"Remember what Huey Long said - "Every Man is a King!" - Explain how Stanley had his control, how he has had his kingship challenged and how he is trying to re-establish his control.
"Remember what Huey Long said - "Every Man is a King!" Explain how Stanley had his control, how he has had his kingship challenged and how he is trying to re-establish his control. In the opening of "A Street Car Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams, we are presented with a stereotypical presentation of a husband and wife. However, during the duration of the play, we see how Stanley changes from being in control, to loosing his control and using desperate measures to regain a higher status. In Scene 1 the impression the audience gets about Stanley is that he is in control over his wife. The first time the audience sees him, he "bellows" at Stella and Stella "mildly" talks back to him, showing Stanley's higher status. Stanley also "hurls" a meaty package at Stella, showing his masculine power that he possesses. Stella, in contrast, is the one that waits for Stanley. The first time we see Stella and Stanley together, Stanley has gone to find Stella rather than the other way round. This gives the audience the impression that Stella is almost a stay at home wife to Stanley. When Blanche and Stanley first meet, it is easy to see that Stanley feels as if he has control. He "starts to remove his shirt" in front of Blanche when he has first met her, indicating his confidence and his high status attitude. A small indication that Stanley's "kingship" is being challenged is show in
The relationships between men and women in 'A Street Car Named Desire'.
The relationships between men and women in 'A Street Car Named Desire' Tennessee Williams' views of relationships between men and women are portrayed throughout the play. Williams himself came from a troubled background where his parents' relationship was tense and volatile, all the couples in the play reflect this view in their personalities and behaviour. It has even been suggested that Williams' own parents Cornelius and Edwina inspired the basis for Stella and Stanley's marriage and the way they live their lives. The first relationship I am going to examine is that of the Kowalski's, Stella and Stanley's personalities do not compliment each other they are in discord. Stella originates from an upper class background and is reasonably well educated, before opting for a life with Stanley she lived in a big house in the country and never had to worry over the issue of money. It is obvious however that perhaps Stella was never really as infatuated with this existence as her sister Blanche. The surroundings and way in which she lives her life with Stanley may be different but she admits that it 'thrills' her. Stanley has been used to the Elysian Fields way of living throughout his life, he is a common 'Polack' and has originated from a working class background as displayed by his views and personality and his attitudes towards women. His animal instincts surface in the way he
Was Stanley responsible for the downfall of blanche? - A Street car named desire.
Was Stanley responsible for the downfall of blanche? Course work In this essay I will be studying the question 'Was Stanley responsible for the downfall of Blanche? This question come from a play called 'a streetcar named desire'. Tennessee Williams set the play in 1947 in the southern of North American (New Orleans). Williams was most recognized for his up coming drama at the end of world war ll. 'A streetcar named desire' was William ll success in writing. Critics, biographers and William himself, say that the play were very much an exploration and working out of his own life. His book to him represented in many ways, his battle between humanity and the culprit affect in security is an important theme in the play. William's play was first scene as attracting the wrong sort of attention. William wanted to show his creativity, humanity and technical brilliance of life. In this play William shocked many audiences with the display of violence, sexuality, alcoholism, rape, homosexuality, humanity, division of society and use of langue in terms that were never before seen on the American stage. Blanche's arrives in New Orleans atmosphere as a tormented and desperate woman seeking help from her sister and brother-in-law. In the beginning she speaks and dresses as a refined, sophisticated and conservative women from the south but we soon see the frayed nerves thought her.
Williams Vs Albee
Literature II Williams/Albee - Stanley/George Comparison The two main characters in both "Streetcar" & "Virginia Woolf" give an amazing portrayal of males trying to remain dominant in an environment where a female character is trying to "rule the roost". Their upbringings are entirely different in both character and education, however their overall goals throughout both plays is the same; to assert their authority in their own domain. Stanley Kowalski has to deal with the aging spinster in the form of Blanche DuBois, who challenges him in many ways. She pushes his buttons in such a way that cause him to lash out, in the end with dramatic consequences. When she witnesses, or rather overhears, Stanley striking Stella she reacts as any woman does, however she does not until later realise that Stanley's love for Stella knows no boundaries, she views his actions as barbaric and cannot comprehend how Stella could take him back into her arms lovingly with no qualms or major reactions to him striking her, especially whilst pregnant. Stanley has been raised to be a man's man, to fight for your rights and to be the man of the house at all times, his attitude towards women could be called brutish by some but he has been conditioned to have this attitude by his childhood. His love for his wife is unconditional even though he sometimes treats her with a little less respect than she
Discuss the role of music and other sound effects in A Streetcar Named Desire
Discuss the role of music and other sound effects in 'A Streetcar Named Desire Often when in convocation with another person a generally meaningless comment can have a profound ability to offend someone more than a deliberately vulgar outburst; this is due to the tone in which the person delivers his remake. Tone as described in the "Oxford Dictionary" is 'the sound of a person's voice, expressing a feeling or mood,' and is an essential tool in the way people communicate with each other to express there feelings and experiences. In author "Tennessee Williams" 'A Street Car Named desire' a play about two sisters from the south living out there separate lives, meet again in New Orleans during a pivotal moment in each of there journeys; tone is a vital tool in expressing there emotional trials and tribulations within the book. As while reading the book it is not possible to hear the tones in which the characters use to express themselves, it is done through the stage directions. Thought the stage directions do not only evoke the tones of the play, they also foreshadow events ahead through describing symbolic happenings such as music and sound effects. 'Tennessee Williams' use of stage directions is one of the many keys to the great success of this play; even the first paragraph is a tribute to that. The first paragraph describes a peaceful image, "Two women, one white the other
Discuss the importance of the past in A Streetcar Named Desire.
Discuss the importance of the past in A Streetcar Named Desire. Our lives are consumed by the past. The past of what we once did and what we once accomplished. As we look back on these past memories we hardly realise the impact these events have on our present lives. The loss of a past love affects our future relationships, the loss of our family influences the choices we make today, and the loss of our dignity can confuse the life we live in the present. These losses or deaths require healing from which you need to recover. The past is very important when it comes to the characters in Streetcar, especially with Blanche. As the play develops, the reader learns more about her vulnerable and weak personality. Clearly Blanche wasn't as frail before Stella 'abandoned' Belle Reve; she may psychologically feel distressed. Blanche says in scene one 'all the burden descended on my shoulders'. Therefore she may be bringing this upon herself, giving her an excuse to be the way she acts as the play develops i.e. turning to alcoholism. However, there are strong reasons why Blanche is mentally disturbed; she experienced witnessing the deaths of every member in Belle Reve, as well as her husband committing suicide. These issues led to mixing up with strangers in Laurel, even having an affair with a student in the high school she used to teach at. Eventually she was told to get out of town
Analyse the relationship between Blanche and Stanley in Scene 2-A Streetcar Named Desire.
Analyse the relationship between Blanche and Stanley in Scene 2- A Streetcar Named Desire. In this play there are three main characters - Blanche, Stanley and Stella. The play is set in New Orleans in a place named Elysian Fields which runs between L & N tracks and the river. Stella and Stanley are married and living together as man and wife in their little apartment. Blanche is Stella's sister. Blanche and Stella both used to live in Belle Reve. Blanche turns up on Stella's door step having lost Belle Reve and her job as a teacher. She has no money and no place to go. She is relying on her sister and her husband to support her. On her arrival she insulted Stella's husband and Stella herself but still expects them to look after her as if it were their duty. Blanche takes them both for granted and in scene one says "I'm not going to be put up at a hotel. I want to be near you". As soon as Blanche sees Stanley she finds something strangely attractive, she doesn't know why or what it is, he is distant towards her, does not pay her compliments like she is used to and she finds this attractive, he is quite a challenge to her even if he is her brother in law but there is something there that she finds irresistible, the first time they meet he is very blunt in the way he talks and brash, he has no respect for women of any kind, he does what he wants,
Explain how Williams creates our awareness of Blanche's increasing anxiety in scene 5.
Explain how Williams creates our awareness of Blanche's increasing anxiety in scene 5 The audience is aware of the tension building between the characters from the onset of Scene 5 through the loud argument between Steve and Eunice. Williams continues to build up the tension throughout the scene using several techniques, emphasising in particular Blanche's mood. Blanche who suddenly bursts into a peal of laughter makes the first sound; not only does laughter represent nervousness but also the spontaneity of the laughter begins to suggest how unstable Blanche has become already during her stay. Williams gives clear directions as to the noises and actions Blanche should be making throughout the scene; this makes the audience aware that this scene relies on the way in which characters say things rather then what they are saying, especially when Blanche and Stanley are interacting. The main indicator of Blanche's increasing anxiety is her continual laughter, Williams gives several different directions as to how she should laugh. (For example, shrilly, sharply, breathlessly, nervously.) The audience is aware that Blanche is on edge throughout the scene, this is emphasised by her visible wincing at each noise that Stanley creates. He jerks open the bureau drawer, slams it shut, and throws shoes in a corner. At each noise BLANCHE winces slightly. Not only does this
What do you believe Tennessee Williamsis saying about human sexuality in A Street Car Named Desire?
What do you believe Tennessee Williams is saying about human sexuality in A Street Car Named Desire? Tennessee Williams presents each character in his/her typical gender roles that the attitudes of post-war America recognised. Stanley's family portrays a typical nuclear family that was common and ideal at the time. Stanley appears to be a fully masculine breadwinner who has power and control over his family. Williams uses Blanche and Stella's dependence on men to present and review the treatment of women during the transition from the old to the new South in post-war America. Blanche and Stella see male companions as their only means to achieve happiness, and they depend on men for both their sustenance and sexual desires: "When he is away for a week I nearly go wild" Stella appears to be fully dependant on her husband financially as she is a housewife and therefore relies on Stanley's income as her means of living. When Blanche advises Stella that she could be happier without a physically abusive husband, Stella chooses to remain with Stanley. Stanley is the man she relies on, loves and strongly believes, as he is the only man between his friends who is "likely to get anywhere". Stella knows Stanley is common and aggressive but she explains to her sister that she is "thrilled" by his actions on their wedding night and allows her abuse to be the price of what they "do in
language in scene 4 and how the past affects the present notes
How the past impinges tragically on the present in A Streetcar Named Desire. ? Tennessee Williams uses the past to influence the fate of characters in his play, this is especially evident with the character of Blanche Dubois. Her past haunts her throughout A Streetcar Named Desire as the audience begins to glimpse into Blanche's life of deception and death. The Introduction of Blanche ? Blanche Dubois enters Scene One in an act of desperation. She seeks refuge at the Kowalski's which marks the start of her impending doom. Her family fortune and home are gone along with the loss of her young husband. ? She is Described as "Shocked" when she arrives at Stella's home and says, "this - can this be - her home?". It is apparent of her expected upper class living conditions she received back in Belle Reve. ? Williams also includes moth-like imagery to portray Blanche as "delicate" and "white" which again highlights her high-class status but also her fragility and how the past may have caused her to become so delicate. Belle Reve ? One of the tragic themes in A Streetcar Named Desire is death. Blanche blames Stella abandoning her at Belle Reve with her dying relatives. ? Blanches previous experience in all the deaths she has experience would explain her alcoholic nature and need to cover up her delusion with fantasy and deception. ? Williams implies how Blanche's sexual
