A Streetcar Named Desire - An Analysis of its Imagery and Symbolism
A Streetcar Named Desire: An Analysis of its Imagery and Symbolism The symbolism used within a streetcar named desire lies primarily within its stage directions. Tennessee Williams makes use of figurative language when he illustrates a sound or a description of a scene and its characters within it; the language they use is enriched by figures of speech (most notably the use of metaphor). Music plays a vital role within the play, it represents emotions; and Williams describes such sound in a meaningful way, this is evident from the phrase which closes the opening narrative of scene 1 - 'From a tiny piano being played with the infatuated fluency of brown fingers. This 'blue piano' expresses the sprit of the life which goes on here' Here Williams describes a notion that the black pianist is totally immersed by the skill and fluency of his playing of the blues. He takes pleasure in it; his emanation of pleasurable sound signifies the spirit of New Orleans and how its satisfaction is the foundation of the city's cheerfulness. Examples of these are scattered significantly within the play. The 'blue piano' is a symbol of the heartless vitality of the old squares and quarters dotted within the rundown city of New Orleans; while the 'Varsouviana' polka symbolises Blanche and her promiscuous (and tragic) past. Williams also functions music as an indication of a change in mood and
How does Williams present the relationship between Amanda and Laura in Scene 2?
How does Williams present the relationship between Amanda and Laura in Scene 2? The second scene of Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie is mainly about the relationship between Amanda and her daughter Laura. Williams uses every way possible to give the audience an idea of this relationship, from body language, stage directions and language, to the set, clothes and props. Throughout the play, Williams uses images set against screens to accentuate the mood, or theme, of the upcoming scene. The image presented at the start of this scene is "blue roses", this being the nickname Laura was given at school by a boy she was fond of - "When I had that attack of pleurosis - he asked me what was the matter when I came back. I said pleurosis - he thought that I said Blue Roses!" Ironically, blue roses is more than just a name for Laura - she is portrayed as a rose, pure, innocent and delicate, and the adjective blue gives the impression of coldness, which could be linked to Laura's sad and lonely state. Laura's mental and physical state is central to Amanda and Laura's relationship, as it is through this that difficulties arise (although it is quite likely that Amanda would always be a rather demanding mother). Laura is crippled - we are given the impression that it isn't particularly serious, but conversely, nothing to be brushed lightly aside either. Amanda's inability
A streetcar named desire- Passion liberating and Imprisoning
'Passion is both liberating and imprisoning'. Compare and contrast ways in which two of your chosen writers present relationships in the light of this comment. Tennessee Williams was the writer of 'A Streetcar Named Desire', and some of the themes are based on his life such as insanity, death and love. Williams portrays the themes of love through various ways from the different characters. The love and passion are seen by Stanley Kowalski and his wife Stella and between Stella's paranoid sister Blanche and Mitch. The play portrays passion; love and sex, as liberating to Stanley. In scene 2, the audience sees Stanley's frustrated and quick-tempered side to his personality which is seen throughout the play. As the audience we see how Stanley and Stella interact with each other, but we don't notice any passion between them as Stanley seems to be very impolite to his wife and treats her like his personal servant and does not expect her to tell him what to do as he is seen as the king of the household which foreshadows to scene eight. 'Since when do you give me orders?' In scene 3, Stanley's anger is seen and he dominates Stella physically, and due to this Stella runs away to her neighbour, but her love for Stanley is too strong. When Stanley finally realises what he's done he rushes straight towards the house where Stella is, 'Stella! My baby doll's left me!...I want my
How does Tennessee Williams suggest that Stanley is an animalistic character in the play A streetcar named desire ?
How does Tennessee Williams suggest that Stanley is an animalistic character in the play "A streetcar named desire" ? Stanley Kowalski is Stella Kowalski nee Dubois' polish husband. He works as an engineer and has acquired many rowdy friends from his place of work. Stanley does not seem to function without Stella. When Stella's sister Blanche comes to stay all of Stanley's most horrible animalistic traits seem to come to the surface. The first act of animal like behaviour we see in the play is in the very first scene where Stanley chucks some meat which is still bloody at Stella who is up at the window. This symbolises Stanley to be the provider in the family just like in a wolf pack when the male wolf goes out and hunts for meat for his family. That fact that the meat is still bloody also brings Stanley bring meat Stella and a wolf bringing meat to his family closer. The second time we see Stanley is when Blanche has arrived and Stella has left the room because Blanche has upset her. Even though Stanley has never met Blanche before he doesn't care at all about taking his top off in front of her and making himself more comfortable. This could imply that Stanley is quite territorial and wants to show Blanche that it is his home and he can do whatever he likes and be dressed however he likes in his own home. Being territorial is a very animalistic trait. Furthermore
Scene Analysis of Scene Seven of "A Streetcar Named Desire" by
Scene Analysis of Scene Seven of "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams As a connection to Stanley's questioning Blanche about her affair in the "Hotel Flamingo" in Scene Five, Scene Seven starts with his revelation of Blanche's past life in Laurel. Having "thoroughly checked on [the] stories" (187) about what Blanche has done there, Stanley is confident to nail the "pack of lies" (186) that are used so skilfully to deceive Stella and Mitch - she has never been kissed by a fellow and she quits her job because of her poor nerves. The competition between the two extreme, dominating powers of Blanche and Stanley is one of the main concerns in the development of the play. In Scene Seven, Tennessee Williams, the playwright of the play, delicately renders the shift of dominating power from Blanche to Stanley through the Stella's response about the "stories". At first, Stella reacts strongly to the stories about Blanche's past life, stating them as "contemptible lies" (187); however, her strong defence of Blanche is gradually defeated by Stanley's powerful statements and reliable evidences - she feels sick when she knows that Blanche "[gets] mixed up with a seventeen-year-old boy" (188), and even walks in a "dazed way" (189) when she hands the towel to Blanche. In the scene, Williams makes use of the bathing to show us Blanche's dependence on illusion. Through her
Examine the Presentation of America in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
Examine the Presentation of America in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. In the first scene of the play, one of the central protagonists, Blanche DuBois, is seen arriving at Stella's (her sister) home in Elysian Fields, where 'her appearance looks incongruous to the setting'. The contrast of the character to her setting, and her conflicts with the other characters is a motif used throughout the play to explore the social and cultural changes occurring in America when the play was originally published. We are introduced to the setting of the play in scene one, a street called Elysian Fields in a run-down quarter of New Orleans. The name Elysian Fields is ironic since, in classical mythology, it is meant to be paradise; the stage directions indicate the street is anything but! The area is described as poor, and the atmosphere is one of decay. Nevertheless, the playwright reveals some affection for the place referring to its 'raffish charm' and his lyrical images of the colours the sky imparts on the buildings in the evenings. Stella's apartment is cramped and not to Blanche's taste, she sarcastically remarks that only Edgar Allen Poe, renowned for his macabre poems, could justifiably describe it and surmises that New Orleans must be the "ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir". Williams provides a more realistic portrait of an urban area through the descriptions of the noises and smells,
An Interpretation of a Streetcar Named Desire.
Vanessa Mendez Eng102.5817 Prof. Rosenblitt An Interpretation of a Streetcar Named Desire In a Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, jealousy is displayed in the character of Stanley Kowalski who was one of the protagonists of the play. Stanley Kowalski was a very arrogant man who believed everything had to go his way. Everything started when Blanche Dubois goes to visit her sister Stella Kowalski and her husband Stanley. Stanley was never nice to Blanche from the time they spent together and on. He was very disrespectful and always spoke to her with indirect statements. Stanley shows his brutality throughout the play displaying the feeling of jealousy. The first time was when he threw the radio out of the window, the second was when he hit Stella and the third was when he raped Blanche. My interpretation is that Stanley felt jealous towards Blanche because he believed that she was going to ruin his relationship with Stella. The first incident in which Stanley shows his brutality was at poker night. Poor Blanche turns on the radio in the other room; Stanley then hears the music and demands her to turn it off. When Blanche refuses he comes into the room and turns off the radio in bad manner. Then one of Stanley's friends named Mitch goes into the room and joins Blanche in a conversation. Blanche once again turns the radio on and this time she starts prancing around
Blanche's world is often contrasted to the world of Stanley and Stella. Blanche firmly states the kind of world she wants: "I don't want realism...I'll tell you what i want. Magic!" In what way is Blanche's world an illusion?
Blanche's world is often contrasted to the world of Stanley and Stella. Blanche firmly states the kind of world she wants: "I don't want realism...I'll tell you what i want. Magic!" In what way is Blanche's world an illusion? We first meet Blanche in Scene 1 as she travels to her sister's flat in Elysian fields, New Orleans. Elysian Fields, being a mythological place, naturally leads Blanche to have high expectations and considering her sister's former residence of Belle Reve, Blanche is expecting something more grande than a two room flat in a less than respectable area but even when she sees it is not what she was anticipating she manages to almost romanticise it by relating it to something from an Edgar Allen Poe story ("Only Poe! Only Mr Edgar Allen Poe! - could do it justice!) Stella has adapted to the new way of life in New Orleans. She has lowered her standards and married "a different species" and in doing so she has maintained a grasp on reality. Blanche, by contrast, stayed in Belle Reve amidst the pretence that all was well, living in an ignorant bliss started generations back, of which she was the last survivor. She is one in a long line of people lost in illusion; her ancestors let Belle Reve get lost while they ignored the state of the deep South and their diminishing finances, instead favouring "epic fornications". Blanche continued this legacy, paying not only
Blanche and Mitch's relationship in "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams.
English Coursework Essay - Blanche and Mitch's relationship Text studied: "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams Blanche and Mitch are two very different characters but in spite of this they connect instantly. Mitch is one of Stanley's oldest friends, and Blanche is Stella's sister. The first time they meet, they both notice a unique quality to each other. Blanche detects an awkwardness around Mitch, that makes him different from the rest of the other, boisterous boys. Mitch is curious about Blanche. She is different to all the other girls he has known, and in his eyes, she is romantic, and graceful. They share common ground because they have both lost someone they loved and they understand each other's feelings when it comes to death. I think they are drawn together because they see something in each other that they both need. Mitch needs Blanche because his mother is dying and she wants to see him settled down before she dies. Also, I think when she dies Mitch needs someone to take her place. Mitch also likes Blanche because he knows his mother would approve of her charm, intelligence and sophistication. Blanche feels she is "played out" meaning her youth is over, and her looks are fading. Instead of becoming a lonely spinster, she would rather put up with Mitch. Because of these reasons, I think that the something they see in each other is loneliness.
Explore Dramatic Tension in Scene One.
Explore Dramatic Tension in Scene One In scene one the tension doesn't really start to build until Eunice, finally, leaves Blanche alone in the flat. Blanche is physically tense herself, she sits 'stiffly' in her chair, with her legs 'pressed close together' and 'clutching her purse as if she were quite cold'. She's so nervous and for a while does nothing, the silence really builds up tension as she sits with a 'blind' look in her eyes, as if she's dazed and can't really take everything in. When the cat screeches it catches the audience off hand as they wait in anticipation for Blanche to do something. The screech adds to the tension as Blanche is even more rattled by it, and her 'startled gesture' clearly shows she's on edge. As Blanche makes and drinks a glass of whisky, it shows that she may have hidden problems. The tossing down of the drink shows she is an experienced drinker, and drinking it at this moment, when she is uncomfortable with her surroundings, maybe means she uses it as an escape to calm her nerves. Blanch clarifies this by saying 'I've got to keep a hold of myself!' to herself. Something is obviously troubling her. The tension is finally relieved after Stella returns. For a brief moment the two girls stare at each other, causing the audience to wonder how Stella will react to the unexpected guest, but they then both embrace lovingly. Once they start
