A COMPARATIVE DISCUSSION OF THE WOMEN IN ‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’ AND SUSAN GLASPELL’S ‘TRIFLES’

The comparative intent of this author has primarily to do with the women of ‘The Glass Menagerie’ by Tennessee Williams and Susan Glaspell, with emphasis upon the time period, society at the time, different types of symbolism, especially foreshadowing. At the outset, and candidly, this author should like to state that it is my belief that the women in the play ‘The Glass Menagerie’ are more interesting, and also are more complimentary to those aspects, as identified, with which this author is primarily concerned, especially regarding the women in the play. Amanda, for example, is both Tom’s mother and while loving, she is also demanding beyond reason. She insists that Laura, the second female protagonist in the play, stay put while Amanda plays the “darkie”, which shows her extremely provincial southern upbringing. This is reflective of both the setting as well as the upbringing of the times. Most specifically, the setting has to do with a St. Louis tenement, and there also appears to be a sullen sense of hopelessness of life. Laura’s brother, Tom Wingfield (also the narrator) has a friend called Jim (a “gentleman caller”) who inter...