Monday, March 19, 2012

What are the similarities and differences between Of Mice And Men and The Glass Menagerie?

These two plays, besides being both authored by Americans, have very little in common.  Glass Menagerie is a family play, set in a small interior space, while Of Mice and Men is a play about a larger society, set in exteriors, mostly – farms and fields.  Furthermore, one play, Of Mice and Men, comes from the novel by John Steinbeck, while Tennessee Williams’ play is a play first, possibly autobiographical.  So let us look at some subtler similarities:  In both plays, sibling relationships play an important role:  Tom and Laura in Glass Menagerie, and George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men.  Both plays have a Southern U.S. setting, and both plays deal with future possibilities and hopes for the protagonists:  Tom’s hope to travel and have adventures, and George and Lenny’s desire to have a farm of their own.  Furthermore, both plays feature the inherent drama in “difference”:  Laura’s physical/emotional handicap and Lennie’s mental handicap.  Finally, the two plays have become staples in the American drama repertory, must-reads for any student of literature.

No comments:

Post a Comment

What are hearing tests?

Indications and Procedures Hearing tests are done to establish the presence, type, and sever...