Tennessee Williams: One of the Greatest and Most Controversial Playwrig

Tennessee Williams was known as one of the greatest and most controversial playwrights in American history. He once said â€Å"I believe that writing or any form of creative work was never meant by nature to be a man’s way of making a living, that when it becomes one it almost certainly loses a measure of purity† (Lewis 54). This statement shows that Williams was a genuine writer who wrote with finesse. He used his plays and poems to express his own thoughts and did not stifle an idea because the public would not agree with it. Williams was known for his Southern Gothic writing style. This is â€Å"a style of writing practiced by many writers of the American South whose stories set in that region are characterized by grotesque, macabre, or fantastic incidents† (â€Å"Southern gothic†). Some critics believe that Williams had sacrificed his talent to prosper in wealth; however, other critics believe his writings were original works of art. When Williamsâ₠¬â„¢ lover Frank Merlo died, he became very despondent and his writing began to languish. His plays were becoming less and less desirable and the amount of time each was on Broadway was decreasing little by little. Williams’ beginning writings were works of art, but they became predictable as time went on. Although he did use a lot of recurring themes and symbols, each individual piece had a life and moral value of its’ own. Williams was born March 26, 1911. His mother and father were Edwina and Cornelius Williams respectively. His mother was the divine essence of a southern belle whose main focus was being of high social standards. His father was a besotted shoe salesman who would later be claimed as the reason for Williams’ homosexuality. Williams’ siblings include Rose and Dakin Williams. It is ... ...odreads Inc, 2007. Web. 31 Mar. 2012. . Shmoop Editorial Team. "Tennessee Williams Awards" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Smith, Nicole. "The Tragic Figure of Laura in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams." Article Myriad. Article Myriad, 6 Dec. 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. . "Southern gothic." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. . Print. "Tennessee Williams." - Quotes, Biography, Quote, Works, Festival, Poetry, Poems, Bio, Writing Style, Autobiography, Bibliography. N. p. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. .