TENNESSE WILLIAMS - THE CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

TENNESSE WILLIAMS: "THE CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF"

PLOT:

This play deals with the inheritence of old cotton planter Pollit, called Big Daddy, who is the rich owner of a plantation in the Mississipppi - Delta. The whole Pollitt family celebrates his 65th birthday. They all, except Big Mama and Big Daddy himself, know that Big Daddy is hopelessly ill and that this birthday will be his last one. Instead of telling him the thruth, they don`t want him to face reality and pretend that everything is allright. The elder son, Gooper, a laywer, tries (supported by his wife Mae) to prevent his younger brother, Brick, from becoming included in Big Daddy`s last will. Brick, once was a famous footballer and sportscommentator, but the death of his best friend, Skipper, has changed his life and he became an alcoholic. Skipper, whom Maggie suspected to be homosexual, wanted to disprove this rumour by having a love affair with Brick`s wife, Maggie. Finally this  just was a shameful affair for both of them, Skipper began to drink and died, Maggie, who has not been touched by Brick since Skipper`s death, lives besides him with unfulfilled desire, like a CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF: Mae and Gooper, proud of their five children, would like to see themselves as the successors of the big plantation. They try to hurt by calling her steril.

At their meeting also old feelings of hatred and old differences are activated.

During the conversation between Brick and Big Daddy, who wabts to find out the true reasons for his son`s drinking, it becomes obvious that Big Daddy likes his son Brick much better than the intriguing Gooper. Brick, feeling a strong world weariness, flings the truth about his father`s illness into Big Daddy`s face and tells him that this will be his last birthday. Boiling with rage Pollitt locks himself up in his room. Having told the truth to Big Mama, Gooper tries to clear the matter of Big Daddy`s last will. But Gooper is mistaken; Big Mama asks Maggie to help her putting Brick right again. And she wants Brick to direct all these things.

Outside of the house the storm roars. Big Daddy comes out of the room to clear the air of the "smell of lies". When he is told, that Maggie is expecting a baby (which is a lie too) he calmly begins to say good bye to his "empire". Maggie, who is not unmasked by Brick, knows that the cat`s jump off the hot roof might be successful.

MAIN THEMES:

The main problem is Brick himself. Unable to face that he is responsible for his friend Skipper`s death, he ruins his marriage with Maggie, his family and finally himself. He flees from his pricks of conscience to alcohol and refuses any contact to his environment. His decision to make a career as a footballer was another flight from growing up, facing up to reality and leading a normal life. He is almost a small boy, who is not strong enough for leading his own life.

Another problem is that there was never a good basis for communication between Big Daddy and Brick. Pollitt is a very tolerant father and he really seems to love his son, but firstly he doesn`t want to realize that his son`s alcoholism is a big problem, secondly a big problem for the whole family.

Finally, another basic theme: In this family no one can stand each other. Big Daddy despises his wife, Gooper and Mae. Gooper and Mae can`t stand Brick and Maggie; and Maggie also hates them. Big Mama doesn`t like them either. How can you call such a constellation a family?

Just Brick doesn`t worry about anything, he lives his own life and hates himself. Though this is, in fact, very egoistical, it is not fair to blame everything on Brick.

CHARACTERS:

Maggie Pollitt:

She is Brick`s young, beautiful wife, who grew up in a poor family. The cat on the hot tin roof is Maggie who tries with all her vitality to break through the sphere of falsehood, insincerity, self-declusion and untruthful morality. But trying to serve her husband, Brick, and their marriage, she herself is forced to use a lie. She pretends to be pregnant. Maggie, who really loves Brick, lives beside him in unfulfilled desire and fears to lose him forever. She just lives with the hope of being accepted and loved by Brick one day. Sometimes she can`t stand herself, she knows that she has changed, now she is cruel and nasty, but strong enough to lead this kind of life.

Maggie wants to have a baby from Brick, because she thinks that a baby would change the situation and would prevent Brick from drinking. Sometimes she despises him, his weakness, his drinking, his detachment from reality, but on the other hand she is fascinated by his cool charme, by his handsomeness. Finally she seems to succed with her lie, maybe she will be able to build up a new world for herself, her husband and her baby.

Mae and Gooper don`t want to understand Brick, they don`t even try to do so. For this reason Maggie hates them.

The relationship between Big Daddy is also a strange one. On the one hand, she admires him, on the other hand, she despises him.

Brick Pollitt:

He was once a successful footballer and sportswriter. Though he became an alcoholic after his friend`s death, he is as handsome as before. There was a deep friendship between him and his best friend, Skipper, and he thought that this friendship was the most honest andd clear thing in the world. But Skipper was supposed to be homosexual.

Therefore he was not sure about his feelings, so he wanted to disprove it by having an affair with Maggie. When he called up Brick to make a drunken confession of this matter, Brick put down the receives. This is the main problem of Brick: He doesn`t want to face reality, he can`t accept that he himself is responsible for his friend`s death, too. He just blames his wife Maggie and society. Deep down in his soul, he knows exactly that he is wrong, but he prefers to live in his world of illusions, dreams and alcohol. He simple despises himself and refuses to solve his problems in another way.

Now he feels a strong world - weariness and indulges in his self - pity. By doing so, he hurts Maggie and ruins himself.

He has not touched her since Skipper`s death. He refuses any contact with the raelity, but I think he admires Maggie in a certain way, loves her and doesn`t want to loose her. Maybe he just waits for somebody to help him to get out his world of illusions, this help might be Maggie.

Brick is a weak character, he has not grown up and still is a little boy. He didn`t want to face the cruelity and problems of life, of growing up and having a job, when he decided to make a career as a footballer after highschool. This seemed to be the easier and more comfortable way of life. But he was wrong. He never got the strength to build up his life, to fight for things that are important for him.

Big Daddy:

Is a so called self - made man. He has built up himself an empire: his big cotton plantation. Now he is 65 years old and hopelessly ill, cancer is going to kill him. Heloves his son Brick, but there never was a strong relationship between them. Their problem is that they are unable to talk to each other. Big Daddy feels the untruthfull morality and the falsehood of Mae and Gooper he simple can´t stand them, despices them. His greatest wish is that Maggie and Brick have a baby. When the lie is told that Maggie is pregnant he is content and a little bit happy. Now he is shure that Bricks´s son will some day run his plantation. This gives him satisfaction.

Pollit comes from a low social class. He hasn´t got a good education and marrided awoman from higher social class. But he pretends that he never loved her. I don´t know if I can believe this, though he is very mysterious. It might be possible that he also knows that Maggie lies. Generally he seems to have a strong personality, but it is a pity that he always wants to hide his feelings.

Big Mama:

She is a 62 year old, fat woman. She is neither attractive nor likeable at the very first moment, but she is good harted. She loves Bicks and realizes that Maggie is the only one who is able to help him. Therefore she wants to support her whenever it is possible. Big Mama doesn´t trust in Gooper and Mae, she knows their intriguing plans and wants Bricks to direct all the things concerning the family´s future.

She also feels that her husband despises her in a certain way, but this doesn´t stop her from loving him.

Gooper:

Is the elder son of the Pollitt´s family. He is a lawyer, married to Mae, and is father of five children. He can´t stand his brother Brick and hasn´t got any true feelings for his parents. Gooper feels his parent´s dislike and answers to this by fighting against Brick and Maggie. So he wants his children to have the plantation one day, as he believes that Brick will never stop drinking and start a new life. His hatred and fear makes himdo these things and in a certain way I feel sorry for him.

Mae:

She is Gooper´s wife. She is neither attractive nor likeable too.Mae is rather naiv and silly , but she supports her husband. I think, Mae is just a big nuissance. The only reason for respecting her: She cares for her children and loves them.