The Night of the Iguana

Which character is the foremost protagonist? How does that character drive the play’s action forward? Identify the most likely antagonist and identify how that character tries to interfere with the protagonist’s objectives. Analyze at least three moments from the play to support your argument.

Imagine that you are working on a contemporary production of The Night of the Iguana. Given that the play was first produced in 1961, which elements should be changed or updated? What hasn’t aged well, and what aspects of the play remain fully relevant in the 21st century?

How does the play characterize mental illness? Given that the play was written for audiences in the early 1960s, how well or poorly does that characterization match the current understanding of mental health?

One of the central issues in the play is how the characters respond—self-destructively and otherwise—to their sexual desires. Choose three characters and compare and contrast what sexual desire means to each of them. What is the play’s overall message about sexual desires and propriety?

What is the significance of religion in the play? How does it serve as a force in the individual lives of the characters? Choose three characters to explore the influences of religious ideals on personal choices and individual behavior.

Of the three main characters (Shannon, Maxine, and Hannah), none of their futures are fully determined at the end of the play. Choose one character and devise a likely future for them. What would you like to happen, and how does that differ from what you imagine would happen? Use evidence from the text to support your ideas.

In a contemporary revival of the play, what expository information might audiences need in order to understand Williams’s broader messages? Choose three examples and explain how this background information would enrich the experience of the play.

Throughout the play, there are languages other than English that are spoken and remain untranslated for the benefit of the audience. What is the function of these languages in the play, and what is the effect of either understanding or not understanding what is said?