The Biographical and Psycho-Social Underpinnings of Tennessee Williams’ Characterisation in A Streetcar Named Desire

Abstract

Thomas Lanier Williams III, or better known by his Pen name, Tennessee Williams, was one of the most prominent American playwrights during the 20th century. Having written over 25 major plays throughout his lifetime, perhaps what stands out the most in those plays is the unclouded depiction of the contemporary American coming to terms with a society that was witnessing its belief systems eroding away during a time characterised by mass violence of the world wars, cold wars, and stood at the brink of what we call ‘modernisation’.

This paper attempts to explicate a further understanding of the inspiration and sources that drove Tennessee’s characterisation in his critically acclaimed play titled A Streetcar Named Desire, wherein the representation of his cultural and psychological outlook has been subjected to multifaceted interpretations.