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These accusations were made by people such as John Club and Nicholas De Jingo. Shackled suggests that these critics didn’t take into account that writers and their work would have been rejected or censored. (Shackled; 1998). Gay men and women were subject of Senator McCarty Witch’ hunts during the ass, they were considered by the government as security risks. The government accused homosexuals as potential acting as spies who would betray them as this type of lifestyle was UN-American. (Shackled; 1998).
Homosexuals were also seen as unionists, and during the witch hunt in the asses they were prosecuted, even without proof. Government officials were fired from their Jobs. This was known as McCarthy. (Shackled; 1998). “Inspired by McCarthy, a legislative committee sought to rid Florida of any perceived homosexual, for being gay was not only perversion of the highest magnitude but, more importantly, also tantamount to being a traitor” (Shackled; 1998). During the time that Williams wrote ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ being gay was one of the worst crimes that someone could commit.
Homosexuality was also considered as a mental illness, which meant that anyone who was open about their gay lifestyle was immediately seen as ‘abnormal. ‘ This meant that the medical procedure known as a Lobotomy could be performed in order to cure homosexuality. These procedures went ahead despite Sigmund Fried’s claims that homosexuality was ‘neither an asset nor a liability. ‘ (Shackled; 1998). In ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof it is clear that Skipper was a gay man. He drank himself to death after admitting his love for Brick, and failing to prove that he wasn’t when sleeping with Maggie.
Alcohol becomes the means by which both the gay or quasi- gay male characters, Skipper and Brick, run from their inner selves. Skipper is portrayed as a disturbed but clearly homosexual man whose love and admiration for Brick are such that he cannot face the truth Maggie helps reveal to him. ” (Shackled; 1998), Skipper Is a key role In this play, despite being dead before It begins. He Is clearly central to the entire story, but his seclude Is Justification of what gay men faced; punishment by the government, being labeled as communists and even being paralyses for life by the lobotomy procedure.
Bricks rejection plays a large role In Skipper’s death, and even though Skipper may find the truth of his own homosexuality difficult to face, the play suggests that social rejection Is the root of his downfall – not homosexuality. If Brick had not hung up on Skipper, perhaps he would still be alive, and if Brick had not rejected his friend, he would not be drinking traditional male but has placed homosexual desire and the possibility of Bricks being an unresolved gay man. ‘ (Shackled; 1998). Brick is the complete opposite to what people stereotypically think about gay men.