
knowledgeable as she is. Thus, she encouraged Laura to enroll in business
school. This demonstrates Amanda's intention for girls to gain independence
through education and marriage. When Amanda discovers that Laura has dropped
out of business school and her incapability to attract a gentleman caller, she
urges Laura to avoid reliance on others. She even references the lives of women
who spend their lives without a partner. The following line from the text
supports this point:
…What is there left but dependency all our
lives? I know so well what becomes of unmarried women who aren’t prepared to
occupy a position. I’ve have seen such pitiful cases in the South-barely
tolerated spinsters living upon the grudging patronage of sister’s husband or
brother’s wife!-stuck away in some little mouse-trap of a room- encouraged by
one-in-law to visit another-little bird like women without any nest-eating the
crust of humility all their life!...(Williams,II.19-29).
Amanda highlights both the behavior
expected of women and how her son Tom ought to conduct himself. She disapproves
of Tom drinking, watching movies, and socializing. She pressures her son into
arranging a marriage for her sister with a gentleman caller. She places the burden
of her husband's role on her son by insisting it is a societal norm for men to
provide for the family.The following line is an evident, “I mean that as soon
as Laura has got somebody to take care of her own, independent – why, then
you’ll be free to go wherever you please, on land, on sea, whichever way the
wind blows you! But until that time, you’ve got to look out for your sister…” (Williams,
IV.75-80)
Amanda's character serves as a
representation of the past and the gender ideologies associated with it. She is
positioned in contrast to the mindset of today's youth, who seek to live a life
liberated from the existing gender norms that hinder them from achieving their aspirations.
An opposite of Amanda’s ideology is her son Tom, who represents modern youth.
He embodies the theme of self-denial for the sake of family obligations. The
responsibilities imposed on him by his mother lead him to break away from
traditional male stereotypes. His departure from conventional masculinity
becomes apparent as he spends his nights immersed in movies. During the
daytime, he toils in a warehouse and in the evenings, he finds pleasure in
films. His behavior reflects the shifting perceptions of masculinity during the
1930s, where the financial strains of the Great Depression, along with a
yearning for personal expression, prompted a re-evaluation of what it meant to
be a man.Tom seeks to break free from the expectations of masculinity, much
like his father did. Mr. Wingfield abandoned his family, leaving behind a
simple message: “Hello-Good-bye!” This might stem from his own feelings of
inadequacy in meeting his familial responsibilities, and his father's actions
have profoundly influenced young Tom, who dreams of becoming a writer. His
friends affectionately called him Shakespeare. However, his ambitions have been
stifled since he is the sole breadwinner for the family. He attempts to
alleviate the pressure he feels by pursuing interests that his mother deems
unworthy. When faced with frustration, any individual often seeks enjoyment in
activities they favor. Tom exemplifies this behavior, as he retreats into the
world of movies, which his mother finds inappropriate since she wishes for him
to assume the role of a protector. In his frustration, Tom calls his mother a
witch and inadvertently shatters his sister's glass collection, witnessing a
man struggling to achieve his dreams.According to McKenzie Beeby, a male’s
anger is quite intense, and he states that, “two things that come together that
make up masculine anger. The first is blame. There must be something or someone
to blame for the things happening to them. The second is a need to protect from
that person or thing” (Beeby, 2021). As stated above, Tom is frustrated due to
the criticism he receives from Amanda, who believes he is not a suitable young
man, along with her expectations of responsibility that compel him to try to
escape.
Williams emphasizes the true portrayal
of how men ought to be through Tom’s character. He asserts that men have a
desire for adventure. Through Tom's dialogue, the author conveys that “Man is
by instinct a lover. A hunter, a fighter, and none of those instincts are given
much play at the warehouse!”(Williams,IV.29-30).His desire to become the man he
envisions eludes him, causing frustration.Whenever his mother calls out “Rise
and Shine,” he reflects on the lifeless bodies peacefully resting beneath the
earth. This illustrates his anxiety about reluctantly going to work solely to
earn a pay that supports his family. His disagreement with his mother
highlights his struggle with depression. Boadie Dunlop, the primary author from
Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, notes, “Compared to women, many
men attach a great importance to their roles as providers and protectors of
their families. Failure to fulfil the role of breadwinner is associated with
greater depression and marital conflict” (Diamond). This explanation resonates
with the situation of Tom and his father, who may have abandoned his family due
to his inability to meet his obligations, and Tom, who is frequently reminded
by his mother that he is the family's provider and must refrain from activities
that could interfere with his responsibilities, such as smoking, drinking, and
watching movies.Amanda shows little concern for Tom’s wants and dreams. She
prevents him from keeping the books he enjoys in his home. She even tells him
not to be self-centred, stating, “Overcome selfishness! Self, self, self is all
that you ever think of!” (Williams, IV.2-3). The transformation in today's
youth is reflected in Tom. He finds himself caught in a storm of obligations
and aspirations. Amanda also exhibits selfishness by prioritizing Tom's
responsibilities over encouraging him to pursue his dreams. He is permitted to
consider his own needs only after fulfilling his duties. On the other hand,
Tom’s sister, a modern representation of women, is portrayed as a weak
character that accepts the gender ideology of their mother
Laura, in contrast, embodies qualities
that are completely opposite to her mother's. She feels insecure because of her
disability. Her mother often reassures her that it doesn’t matter. Laura
prefers the joy of solitude over engaging in social situations. Unlike her
mother, she lacks the skill of conversation. The following lines illustrate
this: “…I took her over to the Young People’s League at the church…She spoke to
nobody; nobody spoke to her. Now all she does is fool with those pieces of glass
and play those wornout records. What kind of a life is that for a girl to lead?”
(Williams, IV.85-91). Amanda's perspective on Laura portrays her as still
immature. She is a quiet individual who finds joy in nature and her glass
collection. She becomes anxious when Tom sets up a meeting with a gentleman
caller. She didn’t engage in conversation with Jim. She represents the
contemporary youth who do not exert themselves to obtain what they desire.
Laura is portrayed as a delicate
character, akin to fragile glass that shatters easily. Her aspiration to marry
Jim is dashed when she discovers that he is engaged to someone else.
Additionally, Tom refers to his sister as a “home girl,” which further
emphasizes a gender stereotype that suggests she is only suited for domestic
responsibilities rather than engaging with the outside world. Tom mention Laura
as, “She’s terribly shy and lives in a world of her own and those things make
her seem a little peculiar to people outside the house”(Williams,V.95-98).Jim says
to Laura that “I judge you to be an old-fashioned type of girl”
(Williams,VII.54-55). Consequently, Laura’s character represents girls who
indulge solely in fantasies. She finds joy in her collection of the glass
menagerie. This shows that she is attempting to flee from reality due to her
low self-esteem, believing that her disability makes her unworthy of acceptance
by anyone. Women are viewed as strong,
independent, and self-confident in today’s society. Laura, who embodies the
contemporary world, stands in stark contrast to this notion. Her only passion
lies in her collection of glass animals. As such, she accepts the traditional
gender role of engaging in household tasks that Amanda, her mother, dreams of
for her. Laura is caught between the societal pressures of the ideal woman and
the limitations that prevent her from fulfilling those expectations. This
struggle emerges from these conflicting influences: on one side, there is the
demand for her to conform, while on the other, her personal challenges impede
her from reaching that standard. This internal struggle is essential to Laura's
character and her development throughout the play.
Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie offers a thought-provoking exploration of
gender ideology and its evolution over time. Through Amanda’s yearning for the
past, Tom’s rebellion, and Laura’s fragility, the play reveals the complex ways
in which social expectations shape identity. Amanda follows traditional gender
roles, Tom pushes against them, and Laura entirely withdraws from them. This
dynamic highlight the tensions between the past and the present, obligation and
aspiration, as well as societal pressures in relation to personal identity. By
situating the play within the historical context of the Great Depression,
Williams not only questions rigid gender norms but also suggests their gradual
change. The difficulties faced by Amanda, Tom, and Laura remain relevant today,
as people attempt to navigate the balance between societal demands and their
own ambitions.
Works Cited
Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie.
1944, www.vcstulsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/theGlassMenageriefulltext.pdf.
Diamond, Richard. Irritable Male Syndrome:
Understanding and Managing the Four Key Causes of Depression and Aggression. A
Train Education, www.atrainceu.com/content/4-irritable-male-syndrome. Accessed
13 Mar. 2025.
Beeby, McKenzie. "Why Men Let Their
Anger Lead." Medium, 25 Mar. 2021, https://medium.com/@McKenzieBeeby3/why-men-let-their-anger-lead-4b5a2fdcb6d4.
Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.