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This analysis focuses on four plays from a successful period in Williams life in which the playwright had established a pattern in developing sexually desirable male characters using symbolism and space: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Suddenly Last Summer, Sweet Bird of Youth, and The Night of the Iguana. All four illustrate how Williams shapes the structure of the scenes by directing the space the characters reside in. Characters are conveyed most intensely through very specific staging notes, which give insight into what troubles the plays tormented protagonists. There is a specific pattern in Williams use of props, which enhance the protagonist s major flaws, and add to the revelation of character slowly throughout the course of the play. There is a recurring structural theme of the space where the play takes place affecting the outcome and unifying mode of the play. This is seen most intensely when the setting of the play is varied versus a stationary setting. This thesis contends that the understanding of Williams main male protagonists is enriched through analyzing the stage directions, props, and setting.

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Sara Temme lives in New Jersey with her husband, horse and dogs. She has a Masters Degree in English Literature from Montclair State University.

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