Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh Quiz

Take our free Tennessee Williams quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Take the free quiz now!

What caution did Elia Kazan give Tennessee Williams about "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" before it went into production? (from Thunder of Disintegration)

He told him not to cast Barlon Brando as Brick Pollitt.

Kazan told Williams to be certain the script was complete and finished, unlike "Camino Real" which failed because of a defective script.

Kazan told Williams he should quit drinking.

Kazan said the actors should all speak with the same southern accent.

What sort of behavior did Tennessee Williams exhibit that indicated he'd not taken Dr. Kubie's recommended steps back to sanity and reality? (from Waving and Drowning)

Williams continued his life at the same frantic pace, writing hits, then flops, drinking and using drugs and running from reality instead of facing it.

Williams abandoned his mother and brother in New York after his play, "The Milk Train doesn't Stop Here Any More" flopped.

He refused to enter a psychiatric hospital because the patients were all deranged.

Tennessee remained obsessively fixated on Frank Merlo after his death, which made it impossible for him to live in the present.

What did Dakin Williams do to intervene in his brother's downward spiral after the dearth of Frank Merlo? (from Waving and Drowning)

He convinced Tennessee to come with him for a visit to their sister, Rose.

Dakin affirmed for his brother that they were the products of an insane family and that they were, in fact, sane.

Dakin convinced Tennessee to come with him to a specialty hospital in St. Louis to be treated by a world-renown psychiatrist.

Dakin bought Tennessee a dog, to replace the one that had attacked him in Key West.

What enticement was added to "The Glass Menagerie" so that Laurette Taylor would enact the role of Laura Wingfield? (from Blood — Hot and Personal)

Tennessee Williams offered to double her salary.

Ms. Taylor was promised the same role if a movie of the play were made.

The actress could use her own native southern accent.

Buckets were strategically placed behind curtain so the alcoholic actress could vomit if she became ill.

What were some of the early signs of Williams' progressive consumption of drug and alcohol? (from Thunder of Disintegration)

He noticed a tendency to fall asleep during dinner, a degree of mental confusion and an inability to think clearly and consecutively.

His speech became slurred.

He had uncontrollable crying jags.

He sometimes passed out after two drinks.