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SECTION FOUR: ONE-ACT PLAY, , , , , , SOMETHING UNSPOKEN, , Tennessee Williams, , , , , , , , , , Introduction, , Tennessee Williams was an American playwright born on March 26, 1911, in Columbus,, Mississippi. His real name was Thomas Lanier Williams and he changed his name to Tennessee, when he moved to New Orleans in 1939. His famous works include The Glass Menagerie (1944), and A Street Car Named Desire (1947). The later is considered to be his masterpiece., , Two different one- act plays were performed in 1959 with the generic title of “Garden, District”, in that the first one was 'Something Unspoken’ and the second one was ‘Suddenly Last, Summer'. ‘Something Unspoken’, which premiered Off- Broadway that year and the action takes, place in Meridian, Louisiana. During the course of the play the two characters are developed with, remarkable insight. It is a play with an underlying current of irony. Tennessee Williams has, perfectly portrayed the plight of women through Miss Cornelia and Grace in the play., , Main Characters, , Cornelia Scott: An elderly woman in her 60's and her desire to be named president of a society, club called the daughters of the confederation., , Grace Lancaster: An elderly woman in her 40's, the secretary of Cornelia, who is with her for 15, years., , Summary, , Miss Cornelia Scott is a wealthy Southern spinster in her 60s. She dresses elaborately, and owns, pompous paraphernalia. She is a member of the Confederate Daughters club. Miss Grace, Lancaster is her secretary, in her 40s, who has been living in the house for 15 years. There is a, complex tension in their relationship. As the title signifies there is ' something unspoken ' between, the two., , Miss Cornelia is waiting to hear about the elections at the Confederate of Daughters. She has been, a member for years. She wants to be Regent. Her fear of rejection is so much that she cannot, submit to the indignities of campaigning-unless everyone says - "We must have Cornelia Scott as, our leader."Then she feels she must resign from the organization. Tennessee Williams shows us, how she yearns for love and recognition., , She gifts a bouquet of 15 roses as a gift for her secretary. One rose for every year of their, togetherness. Cornelia asks if there is anything unspoken between them. Grace says a long silence, between two individuals for 15 years creates a wall them and it is impenetrable. She says she is not, rich or imperial or bold like Cornelia. She herself can’t even attempt to break that wall of silence, and heavy air between the two. In her monologue she says Cornelia is the strong one of the two., Cornelia patiently listens to Grace. They both want love and companionship but something, between them stop them from completely being true friends. When the phone rings Cornelia is, shocked to hear that she is not elected as the Regent. She is getting to ready to resign from the, confederation. Grace is happy to receive the bouquet.
