Glass Menagerie Protagonist and Antagonist

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.

3. Idea

William's The Glass Menagerie is a complex tale about relationships, social norms, gender roles, and psychological health. The playwright would have wanted audiences to think hard about each of these issues. Remarkably, the play's main themes are universal. Williams was an American, but the themes he writes about apply equally as well to any other culture. All cultures contend with gender roles and norms, and the overbearing mother is a common stereotype. Tom's masculinity is also called into question throughout the play.

4. Acting styles