Cat on a Hot Greek Roof

Cat on a Hot Greek Roof

  • Submitted By: bamham
  • Date Submitted: 12/16/2008 6:23 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 868
  • Page: 4
  • Views: 615

The Greek drama is the earliest type of play, making one expect a plethora of plays, both modern and classical, that are based on the structure of a Greek drama. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof has several elements of the Greek drama that add to its charm. Among these elements are the unities, the modes of persuasion, and the tragic flaw.
The unity of time is applied by Tennessee Williams in this play. The unity of time states that the time span of a play should be close to that of the time for the events of the story to take place. For example, if a play were to be performed in two hours, the story should be in a span of two hours. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof takes place over a set amount of time. Each act flows seamlessly, signifying that no time passes in between acts. Therefore, the time that flies by in one act is the amount of time needed to perform it. Even though Oedipus the King by Sophocles doesn’t have multiple acts, it employs the unity of time like all Greek dramas do. In this respect, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a Greek drama.
Another aspect of Greek drama, the unity of place, is employed in this play. The unity of place states that action is limited to one or two adjacent place. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’s setting is Big Daddy’s house, with all the action generally happening in one of his many bedrooms. Although some events occur in outside establishments, such as the Oschner Clinic, it does not affect the setting because they are only mentioned and do not occur during the play. Some action would occur in the rooms adjacent, but they were not visible to any of the main characters, such as a servant picking up a phone or moving the Cadillac. In Macbeth, King Macbeth traveled to the witches’ lair, far from his castle Inverness. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles chose a setting that was used throughout the entire play. This is another element of Greek drama is that present in Tennessee Williams’ play.
The third unity is the unity of action, which states...

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