Analysis Of Homosexuality In Tennessee Williams Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Repressed Homosexuality in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof In the play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, American play writer and author, Tennessee Williams, creates a piece that brings attention to a very dysfunctional, Southern family due to dishonesty, greed and concealed emotions. This story takes place around the 1950s and is centered on a broken, alcohol-loving man named Brick, his vivacious wife named Maggie, and their extremely… unusual family, but this isn’t the typical 1950s type of play. Most of the story and its conflict centers around one main topic: repressed homosexuality. This play was eventually cut down, altered and turned in to a film created by director, Richard Brooks. By Williams using such a diplomatic topic as the foundation of his play, many problems came

Wolfenden found that in 1955 30% of those prosecuted were imprisoned. The irony of imprisoning homosexual men in institutions which were all-male seemed lost on the system. (‘Gay’ in the 1950s)
With knowing the severity of homosexuality during the 50’s, it brings clarity as to why problems came about when creating the film version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. When deciding to make the play into a film, one main change had to be made due to restrictions of homosexual references in films. An article titled, “Making the Lie True:
Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Truth as Performance” written by Rebecca Holder states, “Much of the play’s critical discussion has centered on Brick’s sexuality, with critics alternatively arguing that Brick is a closeted gay man or a homophobic heterosexual…” (4). In order for this film to be published in 1958 without the risk of any legal issues, the director, Richard Brooks had to hide any mention of homosexuality. The theme of childhood conflict and on-going adolescence was stressed rather than Brick’s homosexual