Class Roles in Pygmalion

Laura Wingfield has the fewest lines in the play “The Glass Menagerie,” yet the play revolves around her. Laura is twenty-three, and walks with a limp due to a brace on her leg. Although Laura faces problems throughout the play, she is very compassionate. She is humble, shy, and never does anything to hurt anyone else. The character of Laura throughout the play is like a fragile piece of glass, unable to survive in the …

…young and popular, as if looks and social status are what constitute one’s worth. Tom’s world was centered on being a writer. His zeal for the future and power to block out the burdens of his past define him. Each of these examples set the stage for Laura’s own shyness and disillusions of reality. “At the end of “The Glass Menagerie” the candles of Laura’s life are snuffed out” (Patrowicz [online]).