Thomas Lanier Williams III was born on March 26, 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi. Williams wrote mainly as a playwright but dabbled in other forms such as short stories, poetry and even several novels. He wrote from the time he was a teenager but made a career out of writing from his twenties until his death on February 25, 1983. Some of his most famous works include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, and A Streetcar Named Desire.
Early Life
Thomas was one of three children born to Edwina and Cornelius Williams on March 26, 1911. He was the first son and second child of the couple. Williams' mother was the primary caregiver to him and his two siblings whereas his father was a traveling shoe salesman who rarely made an appearance in the family home. His childhood, as described by Williams, was "pleasant and happy".[1] However, his happy childhood was put on pause when his family relocated to St. Louis, Missouri. Do to the fact he was unfamiliar with the urban setting of St. Louis Williams found an outlet for the angst and resentment he felt about the relocation.[2]
Williams began writing at a relatively early age. He seemed to have a natural talent for story telling and writing. At the young age of sixteen Williams saw his first success when he was awarded third prize for an essay he had written entitled Can a Good Wife Be a Good Sport?.[3] From there on out Williams seemed to find his talent and stride in the writing community.
Williams knew that writing was what he wanted to do with his life. Knowing writing was his passion he enrolled in the University of Missouri located in Columbia. From 1929 until 1931 he attended the college with a major in Journalism.[4] Unfortunately he did not complete his degree at the college because his father disapproved of his attendance at the school.
Without school to attend Williams went to work in a shoe company that he came to detest working for and would return to writing for a refuge. Unfortunately even his writing could not aide in his depressed state and he eventually suffered from a nervous breakdown[5] and was sent to Tennessee to recover. Once he was fully recovered he was able to return home and enrolled into the University of Iowa. While in school, Williams had several minor successes with plays. These plays are how he truly figured out that writing was what he wanted and needed to do with his life.
Personal Life
Williams had a very difficult childhood which may have very well affected his relationships with others. His mother who was considered the stereotypical "southern belle" primarily raised Williams and his two siblings.[6] They had a very absent father who spent most of his days traveling to provide for the family he left behind. When his family relocated at the age of eight Williams had a very hard time adjusting to the move. He was very unhappy and did not have many friends. Do to his lack of social skills and happiness Williams had turned to his writings[7] .
Williams' writings reflect his life and where he stood socially and emotionally. His complex relationship with his family members also helped to inspire characters and story-lines of his famous works. His mother was his motivation for one of his most well-known characters, Amanda Wingfield from //The Glass Menagerie[8] . He used her because of her shy yet strong personality. His father, despite being absent for most of his young life, was the muse or inspiration for Big Daddy in Cat in a Hot Tin Roof.[9] It was the aggressive nature he took from his father and gave to the character. It was in that nature that made Big Daddy the character.
Another aspect of Williams' personal life is his battle with depression. Williams turned to alcohol and narcotics[10] to try and cope with the illness. He managed most of his life to keep his problems at bay. Williams really started to succeed when he met his partner, Frank Merlo. The fact that Tennessee Williams was a homosexual was most likely one of the reasons he had so much trouble dealing with his personal life. Homosexuality was not accepted during his time and was still seen as an illness or sickness. He returned to his depressed state when his partner of many years passed away do to cancer. It was this tragedy that sent him over the edge and back into his addictions. It was these addictions that would be lead to his death.[11]
Writing Career
Williams decided it was time for a change and a fresh start. At twenty-eight years old, Williams moved to the very city that would be the inspiration for many of his works, New Orleans Louisiana. It was here that he would change his lifestyle along with his name.[12] From here on out he was no longer Thomas Lanier Williams III but Tennessee Williams. New Orleans is where Williams really found his stride when it came to his writings and even earned the recognition and attention of Audrey Wood,[13] who would later become a dear friend and mentor of Williams. His first major attempt at writing was a play called Battle of Angels, which was quite unsuccessful.[14]
Being disappointed and determined to make it as a playwright Williams decided to give it one more try. Battle of Angels was extensively revised and given an entirely new title, Orpheus Descending.[15] The success of this play was much greater than his first attempt and was eventually adapted into a film version. The movie was called The Fugitive Kid and starred the legendary Marlon Brando.[16] A few short years later, towards the end of World War II, Williams completed one of the most famous works of his career. The Glass Menagerie, in many people's eyes is his best play,[17] was loved by audiences and critics alike. The writing and concepts were so new and interesting that this play would set the stage for his future.
Two years later, after the success of his first great work, he was able to repeat his previous success. In 1947 he came out with A Streetcar Named Desire, which would solidify his place amongst the great playwrights. This work was even more successful[18] than his first and made him more popular than he already was. With two of his works being wildly popular Williams feared that he would not be able to duplicate the successes of his other works. With his fears in mind Williams decided to travel the country to find the right inspiration. Williams managed to have several successes after The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire but once the sixties hit Williams had a difficult time regaining his previous successes.[19]
//Although he did continue to write throughout the 1960s, people considered his topics to be a bit more taboo than they were comfortable with.[20] It was during this time that Williams received the harshest criticism for his works. It was at this same time that his beloved partner, Frank Merlo, lost his battle with cancer and passed away.[21] Williams had a very difficult time coping with the loss and sadly turned to alcohol and narcotics as he continued to write. His brother saw how depressed he was and admitted him into a hospital in 1969.[22]
Once Williams was released from the hospital in the 1970s he immediately returned to his writing. During this time he produced more plays, short stories, poems, and even his memoirs.[23] His memoirs gave a more detailed account of his life including his addictions to alcohol and drugs along with his life as a homosexual in an unaccepted time.[24] He did carry on his writing and even wrote about the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald[25] entitled Clothes for a Summer Hotel. Not much longer after this work was completed, three years, Tennessee Williams passed away in a hotel room in New York City on February 25, 1983.[26]
His Works
Plays
Candles to the Sun (1936)
Spring Storm (1937)
Me Vaysha (1937)
Fugitive Kind (1937)
Not About Nightingales (1938)
I Rise in Flame, Cried the Phoenix (1941)
Orpheus Descending (1943)
The Glass Menagerie (1944)
You Touched Me (1945)
Stairs to the Roof (1947)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1947)
Summer and Smoke (1948)
The Rose Tattoo (1951)
Camino Real (1953)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955)
Suddenly, Last Summer (1958)
Sweet Bird of Youth (1959)
Period of Adjustment (1960)
The Night of the Iguana (1961)
The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore (1963)
The Mutilated (1965)
In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel (1969)
Will Mr. Merriweather Return From Memphis (1969)
Small Craft Warnings (1972)
The Two Character Play (1973)
The Red Devil Battery (1975)
This is (An Entertainment) (1976)
Vieux Carre (1977)
A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur (1979)
Clothes for a Summer Hotel (1980)
The Notebook of Trigorin (1980)
Something Cloudy, Something Clear (1981)
A House Not Meant to Stand (1982)
In Masks Outrageous and Austere (1983)
Novels
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1950)
Moise and the World of Reason (1975)
Short Stories
The Vengeance of Nitocris (1928)
The Field of Blue Children (1939)
The Resemblance Between a Violin Case and a Coffin (1951)
Hard Candy: A Book of Stories (1954)
Three Players of a Summer Game and Other Stories (1960)
The Knightly Quest: a Novella and Four Short Stories (1966)
One Arm and Other Stories (1967)
Eight Mortal Ladies Possessed: a Book of Stories (1974)
Tent Worms (1980)
It Happened the Day the Sun Rose, and Other Stories (1981)
Tennessee Williams
Table of Contents
Summary
Thomas Lanier Williams III was born on March 26, 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi. Williams wrote mainly as a playwright but dabbled in other forms such as short stories, poetry and even several novels. He wrote from the time he was a teenager but made a career out of writing from his twenties until his death on February 25, 1983. Some of his most famous works include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, and A Streetcar Named Desire.
Early Life
Thomas was one of three children born to Edwina and Cornelius Williams on March 26, 1911. He was the first son and second child of the couple. Williams' mother was the primary caregiver to him and his two siblings whereas his father was a traveling shoe salesman who rarely made an appearance in the family home. His childhood, as described by Williams, was "pleasant and happy".[1] However, his happy childhood was put on pause when his family relocated to St. Louis, Missouri. Do to the fact he was unfamiliar with the urban setting of St. Louis Williams found an outlet for the angst and resentment he felt about the relocation.[2]Williams began writing at a relatively early age. He seemed to have a natural talent for story telling and writing. At the young age of sixteen Williams saw his first success when he was awarded third prize for an essay he had written entitled Can a Good Wife Be a Good Sport?.[3] From there on out Williams seemed to find his talent and stride in the writing community.
Williams knew that writing was what he wanted to do with his life. Knowing writing was his passion he enrolled in the University of Missouri located in Columbia. From 1929 until 1931 he attended the college with a major in Journalism.[4] Unfortunately he did not complete his degree at the college because his father disapproved of his attendance at the school.
Without school to attend Williams went to work in a shoe company that he came to detest working for and would return to writing for a refuge. Unfortunately even his writing could not aide in his depressed state and he eventually suffered from a nervous breakdown[5] and was sent to Tennessee to recover. Once he was fully recovered he was able to return home and enrolled into the University of Iowa. While in school, Williams had several minor successes with plays. These plays are how he truly figured out that writing was what he wanted and needed to do with his life.
Personal Life
Williams had a very difficult childhood which may have very well affected his relationships with others. His mother who was considered the stereotypical "southern belle" primarily raised Williams and his two siblings.[6] They had a very absent father who spent most of his days traveling to provide for the family he left behind. When his family relocated at the age of eight Williams had a very hard time adjusting to the move. He was very unhappy and did not have many friends. Do to his lack of social skills and happiness Williams had turned to his writings[7] .Williams' writings reflect his life and where he stood socially and emotionally. His complex relationship with his family members also helped to inspire characters and story-lines of his famous works. His mother was his motivation for one of his most well-known characters, Amanda Wingfield from //The Glass Menagerie[8] . He used her because of her shy yet strong personality. His father, despite being absent for most of his young life, was the muse or inspiration for Big Daddy in Cat in a Hot Tin Roof.[9] It was the aggressive nature he took from his father and gave to the character. It was in that nature that made Big Daddy the character.
Another aspect of Williams' personal life is his battle with depression. Williams turned to alcohol and narcotics[10] to try and cope with the illness. He managed most of his life to keep his problems at bay. Williams really started to succeed when he met his partner, Frank Merlo. The fact that Tennessee Williams was a homosexual was most likely one of the reasons he had so much trouble dealing with his personal life. Homosexuality was not accepted during his time and was still seen as an illness or sickness. He returned to his depressed state when his partner of many years passed away do to cancer. It was this tragedy that sent him over the edge and back into his addictions. It was these addictions that would be lead to his death.[11]
Writing Career
Williams decided it was time for a change and a fresh start. At twenty-eight years old, Williams moved to the very city that would be the inspiration for many of his works, New Orleans Louisiana. It was here that he would change his lifestyle along with his name.[12] From here on out he was no longer Thomas Lanier Williams III but Tennessee Williams. New Orleans is where Williams really found his stride when it came to his writings and even earned the recognition and attention of Audrey Wood,[13] who would later become a dear friend and mentor of Williams. His first major attempt at writing was a play called Battle of Angels, which was quite unsuccessful.[14]Being disappointed and determined to make it as a playwright Williams decided to give it one more try. Battle of Angels was extensively revised and given an entirely new title, Orpheus Descending.[15] The success of this play was much greater than his first attempt and was eventually adapted into a film version. The movie was called The Fugitive Kid and starred the legendary Marlon Brando.[16] A few short years later, towards the end of World War II, Williams completed one of the most famous works of his career. The Glass Menagerie, in many people's eyes is his best play,[17] was loved by audiences and critics alike. The writing and concepts were so new and interesting that this play would set the stage for his future.
Two years later, after the success of his first great work, he was able to repeat his previous success. In 1947 he came out with A Streetcar Named Desire, which would solidify his place amongst the great playwrights. This work was even more successful[18] than his first and made him more popular than he already was. With two of his works being wildly popular Williams feared that he would not be able to duplicate the successes of his other works. With his fears in mind Williams decided to travel the country to find the right inspiration. Williams managed to have several successes after The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire but once the sixties hit Williams had a difficult time regaining his previous successes.[19]
Once Williams was released from the hospital in the 1970s he immediately returned to his writing. During this time he produced more plays, short stories, poems, and even his memoirs.[23] His memoirs gave a more detailed account of his life including his addictions to alcohol and drugs along with his life as a homosexual in an unaccepted time.[24] He did carry on his writing and even wrote about the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald[25] entitled Clothes for a Summer Hotel. Not much longer after this work was completed, three years, Tennessee Williams passed away in a hotel room in New York City on February 25, 1983.[26]
His Works
Plays
Novels
Short Stories
Awards Received
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
<http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/williams_tennessee/>
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
<http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/williams_tennessee/>
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
<http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/williams_tennessee/>
<http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=3819>.
<http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=3819>.
<http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=3819>.
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
"Explore the Arts." Kennedy Center.org. The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Web. 4 Apr 2013.
<http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=3819>.
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
<http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/williams_tennessee/>
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
"American Masters" PBS.org.// PBS, 08 02 1999. Web 3 Apr 2013.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
"American Masters" PBS.org. PBS, 08 02 1999. Web 3 Apr 2013.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
<http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=3819>.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
<http://www.biography.com/people/tennessee-williams-9532952?page=1>.
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.