Write a detailed critical commentary of pages 73-77 ('Mitch: I'm surprised to hear that [...] Blanche: Sometimes - there's God - so quickly!')

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Write a detailed critical commentary of pages 73-77 (‘Mitch: I’m surprised to hear that [...] Blanche: Sometimes – there’s God – so quickly!’)

Earlier in the scene Blanche questions Mitch with regards to what Stanley has told him about her and Blanche remarks that Stanley is rude to her. Mitch’s reaction, that he is “surprised to hear that” and “[doesn’t] see how anyone could be rude to [her]”, suggests his feelings towards her are sincere and give the audience a deeper insight into Blanche’s character and how she represents herself. In Blanche’s earlier scene with Mitch she appears innocent to the world of domestic abuse and tells Mitch she isn’t “properly dressed” and therefore can’t sit and have a cigarette with him (although she is easily persuaded.) Mitch believes that she is the pure Southern Belle she wishes to be seen as but in scene nine, after he has looked into Stanley’s accusations, he realises she has been promiscuous in the past and, as Stanley does in scene ten, tries to take advantage of her. Blanche tells Mitch how Stanley must hate her since he insults her but then she suggests, “...perhaps in some perverse way he – No!” The idea that Stanley might actually be attracted to her causes her to make “...a gesture of revulsion” Before finishing her drink to try eradicate the feelings of uncleanliness. The use of alcohol to mask difficult emotions is a recurrent theme in the play and in Williams’ own life. The use of the word “stalks” to describe Stanley’s movement through the rooms at night make him appear carnal and animalistic, as well as suggesting the possibility that the rape in scene ten was premeditated which is supported by Stanley’s line in scene ten, “We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning!”

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        Blanche talks about the lack of privacy in the flat since there are only “portières between the two rooms at night.” This is an example of her fear of being revealed for who she really is, a theme which is exemplified throughout the play through the use of light imagery. The idea of light appears at the end of the extract after Blanche has explained her husband’s suicide to Mitch. She says, “And then the searchlight which had been turned on the world was turned off again and never for one moment since has there ever been any light stronger ...

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