Gender Roles and Destiny in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie
Overview
This essay analyzes how societal expectations and traditional gender roles determine the futures of characters in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie. The paper examines how Amanda subverts traditional gender roles while still enforcing them on her children, and how the characters' decisions regarding marriage and family relationships shape their destinies.
What this essay covers
- Societal expectations and gender role establishment through characters Laura and Tom
- Amanda's subversion of traditional gender roles and her influence on her children's futures
- The role of male figures in determining Laura's destiny through marriage and family decisions
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William Glass Menegerie
Throughout the play, we can see that the future of each character is dictated earlier. Therefore, it is established that Luara must be married because she is a lady, and Tom must learn how to work because he is a man. Consequently, we can see that the roles of each gender have been established and determined by societal expectations. The traditions define the roles of each character. The subversion of the traditional gender roles is seen in Amanda's character, who shifts away from the established traditions (Williams).
Despite her shift from the traditional perspective of gender, she still treats the children based on their differences. Laura is expected to appear "fresh and pretty" and has a strong belief character is the most important thing for a man. The assumption and subsequent disruption of the roles are what defines the destiny of Laura within the play. As we can see, Tom adopts the destructive behaviors of his father and becomes a symbolic figure of Amanda's husband.
Through this behavior, Tom acted as the father to Laura and brought her a husband, Jim (Williams). As she contemplates her own life, she wants Laura to refuse to make the mistake she made when choosing her husband. It seems that Amanda substitutes her daughters' position with her own and wants to avoid making similar mistakes twice. It is the rebellion against her mother's wishes that determines Laura's destiny. Also, Tom's decision to bring Jim for her plays a part in deciding her future life.