Mae Character Analysis in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Mae is Gooper’s wife. She runs in respected social circles, but her family lost all their money at some point, so she’s just as eager as Margaret to inherit the Pollitt family fortune. Big Daddy describes her as “a good breeder,” having given birth to five children with another on the way.

Mae Character Timeline in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

The timeline below shows where the character Mae appears in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...as he does so because he has a broken ankle. Margaret continues to complain about Mae and Gooper (Brick's brother) and their five kids while standing in her slip. (full context)

Margaret says that Mae and Gooper aim to cut Brick out of Big Daddy’s estate, now that they have... (full context)

Unrequited Love and Sexuality Theme Icon

...that Brick still has one big advantage—Big Daddy dotes on him and dislikes Gooper and Mae. Margaret also suspects that Big Daddy has a “lech” for her, from the way he... (full context)

As Margaret continues to make fun of Mae’s title as a former cotton carnival queen, she suddenly notices the way that Brick is... (full context)

Mae enters, carrying the bow of an archery set. She asks whether it belongs to Brick,... (full context)

...into the bathroom, but Big Mama meanwhile has entered through the other entrance, Gooper and Mae’s gallery door. Big Mama tells Brick to come out of the bathroom so that she... (full context)

...night’s party. In any case, the cancer is malignant, and this is why Gooper and Mae have been trying to convey Brick and Maggie’s shortcomings to Big Daddy before he makes... (full context)

Margaret says that she’ll defeat Gooper and Mae though. She launches into a rant about having been poor all her life, always having... (full context)

...is dead and she’s alive. Brick hurls his crutch at her and misses, just as Mae and Gooper’s daughter Dixie runs into the room with a cap pistol and shouts, “Bang,... (full context)

...about memorials, asking whether they think someone’s going to die. Reverend Tooker laughs awkwardly, as Mae and Doctor Baugh appear, talking about the children’s immunizations. Margaret tells Brick to turn on... (full context)

...cake and champagne. Everyone except Brick sings “Happy birthday to you,” and when that’s finished, Mae signals at her children to sing another song about how much they love Big Daddy... (full context)

...Margaret opens the package. She sounds surprised as she pulls out a cashmere robe, but Mae accuses her of faking the surprise, since she happens to know that Margaret purchased it... (full context)

...field last night. In crude language, he asks whether Brick was laying a woman, while Mae quickly ushers the reverend out on the gallery. Brick denies it, and Big Daddy continues... (full context)

...bedroom, and all the others are out on the gallery. Big Daddy compares Margaret and Mae, and he and Brick agree that they both look like a couple of cats on... (full context)

Big Daddy hears a sound from the bedroom and asks who’s there. Mae appears by the gallery entrance, and Big Daddy tells her to stop spying. Mae accuses... (full context)

Big Daddy tells Brick that Mae and Gooper have reported that Brick won’t sleep with Margaret. He asks whether this is... (full context)

...all about mendacity, having had to lie about caring for Big Mama, for Gooper, for Mae—in fact, he says the only one he’s ever had any devotion to in his life... (full context)

...Brick, while Big Mama starts to get nervous that the family is gathering around her. Mae suggests that Brick said something he shouldn’t have said to Big Daddy, and Big Mama... (full context)

...they deliver the news, but he tells Margaret to sit with her instead. Gooper and Mae reveal the news that Big Daddy actually does have cancer. In hysterics, Big Mama calls... (full context)

...sober again so that he can take hold of the estate, which sends Gooper and Mae into a panic. They say that Brick is much too irresponsible to take hold of... (full context)

...tells Brick that Big Daddy’s fondest dream would be to have a grandson from Brick. Mae responds that it’s too bad Margaret and Brick can’t oblige. In response, Margaret grows determined... (full context)

Big Mama rushes out to tell Big Daddy the news, while Mae screams that Margaret is lying about her pregnancy. Mae says that she and Gooper can... (full context)