Tennessee Williams, one of America’s greatest playwrights, is best known for his emotionally intense and character-driven dramas. Here are four of his most famous plays: 1. A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) This Pulitzer Prize-winning play follows Blanche DuBois, a fading Southern belle, who moves in with her sister, Stella, and her aggressive husband, Stanley Kowalski, in New Orleans. Blanche’s fragile mental state deteriorates under Stanley’s cruelty, leading to a tragic downfall. Themes include desire, mental illness, and the clash between illusion and reality. 2. The Glass Menagerie (1944) A semi-autobiographical memory play narrated by Tom Wingfield, it explores his troubled relationship with his overbearing mother, Amanda, and his shy, disabled sister, Laura. Tom feels trapped in his life and dreams of escape, while Amanda clings to illusions of the past. The play highlights themes of nostalgia, family conflict, and shattered dreams. 3. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955) This Pulitzer Prize-winning play focuses on the dysfunctional Pollitt family, particularly Brick, a former football player drowning in alcoholism, and his wife, Maggie, who struggles to save their failing marriage. As they gather for the birthday of Big Daddy, the family’s dying patriarch, secrets about love, lies, and repressed desires come to the surface. Themes include mendacity (lies), family tension, and unspoken truths. 4. Orpheus Descending (1957) A modern retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, this play follows Val Xavier, a young drifter with a guitar, who arrives in a conservative Southern town and becomes romantically involved with Lady Torrance, a trapped woman in a loveless marriage. Their affair sparks tension, leading to violence and tragedy. The play explores themes of isolation, oppression, and the struggle for freedom.