Night of the Iguana, by Tennessee Williams, details the struggle of Shannon, a tour guide and reverend, as he is stuck in crisis at a resort in Mexico. The tour group Shannon is leading at the time is unhappy with his inability to follow the itinerary and refuses to stay in the resort, which is run by Shannon’s friend Maxine. In his disturbed mental state, Shannon refuses to leave the resort, forcing the tour group to remain with him. When unexpected guests (Hannah and her grandfather Nonno) arrive at the resort with no money to pay for a room, Maxine is inclined to turn them away, however, Shannon is placated by Hannah’s calming presence and convinces Maxine to give them a room. Over the course of the play, Shannon is caught between his desire for Hannah and Maxine’s desire for him. Williams makes it clear that in order to experience fulfillment in life, it is imperative that one embraces its spiritual aspects and
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Maxine, the proprietress of the resort where the play takes place, is worldly and sexual, concerned primarily with the financial success of her business and her romantic endeavours; a clear representation of materialism. Maxine’s long-time husband Fred has just passed away, and she is lonely living without someone who belongs to her. No sooner has Maxine offered Shannon the opportunity to permanently live at the resort, Hannah arrives with her grandfather Nonno in tow. Hannah, soft spoken and reflective, is everything Maxine is not. Williams clearly favors Hannah over Maxine, depicting her in a much better light in the majority of the stage directions written in the script (Maxine is described having a “simple, sensual nature” [II.64] and Hannah as being a “medieval saint” [I.21]). Hannah and Shannon are immediately attracted to each other upon meeting, and during one of their conversations, the talk turns to the different levels on which life can be
Maxine, the proprietress of the resort where the play takes place, is worldly and sexual, concerned primarily with the financial success of her business and her romantic endeavours; a clear representation of materialism. Maxine’s long-time husband Fred has just passed away, and she is lonely living without someone who belongs to her. No sooner has Maxine offered Shannon the opportunity to permanently live at the resort, Hannah arrives with her grandfather Nonno in tow. Hannah, soft spoken and reflective, is everything Maxine is not. Williams clearly favors Hannah over Maxine, depicting her in a much better light in the majority of the stage directions written in the script (Maxine is described having a “simple, sensual nature” [II.64] and Hannah as being a “medieval saint” [I.21]). Hannah and Shannon are immediately attracted to each other upon meeting, and during one of their conversations, the talk turns to the different levels on which life can be