Commentary on Scene Eleven focusing on the speech in A Streetcar Named Desire.
Commentary on Scene Eleven focusing on the speech in A Streetcar Named Desire Scene Eleven in A Streetcar Named Desire is significant. It depicts a concrete and clear view of Blanche's character and highlights the theme of death. It, most importantly, generates the audience's sympathy which is not depicted in the first part of the play. The scene takes place a few weeks after the rape. This is indicated in the stage directions: "it is some weeks later." The setting which is presented in the scene is typical in that poker is being played by Stanley and his friends while Stella and Eunice are conversing; however, the mood is tense and discreet. It is also highlighted that Blanche is taken into a mental asylum. This would be evident through her mental disorder from the rape. It is also depicted that all the characters have knowledge of her mental asylum although Blanche is not aware of it and that she presumes she is going on holiday. The speech depicts the theme of death which is also present in Blanche's speech in Scene One "I, I, I took the blows in my face and my body..." The depiction, however, contrasts the one earlier, in that the speech in Scene One represents something gruesome and dreadful: "So big with it, it couldn't be put in a coffin! But had to be burned like rubbish;" on the contrary, the speech in Scene Eleven depicts death in a romantic manner: "I will die
How important are illusion and fantasy as themes in A Streetcar Named Desire?
How important are illusion and fantasy as themes in A Streetcar Named Desire? An illusion is fake belief whereas fantasy is imagining fanciful visions. Both these themes are important in the play because they show how they can be mistaken for reality by each character in the play. The themes illusion and fantasy are involved from the start of the play. We learn from when Stanley throws the package of meat down to Stella that he is a dominant character and that his relationship with Stella isn't as happy as it may seem to be. Even in scene 2, Stanley's aggressiveness is shown towards Stella, 'since when do you give me orders?'. However, the most significant example of his brutality is during the Poker Game in scene 3. This is where the themes illusion and fantasy are brought in, because Stella lives in a fantasy world with Stanley. We learn how Stanley keeps Stella under the thumb. However violent Stanley might be, she won't reveal that her relationship has problems to Blanche or anyone, 'it wasn't anything as serious as you seem to take it. In the first place, when men are drinking and playing poker anything can happen.' Stella has psychologically made herself get used to this behaviour from Stanley, 'why, on our wedding - soon as we came in here - he snatched off one of my slippers and rushed about the place, smashing the light bulbs with it.' She has made it seem normal
Discuss the deterioration of Blanche's state of mind in the play A Streetcar Named Desire.
Discuss the deterioration of Blanche's state of mind in the play A Streetcar Named Desire From the start to the end it's hard to say that Blanche's deterioration was not catalysed by her surroundings. One of the issues is whether or not Blanche would have ended up in this mental state without the contributing factors. When you first meet Blanche she seems like a relatively normal lady though there are still some underlying characteristics. We attain that blanche has a drinking problem, as the stage note says, 'She pours a half tumbler of whiskey and tosses it down'. Almost straight after this Blanche says to herself 'I've got to keep hold of myself'. The reason why Blanche left her school was her exhaustion but she gives subtle hints that really she couldn't take it, 'My nerves broke. I was on the verge of lunacy, almost!' Quickly you see the first sign of deterioration when she lectures Stella about Belle Reve, her initial greeting is turned upside down by this, 'Where were you. In bed with your Polak!' Blanche is already starting to lose herself. Stanley and Blanche meet and to start with everyone is quite pleasant, this though will not continue. Stanley offers Blanche a drink and she says, 'No I rarely touch it', Stanley shows a sign of things to come with, 'Some people rarely touch it, but it touches them often.' This is another insight to the dishonesty and misguided
First Perceptions of Blanche Dubois - “What are your early perceptions of Blanche?” In what ways has Tennessee Williams created this response?
First Perceptions of Blanche Dubois "What are your early perceptions of Blanche?" In what ways has Tennessee Williams created this response? The delineation of Blanche Dubois as seen in the first chapter of Tennessee Williams 'A Streetcar Named Desire' is one of astonishment and acceptance. She has obviously had to travel some distance to reach her destination and I think that this has taken its toll on Blanche and affects her patience later on in the scene, and which may also explain her growing hysteria. The first time the Blanche is depicted by the stage directions, the reader (or view of the play) obviously notices that she does not fit in with the poor, run down area of New Orleans that she had entered: "Her expression is one of shocked disbelief... looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district...Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light. There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her white clothes, that suggests a moth" From this description, we can infer that, like a moth that is attracted to the light or flame, which will undoubtedly burn it, she too could be attracted to something that could hurt her in some way. The white that she is wearing also suggests purity and innocence, possibly reflecting her arrival to the alien world. Throughout the first scene, Blanche is constantly interacting with the
A Street Car Named Desire The Kowalskis and Du Bois have different notions
"The Kowalski's and Du Bois' have different notions" With close analysis of scene 3 examine to what extent you agree. Throughout the entirety of Williams' play it is painfully apparent that the Kowalski and Du Bois families are very different. The almost 'opposing' lifestyles of Stanley Kowalski and Blanche Du Bois are so incredibly dissimilar they are set to clash from scene one however it is arguably not until scene three that we see the true extent of their differences. It would also be unjust not to mention that the two, although opposing, can be very similar in the play, yet the rationale behind their similar actions can be seen as very different indeed. Both Blanche and Stanley strive for control and need to be loved but their class divide and contrasting values can make this would be similarity seem poles apart. The most obvious way that Blanche and Stanley can been seen as different is in that way that they conduct themselves. Stanley is very brash and blunt refusing to change the way that he wants to act to suit a situation. Blanche on the other hand is far more 'old fashioned', she presents herself in a very respectful and ladylike way and therefore expects to be treated with courtesy. These traits are first clearly revealed in scene three as Blanche, after first receiving welcomed flattery from Stella asking "How do I look?", enters the room in which
How much sympathy do we feel for Blanche in the opening scenes of the play and why is this?
Kat Budd How much sympathy do we feel for Blanche in the opening scenes of the play and why is this? In what way do the stage directions contribute to our understanding of her character? Blanche's first appearance in the play is in the first scene, at the train station. The stage directions imply that she is daintily dressed, in "a white suit with a fluffy bodice". She appears very fragile and delicate, though not necessarily vulnerable. Even though we have only known the character of Blanche for a very short time, we already feel that there is something suspicious about her nature and behaviour. The line "her delicate beauty must avoid strong light" suggests something shadowy about her past, and the direct comparison with a moth makes her sound fluttery and instable. Blanche's speech near the beginning of the play does not make the reader feel empathy or sympathy for her, though perhaps pity. Her desperation to attract men is revealed in her trying conversation with the other characters. In the first scene, when Blanche in talking to Eunice, the stage direction "with faintly hysterical humour", gives her the deceitful air of trying to appear naïve and innocent as she describes where she is going. Even in the first scene she already seems an irritating type of person, though her constant effort to be liked and attractive means the audience does feel some pity for her.
Discuss the role of Mitch in 'street car named desire' Tennessee Williams first introduces Mitch's character in the poker scene as one of the players with the other three
Discuss the role of Mitch in 'street car named desire' Tennessee Williams first introduces Mitch's character in the poker scene as one of the players with the other three guys including Stanley. Mitch's character is portrayed differently to the other male characters in the book for example all the players speak coarsely, enjoying primitive, direct humour, mixing it with the cards, chips, and whiskey except Mitch because he 'keeps wondering' how his mother is .He is first distinguished from the other three males when he shows his concern for his mother. 'I gotta a sick mother .she don't go to sleep until I come in at night.' But other players tease him saying 'then why don't you stay home with her' and the bad-tempered Stanley tells him 'go home'. Briefly in scene three Mitch's gentlemanly behaviour stands out from the other male characters. Mitch appears to be a kind, decent human being who we later learn in Scene Six hopes to marry as his mother 'worries because' he is not 'settled' as 'she won't live long'. Blanche describes him as having 'a great capacity for devotion' because of the love for his mother. Tennessee Williams shows Mitch's emotions through his actions when he is talking about his mother dying soon 'his voice is horse and he clears his throat twice, shuffling nervously around with his hands .....'This description clearly shows his love and concern for his
"Heroines Retreating into Illusion in two of Tennessee Williams's plays".
"Heroines Retreating into Illusion in two of Tennessee Williams's plays" This essay studies Williams's heroines who are unable to face their reality so they retreat into illusionary worlds created by themselves. Laura in The Glass Menagerie and Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire are the most outstanding examples. They are so fragile that facing reality will destroy them. Their creation of illusions makes them feel safe away from the real world they cannot cope with, and the harsh realities that destroy both their dreams and hopes. In the Wingfields, Laura is the lost child. Because of being crippled, she cannot face the outside world. She is always afraid of relationships and is terribly shy. In addition, she always feels rejected and inadequate. In short, she has an inferiority complex. Her only way out is to retreat into a world of her own creation. Living in a world of tiny glass animals is her way of escape. "They are her escape mechanism as the movies are Tom's and the past is Amanda's" (Griffin 29). Those glass animals stand as a symbol of Laura herself. They are so fragile, and even unique. Her separation gradually increases till she becomes like a piece of her glass collection. " she lives in a world of her own- a world of- little glass ornaments,...she plays old phonograph records and-that's about all..." (scene five) Laura is totally unable to
"It is impossible to feel sympathy for Blanche" - Discuss.
"It is impossible to feel sympathy for Blanche." Discuss. Blanche in "A Streetcar Named Desire" is a character who will throughout the duration of the play invoke all sorts of contrasting, even opposite emotions. To analyse one's emotions is no easy task, and to do so most effectively one must break the play into different parts and analyse them separately. The problem with Blanche is that she presents a character so mixed up in her own motives and opinions that one never knows if it is really her or an act she's putting on. The audience will find itself constantly readjusting its position towards Blanche and the other characters as the play unfolds and we learn more about her story and the reasons behind her inadequacies. Williams makes sure nothing is white or black but grey so that at some moments in the play we struggle to find a reason for her cool manipulation and hunger for power while at others we pity her pathetic life founded on lies and misconceptions. Even when she tries to break up Stanley and Stella's relationship we don't immediately brand her as a villain, we remember that if Stella hadn't left than maybe Blanche would have become what she had wanted to become rather than what society dictated her to become. When we see Blanche for the very first time we know right away that she does not belong in Stella's neighbourhood, she is "daintily dressed" and her
"Brief Encounter" dealt with the issues of sexuality and desire by using a lot of different techniques.
Brief Encounter Question 1 "Brief Encounter" dealt with the issues of sexuality and desire by using a lot of different techniques. Some of the main ones included the lighting that was used, which would always heighten the facial expressions of the characters that were in the scene (inevitably it was Laura and Alec). This then led to the viewers noticing how the lead characters dressed and talked. Although the lighting emphasised their expressions, this led to Laura's clothes being less noticeable. The way that Laura talked was with a first person narrative, like it was her conscience speaking, but to her husband Fred. The director David Lean has used the music to try and emphasise the moment in the film, for example when at the beginning of the film Laura is in the lounge area with her husband Fred, the music is calm, soothing, and slow, to match Laura's mood and feelings at the time. Also throughout the film, there are lots of examples of symbolism, which adds to or dramatically heightens the growing love affair between Laura and Alec Harvey. For example when Laura and Alec first meet at the café, she has a small piece of grit in her eye, and along comes Alec and helps to get rid of it for Laura. I read this as symbolising, that there was a small love beginning to materialise itself between Laura and Alec (a doctor who just happens to be in the right place at
