Judit Bóta

Tennessee Williams¿ Maggie, the Cat: Maggie, the Cat on Page, Stage and Screen Judit Bóta

This is the story of Maggie, in Tennessee Williams¿ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Since several different versions of Maggie exist on page, stage and screen, this essay investigates the step by step changes and improvements in the shaping of one of the main characters. The 1974 drama version of Maggie was picked and analysed in details while the character was then compared to her versions among them the one in the famous 1958 film. This is done partly with the help of the appropriate quotations. Through this work a very profound insight can be gained into the working method of the author, how he shaped and formed the character of Maggie. It highlights how Maggie¿s personality had to be altered in the film and what were the reasons for that. The conclusion emphasises how sympathetic she initially was and how even more likeable she became in later versions. This work may appeal to those interested in the working process of a playwright, who love this play of Williams and for anyone caring for literature.