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marinaschulz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
3.5 Stars
This is not by any means one of Tennessee WIlliam's best plays, but its witty like if it were. On the one hand it definetly reads like a Tennessee play: the dialogue is smart, it has symbolism and call backs, and is definetly provocative as far as it portrays the relationship between men and women. On the other hand, its aged very poorly.
Maybe it came across as subversive in the 1950s, but right now it seems exploitative. Baby Doll is a living doll: she might be a player in the game amongst her husband and Silva, but she's foremost an object to be gained. Men love her because of her sexuality and she is as happy to admit as they are that she has nothing between her ears. And this, as well as her childlike naivité, is what makes her attractive to men. It's fetish-y. She is very passive throughout the play and basically transitions from one man (who mistreats her) to another (that she barely knows) .
I'd also like to add a note for racism: old-timey slurs versus Southern Europeans and Black People. The former is more in focus than the later and is strangely overt, like how Stanley Kowalski is criticized for being Polish.
There is an overarching plot, an ongoing symbolism regarding the cotton gin industry. Modernity vs stagnation, monetarily and morally. But the sex that drips from every page is clearly William's focus, and while it's incredibly well written its context feels objectifying and weird by modern standards.
This is not by any means one of Tennessee WIlliam's best plays, but its witty like if it were. On the one hand it definetly reads like a Tennessee play: the dialogue is smart, it has symbolism and call backs, and is definetly provocative as far as it portrays the relationship between men and women. On the other hand, its aged very poorly.
Maybe it came across as subversive in the 1950s, but right now it seems exploitative. Baby Doll is a living doll: she might be a player in the game amongst her husband and Silva, but she's foremost an object to be gained. Men love her because of her sexuality and she is as happy to admit as they are that she has nothing between her ears. And this, as well as her childlike naivité, is what makes her attractive to men. It's fetish-y. She is very passive throughout the play
I'd also like to add a note for racism: old-timey slurs versus Southern Europeans and Black People. The former is more in focus than the later and is strangely overt, like how Stanley Kowalski is criticized for being Polish.
There is an overarching plot, an ongoing symbolism regarding the cotton gin industry. Modernity vs stagnation, monetarily and morally. But the sex that drips from every page is clearly William's focus, and while it's incredibly well written its context feels objectifying and weird by modern standards.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Sexual violence
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