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Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie

Tennessee WilliamsFiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1945

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Book Brief

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Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1945
Book Details
Pages

104

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

St. Louis, Missouri • 1930s

Publication Year

1945

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

14-18 years

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Super Short Summary

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a "memory play" about Tom, who recalls events leading him to break away from his overbearing mother, Amanda, and his socially anxious sister, Laura. Amanda pressures Tom, dreaming of a better life, to find a suitor for Laura, resulting in the visit from Jim, a high school acquaintance. The play explores themes of family obligation, personal escape, and unfulfilled dreams. Sensitive topics include mental illness and emotional distress.

Melancholic

Bittersweet

Contemplative

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

4.2

137,530 ratings

61%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

11%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie is lauded for its profound character development and emotional depth, capturing the fragility of human dreams. However, some readers find its pace slow and its tone melancholic. Overall, the play is celebrated for its lyrical dialogue and poignant exploration of familial dynamics, solidifying its status as a timeless classic.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Glass Menagerie?

Readers who will enjoy The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams are often drawn to poignant family dramas with rich character development, much like those in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry or Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Fans of mid-20th-century American theater and introspective, memory-driven narratives may find it particularly compelling.

4.2

137,530 ratings

61%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

11%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

104

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

St. Louis, Missouri • 1930s

Publication Year

1945

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

14-18 years

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