Orpheus Descending Play - Essay Example

Responding to Questions from Orpheus Descending Play

Introduction

Orpheus descending is Tennessee Williams writes a play published in the New York print by the Dramatist's play service. The play received massive criticisms and was considered a failure. It portrays several themes like loneliness and desire, yearning for freedom, and sexuality and repression. There is imminent use of imagery, symbolism and lyrics of a language. The author viewed the play as a series of unanswered questions surrounding the heart of the main characters, which is all true. These characters that it surrounds are Val, Lady, Carol and Vee.

A Specific Question that haunts one of the Play’s Characters from my View

One question that lady Torrance would ask is whether her husband was responsible for the murder of her father. Such occasions happened in scene four, Act two. A long conversation between Val and the lady presumed. During this time, the relationship between the lady and Val took on its major part, as their communications portray. The question was to haunt the character because she could not imagine how Jabe could be the reason beyond her father's death.

I can generally say that the character did not continue with the question but accepted a prescribed answer. It is this session that makes the lady start growing a strong love towards Val. Later on, she finds it necessary to conceive a baby with Val. The happiness that comes from this relationship is said that the lady has never experienced it before. At some point, the answerer that can be said to have not worked for this lady relates to the time when Val was curious about her not losing trust. Val tells her that she felt lonely (Williams, 880). The lady has tried to understand whether Val is trustworthy, like through the cash on the cashbook. Val has told her several times to go. The only convict her that leaving money on the cashbook was intentional to study his trustworthiness. There have been several occasions of these two colluding in their efforts of this trust. These happen to the extent that Val makes an absolute decision to leave. Val tells the lady that he is back for putting the money he had taken back so that the lady won't remember him as being dishonest or grateful. We see the lady affirming with no that she needs Val, meaning this was a hard decision for her to make.

How the Character’s Haunting Question Reflect William’s Life Experiences and Social Context

The relationship between the lady's lifestyle to that of William's lifestyle is similar in their life's romance. The lady breaks up with her partner after realizing that he was behind the death of her father. Similarly, Williams entered into a relationship that is seen to end as a result of drug abuse and infidelity. Similarly, the lady had to part ways with her partner due to his behavior of killing her father. At a time, later on, we see Williams being afraid of her loneliness and did not thus want to lose her sexuality towards young men that are considered gay. These are things that happened to the lady when he was afraid of losing Val and would then tell him that she needs him. After the lady had left Jaber, she starts another new relationship with Val that they push together. The same aspects are seen to Williams when she starts another relationship with Robert Carroll that is said to be lengthy. The author makes several trials before her works become imminent among the writing due to her beliefs (YouTube, 8). Critics were many, even some referring to her as illiterate. The lady also makes several tries to ensure that Val is trustworthy for them to be together later. Her life's history represents many in American society, just like the other writers.

The Specific Question that could be haunting me

One question that I can ask myself from the play is the place an artist would take in the society as per the play. Several perceptions of characters in the play were presented. The majority of artists write works that portray the aspects of their real society. The play has several regards towards the characters chosen. Some of them, such as Val, were seen as marginalized while others like Vee were put into conventional and marginalized society. These characters and the situations make me ask the question. It is a question one would ask for several times but would get an answer eventually. ThAnswerer comes from following the characters' lifestyle in the story to get the reasons behind the perceptions towards them.

The Answers that Worked

Artists' best way to play their part in society is through their real lifestyles. Williams portrays some characters in the play, like how life has been on his side for quite a while. Some lifestyles, such as relationships, are similar to those of characters like the lady. They both relate to some partners and leave them owing to the social requirements like infidelity, among others. Val was view marginalized because of her lifestyle. He is seen in most times being in love with his guitar. At some times, the lady threatened to shoot him, and then he hands the guitar over. Instead of leaving, Val starts stories of like who brought him there (Williams, 39). The stories are continuous up to times where we see him telling the lady that he is looking for work there. These are aspects of him being marginalized from the way he presents himself. On the part of Vee is that the conventions of a society are imminent like region. Vee referred to the church in their society as being of resurrection and Episcopal (Williams, 71). Other titles are evident such as reverend and minister.

The Question that is Haunting America

The story of the play can, in one way or the other, is a representative of America being in revival tactics from its vital and crucial questions that people can ask. One way to be curious about America is how communities in the region are best in relationship to each other. Such a question can come from the reason people desire happiness in the world and act according to their desires. Act one begins with a representation of a small town. Some representations of the play have been connected to the cities of America, such as New York (Williams 8). There have been and occasions surrounding characters in the play that can make one ask of how life would be in America if they are a representative of it. The situation of characters trying to make their lives good is seen in situations like where Pee Wee saying that they fed a certain bandit ought to take heed towards indigestion (Williams 10).

The language used by Pee Wee is representative of selflessness. Some characters, such as Jaber, are connected with the murder, which even relates to his partner's father. One would be very curious about American culture. Unexpectedly, the evil with a person in society can extend even towards their partner's family. There a problem with coexistence in the culture, such as of the American people. The author portrays this because they are from American culture. Sometime later, she is seen referring to the American people as gays that she doesn't intend to engage in an intimate relationship. The lady represents this better when she doesn't continue with Jaber after her conclusion that he was behind her father's death. Therefore we can generally say that she was up for the best with herself and thus goes for Val.

ThAnswerer that will Work

The answers to this question are acceptable because one can directly relate the culture with the play. Problems in society are common because it is hardly a society where all people coexist harmoniously without other internal problems. We, therefore, do not need to continue asking questions but accept thAnswerer given. Some characters like Beula are a representation that the answerer will work out as in the time when she says that when anybody gets into trouble with the law (Williams, 21). Such as talk means that the nature of their society has people sometimes getting into trouble for going against society's preclusions. Carol is seen warning another character that she is to shoot them if they happen to stop them once again on the way. Others are said to own disastrous gadgets such as guns without a license. Dolly confirms this when Carol claims to be looking for cartridges used in her revolver (Williams 20). The meaning here is Carol is acting against the law and thus is a question to the existence of people. It means that some people in American society behave like thugs or take preventive measures for their problems that are not acceptable by law. Carol should have sought other means other than the way she is acting.

How the Haunting Question Reflects the American Culture and History

Tennessee Williams is an American, and thus her writing would mainly critique the nature of their country's society. Her dramas 'characters mainly reflect American society like those created on the stages. American society and history are seen to uphold the works of writers. At the burial of Williams, we see her legacy represented, such as the one done by Georges Borchardt (Wikipedia). The plays he wrote were termed to have tried to solve some forces of her life, which is a good representation of American society's nature. The people are considerate of church matters just like it is mentioned in the play. Her recognition is in the church at the Saint Paul Episcopal Church found at Columbus, Mississippi. It started with William's grandfather and is said to undergo renovation. He is the one contributing to holding annual literary festivals from her Orleans to remember important playwrights like for her. One important has formed the American culture and history, such that it is held to coincide with her birthday. To honor his works is even represented by the U.S postal service for the series of his literary works, such as a stamp. In his interview with Bill Boggs, he answers many questions related to his writing works (YouTube 9). He answers the way he feels that people will look back and remember him. He incorporates the issue of nuclear meaning; the American society is explosive.

It is evident in the existence of racial hatred among the American people is said to surround the artists. Williams's work in the play is said to condemn racial problems and the social attitudes among the significant portion of the American areas (Williams 4). One other real social issue is seen when he is amongst the protesters towards the state capital for one of the sentenced to life in jail for a rape accusation towards a white woman. The victim is black. He then happens to be amongst those that are arrest in the protests. These are representations of the evil nature of American society. Witchcraft is evident in the history of America as per the play. Vee talks of the white type charm being a good charm, although the present one was a black (Williams 22). He has to instruct uncle to take it away, and with it, they had agreed.

Tennessee Williams is one character in American history whose work remains engraved in the long history of the country’s writings. He is representative of the other authors’ writing. Even his choice of characters was based mainly on his family members. One important is her sister named Rose (Wikipedia). Another one is her mother by the name Edwina although she is a character in another play. His works also use characters that represent him in reality, mostly also in other plays. Some other instincts of her writing represent her real lifestyles, such as mental instability, her tendency to take alcohol and homosexuality. These instincts are really to confirm that the writing in Orpheus Descending is representative of American society at large. The play is as well said to be a critique of the New York Times, which is a popular magazine in America. One would thus be astray if they claim that the play is not a representation of the American culture.