A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams:
- born Thomas Williams in 1911, Columbus Mississippi
- parents had an unhappy marriage, mother daughter of prominent reverend who lost their eilite status
- brother Dakin and sister Rose
- 1919 moved to St. Louis
- 1928 visits Europe with Grandfather, establishes ties with Europe
- University of Missouri (paid by grandparents): read Chekhov, Strindberg, Ibsen (psychological characters)
- Great Depression, became clerk at a shoe company, suffers nervous breakdown
- Rose recieves lobotomy commissioned by mother as cover up for accusing her father of sexual abuse, she is put in a mental hospital
- 1947 writes "The Glass Menagerie", famous and sells screen rights, becomes wealthy
- Psychotherapy for depression: turns to drugs and drinking
- homosexual, frenetic searches for sexual encounters
- 1983 death in NYC due to choking on depressent pills
We alternated reading excerpts from the play and watching the film.
And discussion notes to follow....
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[Caro discovering the wonderful world of american Peep marshmellow bunnies]
