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The Glass Menagerie.
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The Glass Menagerie.
In 'The Glass Menagerie' Tennessee Williams' the two leading characters in this play are
Tom and Laura Wingfield, and these two characters are mostly seen as tragic characters. Tragedy
is defined as "drama in which a major character undergoes something of a loss but also gains a
new perspective." Both characters are, to a significant extent, tragic. However, the degree and
kind of enlightenment they receive are different, which gives more weight to Tom's tragedy
compared to Laura.
Tom Wingfield, the play's narrator and the protagonist, suffers a tragic, personal loss as
he struggles between yearning for liberation from his family's suffocating expectations and
obligations. His most important loss is the decision to desert his mother, Amanda, and his sister,
Laura. The guilt and responsibility he is assigned to bear after the departure stood for his tragic
enlightenment (Williams, 2015). That is why Tom's story shows the bitterness and frank truth
that personal freedom often means leaving one's close ones behind. He now realizes freedom is
not all glamour, as he still regrets leaving behind his previous life. The main character, Tom,
represents the concept of tragedy spectacularly, especially when he concludes that freedom is not
free.
Laura Wingfield undergoes a much subtler process of enlightenment compared to Tom.
Physically and emotionally fragile, she retreats into her glass collection, escaping reality. Her
brief interaction with Jim O’Connor hints at potential transformation, but this possibility quickly
fades. Jim's revelation of his engagement pushes Laura deeper into her fragile world. The tragedy
lies in Laura's inability to sustain this new opportunity, causing her life to remain unchanged
(Williams, 2015). Any enlightenment she experiences is fleeting and lacks the transformative
impact seen in Tom's journey, leaving her in her restricted, fragile existence.
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In conclusion, in 'The Glass Menagerie'' Tom is depicted as a more profound dramatic
hero as compared to Laura. This aspect of the play is further manifested by his journey through
loss and the resulting enlightenment of the importance of self-sacrifice and the presence of
freedom that haunts him. Laura, on the other hand, is still that fragile girl even though she
momentarily sees the light at the end of the tunnel. Williams, through Tom and Laura, aptly
portrays the various spheres of tragedy, presenting the dynamics of sorrow and awakening.
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Reference
Williams, T. (2015). The glass menagerie. Reclam. (Original work published 1945)
