Tom as protagonist and antagonist in The Glass Menagerie

Glass Menagerie

Protagonist and Antagonist

Tom would be the main protagonist of The Glass Menagerie, even though one could argue that Amanda serves that literary function. Amanda does drive much of the action throughout the play, and as a controlling mother figure she is psychologically if not spiritually in charge. However, Amanda is more of an antagonist in Tennessee Williams' play. After all, it is Amanda who is the most meddlesome. She drives Tom mad, ultimately causing him to flee. Amanda might also have played a role in Laura's psychological problems. To Amanda, Laura is a hopeless case. Yet Laura's brief interaction with Jim proves that she has the potential to develop her own personality and her own relationships.

Tom emerges as a protagonist early in the play, too, as he initiates the narrative. It is his memories that the audience perceives. The audience remains in Tom's head, which is how Williams constructs Tom as not only his narrative voice but also his literary conscience. Tom is the window through which the audience views and understands the other characters of the play. He and his mother Amanda never do resolve their conflicts, even though they are classic protagonist and antagonist. The conflict remains poignant at the end of the play.

2. Technical Elements

A stage production would have entailed far greater simplicity, and less flexibility in terms of costume, set design, and visual perspective. For example, a cinematographer and film director can collaborate on various camera angles. We sometimes see Tom's, Amanda's, or Laura's faces close-up, although the director does a good job of maintaining a stage-like feel throughout the film. The video production offers a different acoustic sense, too. Whereas a stage production will have powerful moments of silence, punctuated by the psychic participation of the audience, the film production is more of a solitary engagement of the viewer. The costumes used in the film production are suitable for the characters in the play, and are not appreciably different from ones that would be seen on Broadway.

4. Acting styles

John Malkovich emotes without overacting, which is why he is a renowned and well-respected actor. His role as Tom is ideal because of his ability to get angry in a realistic way. Although not as effusive as a Pacino-type actor, Malkovich is passionate and energetic in his approach. Both Joanne Woodward and Karen Allen have more subdued acting styles compared with John Malkovich. Joanne Woodward has a stoic, confident aura about her, making her ideal for the role of Amanda. Her regal air can almost be mistaken for arrogance, but her eyes speak volumes more than her lips do. Karen Allen also uses her eyes and her body language to her advantage as an actor, especially given the unique challenges of playing a role like that of Laura. Allen plays Laura well by using a powerful restraint in her approach.