Sexuality And Black Despondency: A Psychoanalytical Study Of Tennessee Williams’ Selected Plays

Abstract

Tennessee Williams’ plays often depict psychological struggles, gender role confusion, and suppressed desires. This research aimed to examine the themes of sexuality and black despondency in The Glass Menagerie (1945) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955). This study explores sexuality and black despondency through a psychoanalytical lens. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of id, ego, and superego has been used. A close textual reading of the plays has been conducted using a qualitative approach. Primary sources include the selected plays by Tennessee Williams, while secondary sources consist of psychoanalytical texts, scholarly articles, and critical essays relevant to Freudian theory and literary analysis. Through a detailed textual analysis, the study investigated how psychological conflicts manifest in character behaviors, mental health struggles, and distorted personal relationships, particularly highlighting the impact of repression and internalized desires. The characters’ repressed desires and psychological conflicts push them toward despair and symbolic death. This study concluded that Williams' plays serve not only as personal narratives but also as cultural critiques, revealing how psychological suffering is shaped and intensified by rigid social norms and expectations. It is recommended that future researchers explore Freudian defense mechanisms in more depth or analyze different plays or playwrights to expand the understanding of psychological themes in literature.

Key words: Black despondency, Death, Escapism, Gender, Psychological complexes, Sexuality