Blue Song: St. Louis in the Life and Work of Tennessee Williams

Events were held worldwide in 2011 to celebrate the centennial of Tennessee Williams's birth, but nothing was done in his place of birth, St. Louis, Missouri. This book explores how the city was indispensable to his formation and development as a person and artist, revealing that he remained emotionally tethered to it for the rest of his life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2022
Publisher: University of Missouri Press

In 2011, the centennial of Tennessee Williams's birth, events were held around the world honoring America's greatest playwright. Festivals, conferences, and exhibitions were held in places closely associated with William's life and career, including New Orleans, New York, Key West, and Provincetown. However, absolutely nothing was done to celebrate William's life and extraordinary literary and theatrical career in the place that he lived in longest and called home longer than any other—St. Louis, Missouri.

The question of this paradox lies at the heart of this book, an attempt not so much to correct the record about William's well-chronicled dislike of the city but rather to reveal how the city was absolutely indispensable to his formation and development both as a person and artist. Unlike the prevailing scholarly narrative that suggests that Williams discovered himself artistically and sexually in the deep South and New Orleans, Blue Song reveals that Williams remained emotionally tethered to St. Louis for a host of reasons for the rest of his life.

Williams's childhood in St. Louis was marked by a sense of isolation and loneliness, as he struggled to fit in with his peers. He was often bullied and ostracized, and his family's financial struggles only exacerbated his sense of alienation. Despite these challenges, Williams found solace in the world of literature and theater, and he began to write plays and poetry that reflected his experiences and emotions.

In 1937, Williams moved to New Orleans to attend the University of New Orleans, where he studied English literature and creative writing. It was in New Orleans that Williams discovered his true calling as a playwright, and he began to write plays that were deeply rooted in the culture and history of the city. His first major success, The Glass Menagerie, was based on his own experiences growing up in St. Louis and was a critical and commercial success when it premiered in 1944.

However, despite his success in New Orleans, Williams never fully lost his connection to St. Louis. He returned to the city frequently throughout his life, and he often spoke fondly of his childhood and his experiences growing up there. In his memoir, A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams described St. Louis as a "magical city" that had a profound impact on his life and work.

One of the reasons why Williams remained emotionally tethered to St. Louis was his deep love for the city's music and culture. He was a passionate fan of jazz and blues, and he often incorporated these genres into his plays and poetry. He was also a keen observer of the city's people and its social and political issues, and he used his writing to comment on these issues and to advocate for social change.

Another reason why Williams remained emotionally tethered to St. Louis was his close relationship with his family. His mother, Edna St. Vincent Millay, was a prominent poet and playwright who was deeply influenced by the city's literary and artistic community. Williams's sister, Rose, was also a writer and artist who lived in St. Louis for much of her life.

Despite his success and fame, Williams remained humble and grounded, and he never lost touch with his roots. He continued to write and perform, and he remained committed to using his art to promote social justice and to inspire others.

In conclusion, Tennessee Williams's life and career were deeply intertwined with St. Louis, Missouri. Despite his well-chronicled dislike of the city, it was absolutely indispensable to his formation and development as a person and artist. Blue Song reveals how the city was absolutely indispensable to his formation and development both as a person and artist. It sheds light on the reasons why Williams remained emotionally tethered to St. Louis for the rest of his life, and it demonstrates how the city's music, culture, and people had a profound impact on his work.

Weight: 489g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 43 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780826222619