Isolation

What ways can isolation be seen in COAHTR and FG?

• Isolation in relationships,

• isolation from society.

What quotes show isolation in relationships in COAHTR?

• “Snowy surface of the bed” A1

• “Living with someone you love can be lonelier than living entirely alone – if the one that you love doesn’t love you” A1

• “I don’t want to lean on your shoulder, I want my crutch! A1

• “I’m not living with you. We occupy the same cage” A1

How does isolation in relationships link to the context of the 1950s?

• The stigmatisation of divorce leaves Maggie trapped in her marriage.

• The role of women as a wife, mother, and homemaker, arguably led to their objectification, being seen by men as mere tools to fulfil their desires, creating emotional distance in relationships.

How does isolation in relationships in COAHTR link to the literary context?

• Post-war literature highlighted the idealised family structure as dysfunctional.

• Maggie’s psychological complexity, attempting to make sense of her own desires and understanding of what is expected of her as a woman, mirrors the growing interest in psychological depth in 1950s literature.

What have critics said about isolation in relationships in COAHTR?

Bloom suggests Brick’s alcoholism and emotional unavailability reflect a broader postwar disillusionment, leaving Maggie isolated in a world where she has to rely on male support.

What poem in FG shows isolation in relationships?

The woman who shopped.

What quotes in TWWS show isolation in relationships?

• “Purchased a hat with a brim, / walked with a suitor under its shadow, ditched him,”

• “Wanted a wedding, a wedding dress, groom”

• “Looked at the gold of her ring”

• “Stone cold when she woke, she was stone, was concrete”

How does isolation in relationships in TWWS link to the context of the 2000s?

Duffy criticises capitalist values of consumerism, and how women are pressured to enjoy such activities.

What quotes show isolation from society in COAHTR?

• “[This loud ‘HAH!’ is accompanied by a violent action such as slamming a drawer shut]”

• “I’m not living with you. We occupy the same cage” A1

• “That woman of yours has a better shape on her than Gooper’s” A2

• “Gooper’s wife’s a good breeder” A2

• “She’s childless because that big, beautiful athlete husband of hers won’t go to bed with her!” A3

How does isolation from society in COAHTR link to the context of the 1950s?

• Brick’s apathy leaves Maggie unable to fulfil her role of finding purpose in marriage, motherhood, and domestic life. Not only is she isolated from Brick, but she is also isolated from the rest of society.

• The role of women as a wife, mother, and homemaker, arguably led to their objectification, being seen by men as mere tools to fulfil their desires. This is particularly significant as women were expected to show emotional restraint and grace, preventing the from expressing their opinions.

How does isolation from society in COAHTR link to the literary context?

Reflects Williams choice to often write about female characters who are trapped by societal expectations, such as Blanche in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Maggie fits this archetype of the tragic Southern woman.

What have critics said about isolation from society in COAHTR?

Fuchs suggests “Maggie is trapped in a role where her worth is measured by her body, her fertility, and her ability to keep her man”.

What poem in FG shows isolation from society?

Beautiful.

What quotes in Beautiful show isolation from society?

• “A little bird inside a cage”

• “Her hair was platinum, her teeth gems, her eyes sapphires pressed by a banker’s thumb”

• “Stare and stare and stare”

• “Act like a fucking princess”

How does isolation from society in Beautiful link to the context of the poem?

Societal expectations placed on women throughout time haven’t changed, from historical women, such as Helen of Troy and Cleopatra, to modern women, such as Marilyn Monroe and Diana. They all are objectified due to their beauty and expected to conform to the vision that society has for them.

What is an alternative viewpoint about isolation from society in Beautiful?

Duffy also presents the power of beautiful women, seen when “The US whooped”.