The Tragic Hero In The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams

Decent Essays
The Glass Menagerie is a family drama and a tragic play written by Tennessee Williams in 1944 and first performed in 1945. The play is about a young man named Tom Wingfield, who also happens to be the narrator. Tom is retelling a memory of one of the last moments that he had with his mother and his sister. He first tells that his father abandoned his family a long time ago without being too upset about leaving. Tom and his mother, Amanda, argue often and they do not get along very well. Tom wants to leave and find a new job because he dislikes his, but his mother calls him selfish and says he needs to stay and support his family. Laura, Tom’s sister, has a crippled leg and also is extremely shy, so shy that it causes her dreadful stomach sickness. …show more content…
This commotion causes a quarrel between Tom and his mother. Weeks later, Tim gets fired and he decides to leave for the Merchant Marines. Once is gone and so far away he quickly realizes he cannot shake the guilt of leaving his sister behind. A tragic hero and a modern hero are both found throughout the play from the adventures and shyness, family drama, tragic bonding, and the selfish guilt.
The tragic hero of this story is Laura Wingfield, Tom’s sister. The physically and emotionally crippled girl is the only character that never does anything to hurt anyone and tries so hard to please everyone. Her shyness is her fatal and in the end will be the cause of her demise. Her shyness holds her back from living a normal life. She could not finish high school or attend business, so it kept her from pursuing a career. It also caused her from finding a husband because she was too shy to talk to guys. Both a career and a husband were key ingredients needed in those times to have a secure future. Laura is a lot like the glass she collects in the sense that she is beautiful and fragile. She breaks down and freaks out when around a new social challenge and loses her peace
…show more content…
Laura struggles with her shyness and keeping the family peace. Tom struggles with the decision to follow his dream or to stay and support his family. In the end, Laura’s shyness is the cause of her demise, and Tom learns that he is not the breadwinner for his family. Examples of the tragic hero and modern hero are found throughout this play in several ways and seen multiple

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