The revision of The Glass Menagerie: the passing of good manners
Charles S. Watson
The Southern Literary Journal. 8.2 (Spring 1976): p74. From Literature Resource Center.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1976 University of North Carolina Press
http://uncpress.unc.edu
Full Text: Tennessee Williams has frequently revised and published different texts of his plays. (1) Two well­known examples
are Orpheus Descending and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. An especially interesting case is The Glass Menagerie, which
exists in two published texts, the Library Edition and the later Acting Edition. (2) The most noticeable changes are
the omission of the screen device and the increase of scenes from seven to eight, but the publisher of the Acting
Edition also notes that "the dialogue has to some extent been revised by the author" (p. 5). In the two principal
studies to consider the changes in the texts, L. A. Beaurline finds that Williams shows his talent for brilliant dialogue
in his final revisions, and Ruby Cohn notes that additions to Amanda's lines evoke pity and further endear her to us.
(3) The most significant thematic addition, however, has not been heretofore recognized. By numerous changes in
dialogue Williams reveals his intention of developing the theme of the passing of good manners in modern America.
Although he does not confine this quality to one part of the country, it is clear that he particularly associates it with
the old South.
At the beginning of the first scene of the Library Edition the screen legend reads, "Ou sont les neiges" (6). In the
Acting Edition at this point, Williams wrote a new opening speech of ten lines for Amanda in which her polite
behavior contrasts with the rudeness she met at church. She tells Laura that the church was crowded except for
one pew in which one little woman was sitting. She "smiled very sweetly" and said, "`Excuse me, would you mind if I
shared this pew?'" The woman retorted that she certainly would since the space was rented. Amanda complains,
"These Northern Episcopalians! I can understand the Southern Episcopalians, but these Northern ones, no" (12).
Since Williams stated that the screen device enabled him to rely less on "spoken lines" (LE, x), it is understandable
that when he removed it here and elsewhere he often added dialogue.
In Scene Three of the Library Edition, when Amanda is promoting one of those serial sublimations of lady authors
who think in terms of creamy thighs and caressing fingers, she calls it "the Gone with the Wind of the post­World
War generation" (23). In the Acting Edition, Williams replaces this comparison by Amanda's remark that it is all
about "the horsey set on Long Island" (21). As Williams makes Amanda more appealing and more complex by his
final changes, he achieves the same end for the old South by omitting this unflattering reference to the most famous
novel about that culture and by making subsequent additions.
The most important changes that Williams makes relate to Jim O'Connor. The alterations in his dialogue reduce his
brashness and considerably increase his politeness, thus making him a model of good manners and a more
sympathetic character. (4) In the Library Edition when Amanda first meets Jim, the screen image shows "Amanda
as a girl" (78). This is replaced by Tom's flattering comment, "Mother, you look so pretty" and Amanda's reply, "You
know, that's the first compliment you ever paid me" (49). The stage is set for a flawless display of politeness by the
characters who re­enact the ways of the lady and her gentleman caller.
Jim's silences and raucous laughter in the Library Edition are replaced by courteous remarks and a decided
increase in "ma'ams" in the Acting Edition. In the Library Edition, Jim says nothing while Amanda gives her lengthy
welcome, but in the Acting Edition, he appropriately says, "How do you do?" (LE, 79; AE, 49). In the next three
pages of the Library Edition, Jim continues his silence (80­82); in the corresponding pages of the Acting Edition, he
says "yes, ma'am" twice and "thank you, ma'am" (50­51). Next in the opening pages of the last scene Jim's
"ma'ams" are increased from three to eight and his two exclamations of "ha­ha" are replaced by courteous remarks,
such as "Can I be of help, ma'am" (LE, 83­87; AE, 51­53). In the Library Edition when Amanda tells her amusing
story about the candelabrum of the Episcopal church getting melted, Jim responds, "Ha­ha," and nothing else is
said in regard to this anecdote. In the Acting Edition, however, he asks, "Is that so, ma'am?" and Amanda says, "I
never say anything that isn't so." He replies, "I beg your pardon." Then in the Library Edition, when Amanda asks if
he can carry both the wine and candelabrum to Laura, he exclaims, "Sure. I'm Superman." This is changed to "I can
try, ma'am" (LE, 87; AE, 53). Through Jim, who is of Irish descent and lives in the North, Williams exemplifies
politeness outside the South and prepares the way for predicting the fate of good manners in the whole country.
By a decisive addition, Williams pronounces an end to the good manners and hospitality associated with the old
South. At the beginning of the last scene of the Library Edition the lights go out and the words "Suspension of a
public service" appear on the screen (83). In the Acting Edition Williams adds five lines, starting with Amanda's
comment that she has not had "such a pleasant evening in a very long time." Jim gallantly offers a toast "to the old
South." Amanda responds, "The old South." Immediately there is a "Blackout in both rooms" (51­52). On leaving,
Jim sums up what is passing with "a wonderful evening" such as this, "I guess this is what they mean by Southern
hospitality" (AE, 66).
The changes made in Jim's lines provide a sharper contrast to the future predicted for his personality. Like the
hospitality of the old South, Jim's politeness seems destined for extinction. Although Laura tells him that she
admired his "friendly way" in high school, he admits that he too had an inferiority complex then, and until he learned
his aptitude for science never thought of himself as being "outstanding in any way whatsoever" (AE, 59). Williams
indicates that under the influence of someone like Amanda, who practices the good manners of former times, Jim's
aptitude in that direction flourishes, but it is doomed by his ambitions for "Money­­Zzzzzzpp! POWER! Wham!" (AE,
60).
An awareness that Williams made important changes in the text of The Glass Menagerie is particularly needed
because the Library Edition is much more often printed than the Acting Edition. The latter as a separate volume
exists only in the text published for actors by the Dramatists Play Service and is not as likely to be in college
libraries as is the New Directions reprint. A survey of anthologies reveals that editors choose the Library Edition by a
ratio of at least two to one. Critics also are much more prone to use the Library Edition. (5) If readers use the Library
Edition exclusively, they will remain ignorant of important additions to the dialogue decided on by Williams.
(1.) James Thorpe, Principles of Textual Criticism (San Marino, Calif: Huntington Library, 1972), p. 35.
(2.) The Library Edition is The Glass Menagerie (1945; reprint New York: New Directions, 1949). References are to
the New Directions reprint. The Acting Edition is The Glass Menagerie (New York: Dramatists Play Service [1948]).
It has been reprinted by Dramatists Play Service with a notice of renewed copyright, 1972, and different pagination.
All references are to this latest reprint. When the texts of the Library and Acting Editions (LE and AE) are the same,
reference will be only to the latter.
(3.) L. A. Beaurline, "The Glass Menagerie: From Story to Play," Modern Drama, 8 (Sept. 1965), 142; Ruby Cohn,
Dialogue in American Drama (Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Press, 1971), p. 101.
(4.) Jim is frequently viewed as an unsympathetic character. See Signi L. Falk, Tennessee Williams (New York:
Twayne, 1961), pp. 78­79; Beaurline, p. 148; and Cohn, p. 100.
(5.) The widely used anthology A Treasury of the Theatre (New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1970), eds. John
Gassner and Bernard Dukore, for instance, prints the Library Edition. American Drama (New York: Crowell, 1960),
ed. Alan Downer, is one of the few to include the Acting Edition. Two leading critics of Williams show their
dependence on the Library Edition by referring only to that text. See Benjamin Nelson, Tennessee Williams: The
Man and His Work (New York: Ivan Obolensky, 1961), pp. 100, 101, 110; and Falk, pp. 72, 79­80.
Watson, Charles S.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Watson, Charles S. "The revision of The Glass Menagerie: the passing of good manners." The Southern Literary
Journal, vol. 8, no. 2, 1976, p. 74+. Literature Resource Center, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=LitRC&sw=w&u=asuniv&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA131896955&it=r&asid=f49758880975dcc88f5dd682586256a3.
Accessed 6 Dec. 2016.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A131896955