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A House Not Meant to Stand
Christmas 1982: Cornelius and Bella McCorkle of Pascagoula, Mississippi, return home one midnight in a thunderstorm from the Memphis funeral of their older son to a house and a life literally falling apart--daughter Joanie is in an insane asylum and their younger son Charlie is upstairs having sex with his pregnant, holy-roller girlfriend as the McCorkles enter. Cornelius, who has political ambitions and a litany of health problems, is trying to find a large amount of moonshine money his gentle wife Bella has hidden somewhere in their collapsing house, but his noisy efforts are disrupted by a stream of remarkable characters, both living and dead.
While Williams often used drama to convey hope and desperation in human hearts, it was through this dark, expressionistic comedy, which he called a "Southern gothic spook sonata," that he was best able to chronicle his vision of the fragile state of our world.
While Williams often used drama to convey hope and desperation in human hearts, it was through this dark, expressionistic comedy, which he called a "Southern gothic spook sonata," that he was best able to chronicle his vision of the fragile state of our world.
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2008
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85 people want to read
About the author
Tennessee Williams
755 books3,710 followersThomas Lanier Williams III, better known by the nickname Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright of the twentieth century who received many of the top theatrical awards for his work. He moved to New Orleans in 1939 and changed his name to "Tennessee," the state of his father's birth.
Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, after years of obscurity, at age 33 he became famous with the success of The Glass Menagerie (1944) in New York City. This play closely reflected his own unhappy family background. It was the first of a string of successes, including A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), Sweet Bird of Youth (1959), and The Night of the Iguana (1961). With his later work, he attempted a new style that did not appeal to audiences. His drama A Streetcar Named Desire is often numbered on short lists of the finest American plays of the 20th century, alongside Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
Much of Williams' most acclaimed work has been adapted for the cinema. He also wrote short stories, poetry, essays and a volume of memoirs. In 1979, four years before his death, Williams was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
From Wikipedia
Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, after years of obscurity, at age 33 he became famous with the success of The Glass Menagerie (1944) in New York City. This play closely reflected his own unhappy family background. It was the first of a string of successes, including A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), Sweet Bird of Youth (1959), and The Night of the Iguana (1961). With his later work, he attempted a new style that did not appeal to audiences. His drama A Streetcar Named Desire is often numbered on short lists of the finest American plays of the 20th century, alongside Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
Much of Williams' most acclaimed work has been adapted for the cinema. He also wrote short stories, poetry, essays and a volume of memoirs. In 1979, four years before his death, Williams was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
From Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 22, 2013
Williams subtitled this play "A Gothic Comedy." While the 'gothic' -- the grotesque, the madness and more -- comes through loud and clear on the page, my guess is the 'comedy' (in part because of its numerous entrances and exits) comes through much better on the stage.
The inventive set-design and the effective use of the 'ghosts' in Bella's mind (Williams in a draft note calls the play his "Spook Sonata" a la Strindberg) are other reasons to see it, if possible. According to the editor's notes, it was performed in N.O. as part of the 2004 Tennessee Williams/N.O. Literary Fest, so I missed a chance. (I feel lucky that I've heard so many people that the editor acknowledges in the end-notes speak at different Fests.)
This is Williams' last complete play (1982) and it's quite different from his earlier works. However, some elements of those better-known works, especially that of his first successful play, The Glass Menagerie, (1944), seem to echo throughout this one.
Williams' style didn't stay static. As he said at the time of this production (I'm paraphrasing), he didn't realize at first how far he had departed from realism, long since exhausting 'poetic realism' and now finding that 'German expressionism' (for the sets in particular) was right for his material. He added, "This, after all, isn't twenty years ago."
The editor's notes added to my enjoyment of this thought-provoking play. I wish some of the differently titled drafts of this work (esp. the previously produced one-act) had been included. Perhaps that's beyond the scope of the New Directions series and I applaud them for publishing this in 2008.
The inventive set-design and the effective use of the 'ghosts' in Bella's mind (Williams in a draft note calls the play his "Spook Sonata" a la Strindberg) are other reasons to see it, if possible. According to the editor's notes, it was performed in N.O. as part of the 2004 Tennessee Williams/N.O. Literary Fest, so I missed a chance. (I feel lucky that I've heard so many people that the editor acknowledges in the end-notes speak at different Fests.)
This is Williams' last complete play (1982) and it's quite different from his earlier works. However, some elements of those better-known works, especially that of his first successful play, The Glass Menagerie, (1944), seem to echo throughout this one.
Williams' style didn't stay static. As he said at the time of this production (I'm paraphrasing), he didn't realize at first how far he had departed from realism, long since exhausting 'poetic realism' and now finding that 'German expressionism' (for the sets in particular) was right for his material. He added, "This, after all, isn't twenty years ago."
The editor's notes added to my enjoyment of this thought-provoking play. I wish some of the differently titled drafts of this work (esp. the previously produced one-act) had been included. Perhaps that's beyond the scope of the New Directions series and I applaud them for publishing this in 2008.
August 18, 2018
One of the last works of Williams. Normal themes are heightened: disfunction, faith-on-the-sleeve, southern family dynamics. The action was a bit crazed for me, TW unhinged you could say, but it's clear that's the reason his late works are great—their uncompromising style. Perhaps he felt the freedom to portray his own mental state in the final years of life.
February 17, 2017
This one creeps up on you.
I was not enjoying this play much until the end of the first act. I have seen so many live plays, and I think it's the reason I enjoy reading them so much. The characters and stage come alive in my head and I find it such a pleasure to read through.
So being quite a Tennessee Williams fan (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof my favorite) I was excited to read this. Oddly it was the only Williams play my local library had on hand.
So as I read through this I was disappointed at first, but the play gained speed, drama, sadness, and action into the second act and through to the end.
It is a "Gothic dark comedy" (heavy on the "dark") but some of the characters (Bella) bear a striking resemblance to characters in The Glass Menagerie. Williams seems to use some of the same methods and themes in many of his plays regarding- family relationships, disillusionment of life, and homosexuality. So A House Not Meant to Stand does not stray very far from other Williams work. Notable differences are strong symbolic overtones (dilapidated house and the thunderstorm) and also a fair amount of comedy. The character of Jessie Sykes is particularly funny.
But what I found most interesting as study pieces were the parental characters Bella and Cornelius because both were said to be based primarily on Williams' own parents. As I read this I felt I was getting a glimpse into Tennessee's own family dynamic.
Overall good, but not his best play.
I was not enjoying this play much until the end of the first act. I have seen so many live plays, and I think it's the reason I enjoy reading them so much. The characters and stage come alive in my head and I find it such a pleasure to read through.
So being quite a Tennessee Williams fan (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof my favorite) I was excited to read this. Oddly it was the only Williams play my local library had on hand.
So as I read through this I was disappointed at first, but the play gained speed, drama, sadness, and action into the second act and through to the end.
It is a "Gothic dark comedy" (heavy on the "dark") but some of the characters (Bella) bear a striking resemblance to characters in The Glass Menagerie. Williams seems to use some of the same methods and themes in many of his plays regarding- family relationships, disillusionment of life, and homosexuality. So A House Not Meant to Stand does not stray very far from other Williams work. Notable differences are strong symbolic overtones (dilapidated house and the thunderstorm) and also a fair amount of comedy. The character of Jessie Sykes is particularly funny.
But what I found most interesting as study pieces were the parental characters Bella and Cornelius because both were said to be based primarily on Williams' own parents. As I read this I felt I was getting a glimpse into Tennessee's own family dynamic.
Overall good, but not his best play.
January 8, 2014
If you want to be devastated, read this. Even though it's a "gothic comedy," all I can see is the gothic part, with a few good bits of comedy here in there if you're creative and can catch them. I'm sure it would come out more on the stage, but I'm also sure that the tragic aspect would come out on the stage even more; it's hard to picture just the right ghostly tone of scene until you see it performed. I know that much after seeing "The Glass Managerie" recently. Speaking of which, this play shares a lot of similarities with "The Glass Managerie," as well as plenty of differences. However, the chances are if you like that play, you'll like this one.
October 17, 2014
Williams during this period of his life was clearly not at his best. This play, I'm afraid, is indicative of his state of mind. His suffering is on display for the world, and my gut says he knew it. Not great writing for such a master of the stage and lyricism. I would not recommend reading this except to understand as a playwright when its time to hang up the keyboard. And, by the way, he is my favorite playwright.
March 11, 2009
The worst play I've read by Williams. I've always adored the dreamy quality of his plays, but this one just doesn't have it. The action is scattered, the dialogue unrealistic. The overall theme is okay, but that's about where it stops.
July 8, 2012
Fun. And this has never been given a production in NYC??? Fountain Theatre in LA in 2011 and premiered at the Goodman in Chicago in '81-'82. It's time!
March 3, 2022
This is the first play I've read outside of high school and first anything by Tennessee Williams. I enjoyed it. Was a very fast read at only 86 pages. I'll have to see it now and compare.
June 16, 2023
"A Gothic Comedy"? Perhaps humorous on stage, but timing is everything so the read experience is lacking.
March 4, 2025
Definetly gothic, not much comedic
Want to read
March 17, 2008WHOA-SO COOL:
Book Description
The spellbinding last full-length play produced during the author's lifetime is now published for the first time.
Christmas 1982: Cornelius and Bella McCorkle of Pascagoula, Mississippi, return home one midnight in a thunderstorm from the Memphis funeral of their older son to a house and a life literally falling apart—daughter Joanie is in an insane asylum and their younger son Charlie is upstairs having sex with his pregnant, holy-roller girlfriend as the McCorkles enter. Cornelius, who has political ambitions and a litany of health problems, is trying to find a large amount of moonshine money his gentle wife Bella has hidden somewhere in their collapsing house, but his noisy efforts are disrupted by a stream of remarkable characters, both living and dead.
While Williams often used drama to convey hope and desperation in human hearts, it was through this dark, expressionistic comedy, which he called a "Southern gothic spook sonata," that he was best able to chronicle his vision of the fragile state of our world.
Book Description
The spellbinding last full-length play produced during the author's lifetime is now published for the first time.
Christmas 1982: Cornelius and Bella McCorkle of Pascagoula, Mississippi, return home one midnight in a thunderstorm from the Memphis funeral of their older son to a house and a life literally falling apart—daughter Joanie is in an insane asylum and their younger son Charlie is upstairs having sex with his pregnant, holy-roller girlfriend as the McCorkles enter. Cornelius, who has political ambitions and a litany of health problems, is trying to find a large amount of moonshine money his gentle wife Bella has hidden somewhere in their collapsing house, but his noisy efforts are disrupted by a stream of remarkable characters, both living and dead.
While Williams often used drama to convey hope and desperation in human hearts, it was through this dark, expressionistic comedy, which he called a "Southern gothic spook sonata," that he was best able to chronicle his vision of the fragile state of our world.
September 2, 2016
I believe this was Tennessee Williams' last play. I like me some southern gothic and this delivered. Not sure if I like how it all got wrapped up, but it was fun. Would like to see/do a production.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews