Tennessee Williams in the 50s: a Mirror Competing Discourses

Abstract

7KLV DUWLFOH ZDV D VWXG\ RI GLIIHUHQW EXW V\QFKURQL]HG GLVFRXUVHV PLUURUHG LQ 7HQQHVVHH :LOOLDPV¶V +ROO\ZRRG DGDSWDWLRQV LQ the 50s. It discussed the HIIHFW RI DUWLVWLF DJHQFLHV RI FHQVRUVKLS RQ WKH KRZV DQG ZK\V RI :LOODLPV¶V DGDSWDWLRQV 0RVW notably, PCA and HUAC were in charge of cultural and political regulations that no Hollywood film was immune from. Until the early 60, HUAC and PCA imposed religious values to supplant Communism, happy ending to replace the intellectual fad of pessimism and strict dressing code to restore the innocence of the Freud-conscious moviegoers. However, these agencies were not omnipotent. The voice of those discourses that the agencies were fighting against were heard in +ROO\ZRRG +ROO\ZRRG DFKLHYHG WKH VXEYHUVLRQ ZLWK WKH KHOS RI :LOOLDP¶V FRQWURYHUVLDO SORWV DOEHLW WDPHG E\ VRPH reinforcing discourses of optimism and diluted religious values.