Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Context

• targeting govt. - employed homosexuals as threats to American Values

• easy prey for soviet spies

• Skipper and Brick

• present characters as ‘backwards and illiberal’ + ‘unique moral perversity’

• Big Mama - animalistic

• romanticised ’ante-bellum’ (Old South) myth

• traditionally daughter of a plantation owner

• charming and flirty but modest and submissive

• Mae and Maggie (Big Mama)

• myth of American Dream

• if you work hard enough you can get anywhere/anything

• regardless of background

Aristotle

• 3 Unities - time (1 day) - action (1 plot) - place (1 setting)

• Hamartia - fatal flaw of hero

• Catharsis - release of psychological tension - emotionally engage audience - pity + fear

• patriarchal order

• Big D Big M Brother Man and Sister Woman

• Title - pervasiveness of patriarchal ideology Maggie (cat) Patriarchy (hot tin roof) acquires luxury through marriage = security

• women in labour force during war

• challenged role of women + social relationships

• more independent - Some critics believe only Maggie is but others believe all three women are powerful in marriage