Discuss the role of music and other sound effects in A Streetcar Named Desire

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Chiara Croserio

Discuss the role of music and other sound effects in Streetcar Named Desire.

Tennessee Williams uses many types of music and sound as a way to communicate emotions of characters that can’t be expressed in words. A few examples of these are the blue piano, the Varsouviana polka, Its Only A Paper Moon and the other sound effects that magnify the dramatic situations in the play.

In the very beginning of scene one, Williams tells us that the blue piano expresses the spirit of the life that goes on in Elysian Fields. It is noticed when Stanley tells Blanche that Stella is pregnant towards the end of scene two. When he tells her, the blue piano becomes louder. When Stanley is shouting Stella’s name after the poker night disaster, the blue piano is played again, showing Stanley’s raw emotion as he called for her. The blue piano is mostly played during moments of loneliness, hope and passion. Some of these emotions are shown when Blanche talks about the loss of Belle Reve and her family. The hope is expressed candidly when she gets the idea of contacting Shep Huntleigh who she thinks can help her and Stella escape the ‘desperate situation’ they are in. Desire and passion is conveyed when Stanley and Stella come back to each other in scene three and when Stanley sexually abuses Blanche.

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The Varsouviana was the song that Blanche and her young husband, Allan Grey, were dancing to when she told him that he  ‘disgusted’ her after seeing him cheat on her with a man. He then ran outside and shot himself. This polka song plays only in her head when the subject of Allan’s death is brought up or if she has a feeling of regret. For instance in scene one when Stanley asks about her being married once, the polka music rises up. It is also played when she has a hard time differentiating what’s real and what isn’t. ...

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