In The Glass Menagerie, marriage is used as a tool rather than a celebration of love. Amanda believes that marriage is a necessary step for her daughter to live comfortably, to be supported by a man. This play also calls into question the lasting nature of marriage, as the marriage of the mother figure (Amanda) and her missing husband has been destroyed by his abandonment of her.
Questions About Marriage
- What does marriage mean to Amanda? Why does she want Laura to get married?
- What exactly is going on with Amanda's husband? She only says nice things about him (except for the whole drinking part). So how does she feel about being abandoned by him? Is she hiding something?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Because Amanda is unable to necessarily tie love to the institution of marriage, she sees it as a tool of manipulation rather than a mutual decision.