The Night of the Iguana

In addition to being featured in the play’s title, the iguana becomes an important recurring symbol. Revisit the text and trace any mentions of the iguana throughout the play. What does the iguana symbolize, and how does this symbolic element shift throughout the play? Use three examples from the text to support your claim.

Which character is the foremost protagonist? How does that character drive the play’s action forward? Identify the most likely antagonist and identify how that character tries to interfere with the protagonist’s objectives. Analyze at least three moments from the play to support your argument.

Imagine that you are working on a contemporary production of The Night of the Iguana. Given that the play was first produced in 1961, which elements should be changed or updated? What hasn’t aged well, and what aspects of the play remain fully relevant in the 21st century?