ASND: AO3 (Literary) (incl some AO1 LOA + quotes)

some can also be used as AO2 depending on how used

relationship to Aristotelian definition of tragedy

ASND doesn’t neatly fit into the classical/Aristotelian def of tragedy but it’s still a tragedy containing 4 main aspects: the tragic dénouement, individuals trapped in a harsh world, individual failings and their consequences, and the possibility of hope.

Williams forcefully dramatises the harsh realities of life where often our own choices/flaws make matters worse. Consequences can be especially cruel to those society deems different. A tragedy of the powerless.

expand on ‘the tragic dénoument’

• for a play to be tragic, the protagonist must end the play in a state of utter despair - as Blanche does (raped by Stanley, any hope of justice extinguished when Stella takes his side, precipitating B’s mental breakdown and her removal to an asylum)

• pathos is also derived from Stella’s torment over the implications of her choice (building emotional pitch of the final scene to a climax) ‘I don’t know if I did the right thing’ → ‘[pressing her fist to her lips]’ → ‘Oh my God, Eunice, help me! Don’t let them do that to her, don’t let them hurt her!’ → ‘[sobs with inhuman abandon]’

expand on ‘individuals trapped in a harsh world’

individuals trapped in a harsh world

• there’s a strong sense of people being trapped by circumstances beyond their control

• B: marriage to Allan Grey culminating in his suicide. She was ‘unlucky’ and ‘unendurably’ in love w a boy who was unreconciled due to his own homosexuality, to discover this in ‘the worst of all possible ways’. However, B views him with tenderness and as a victim ‘all I knew was I’d failed him in some mysterious way and wasn’t able to give the help he needed but couldn’t speak of!’

• Allan: he lived in a society that forbade his sexuality, ‘in the quick sands’ (caught in a rapidly cruel and dangerous situation w no escape). Reflects how W saw the American South and their treatment of individuals who were different (including himself). Allan was called ‘a degenerate’ by Stella

• fragile positions of women in society: male relatives ‘exchanged the land for their epic fornications’ → ‘All those deaths! The long parade to the graveyard!’. Implied that the men indulged in their sexual misadventures because society permitted it. Contrastingly, Blanche’s promiscuity in Laurel is treated much more severely, ‘Regarded as not just different but downright loco - nuts’ (Stanley). B is driven out of town due to promiscuity, dependant on hospitality of St&St

• Stanley: a perpetrator (and perhaps victim) of a society that encourages displays of toxic masculinity - performing and displaying his maleness as expected of him: Sc3 poker night ‘[He advances and disappears. There is the sound of a blow.]’, Sc8 ‘[He hurls a plate to the floor]’ and ‘Huey Long said - ‘Every Man is a King!’ And I am the king around here, so don’t forget it!’ (Huey Long: a governor who abused his powers for personal gain). The tragic inequality of sexes is portrayed in Sc10, w Stanley raping her (asserting male dominance and power, shows how ultimately vulnerable women are in a patriarchal society)

expand on ‘individual failings and their consequences’

Each character’s fate is the product of a complex interweaving of their own failings with forces outside of their control (like IRL where none of us are entirely blameless)

• Allan’s suicide being a direct result of B’s cruelty: ‘unable to stop myself - I’d suddenly said - ‘I know! I know! You disgust me…’ (guilt haunting her since)

• Stanley’s treatment of B is appalling, but there is a deceitfulness in her behaviour from her secret liquor drinking to her dishonest self-pretense of a Southern belle

• Stella’s relationship w Stanley: subjected to domestic violence, but returning to him with ‘[Her eyes go blind with tenderness]’ [He… lifts her off her feet and bears her into the dark flat]’. W explores the tragic nature of desire and how we can find ourselves attracted to people who hurt us

• the strength of their bond is heightened by her pregnancy - it’s not that Stella doesn’t believe B at the end, she chooses not to: Sc11 ‘I couldn’t believe her story and go on living with Stanley’ (dooming her sister). Tragedy heightened by her regret but ultimate powerlessness to stop the consequences

expand on ‘the possibility of hope’

The possibility of victory makes the fall in tragedy all the more devastating due to the hope that was dashed

• B’s tentative romance w Mitch. Both are sensitive souls, we begin to hope that Mitch can save Blanche. Sc6 ‘You need somebody. And I need somebody, too. Could it be - you and me, Blanche?’ Only then does Stanley shatter the illusion

• unable to forgive B for deceiving him, he not only ends the relationship but also betrays his better nature Sc9 ‘[Fumbling to embrace her]: What I been missing all summer.’ → ‘You’re not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother’

Blanche’s link to mythology/astrology

B is the only character who looks up a the sky with an interest in astrology

• Stella’s name meaning ‘star’, B looking to the sky for comfort/stories/protection → Stella’s role as B’s saviour/protector having lost Belle Reve

• B says she’s Virgo (ironic) Sc5 (talking to Stanley)

• points out the Pleiades to Mitch Sc6 ‘I’m looking for the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters, but these girls are not our tonight. Oh yes, they are, there they are!’.

• The Seven Sisters are regarded as the beholders of beauty and possess the magic of love; believed to wear a crystal covered ‘coat’ causing them to shine so brightly. Their story is also one of lust, love and danger - they are transformed into stars to escape rape by the hunter, Orion.

  • Orion is associated w Dionysus (link to Stanley)

• Pleiades also known as the lyre of Orpheus (a legendary musician w the ability to trick, persuade and charm his way around obstacles thanks to his supernatural lyre playing)

• Parallel to her own situation - a shining mask (coat) of beauty/gentility to keep her shining (youthful Southern belle persona). But her deceitful nature is portrayed in the symbolism of the lyre)

However, she fails to read her own destiny, her tragic blindness even more ironic.

Stanley’s link to mythology/astrology

Stanley is endowed w many mythic attributes of Dionysus (Greek god of wine, liberation and sexual ecstasy who represented the amoral, irresistible force of nature)

• also associated w hunting: first image of Stanley in Sc1 carrying a ‘[red stained package]’

• B says to Stella in Sc4:

  • ‘There’s something downright - bestial - about him!’

  • ‘He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one!’

  • Stanley Kowalski - survivor of the Stone Age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle!’

  • Stella’s berating on Poker Night Sc3 ‘Drunk-drunk-animal thing, you!’

  • Mitch’s outburst in Sc11 ‘You… you… you… Brag… brag… bull…bull…bull!’

• The bull and goat (Stanley is a Capricorn - Sc5) were Dionysus’ favourite incarnations. Also emblems of phallic potency:

  • Sc1: Full of ‘animal joy’ with ‘the power and pride of a richly-feathered male bird among hens.’ he is ‘the gaudy seed-bearer’

• Preference for beer adds to his associated w the God of drink - also attributes to his phallic power 'Sc10 ‘geyser of foam’ (ejaculatory)

• Stanley’s sensuality also has a hypnotic hold on Stella (reminiscent of Dionysus’ power to put women in a trance)

  • Sc4 Stella has an attitude of ‘almost narcotised tranquillity’, her desire for him seen as ‘insane’ by Blanche.

  • Sc1 ‘When he is away for a week I nearly go wild!’

Influence of Henrik Ibsen on Williams

Henrik Ibsen: a Norwegian playwright, a key figure of 19th century realist drama and had a great impact on Williams.

• Williams was originally aiming for a career in journalism, however after seeing a production of Ibsen’s ‘Ghosts’, he made up his mind to become a playwright.

• Features of Ibsen’s play include:

  • a shift in the social status of the tragic hero/heroine

  • a focus on the small scale tragedies and disappointments of ordinary people (where they become involved in a way of life they feel they haven’t chosen and are trapped by)

  • dramatic tension is created as the characters have to confront their past mistakes and the self pretense they have created to enable them to cope with their lives slowly being eroded by past events

to what extent is ASND an Aristotelian tragedy argument

Features of an Aristotelian tragedy:

• hero tends to be of high birth, their elevated social position means the audience has more reason to pity their tragic fate for all they have lost

  • B fits this, comes from aristocracy and is presented in her acrolect, elevated style, references to Poe (Sc1): ‘Only Poe! Only Mr Edgar Allan Poe! - could do it justice!’ and astrology (Sc5&6)

• hero has a great deal of commendable qualities but possesses a hamartia that causes their downfall

  • debatable if B has a great deal of commendable qualities

  • hamartia: refusal to confront reality, lying/deceit, living in delusion/fantasy Sc5 'What are you laughing at, honey?’ (Stella) ‘Myself, myself, for being such a liar!’ (Blanche about writing to Shep Huntleigh'), allowing desire to fuel her motivation ‘They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at - Elysian Fields!’ desire also linked to destruction (St&St abuse, Stanley’s desire culminating in rape)

• tragic hero at the mercy of cosmic forces which ultimately determine his destiny

  • B being a tragic victim due to her circumstances (marrying a homosexual man → incites an insecurity at being undesirable → constantly needing validation and viewing her place in society as something to be lusted after) (then traumatised by his suicide → haunted by the ‘Varsouviana’ polka when she thinks of Allan/the past)

  • ‘epic fornications’ of her ancestors

  • Stanley as an external force, disrupting the propriety/gentility she was raised w as a symbol of the new urban dweller ‘We’ve had this date with each other since the beginning’

  • sense of predestination (Pleaides: tragic, ‘Desire’ and ‘Cemeteries’ arriving in ‘Elysian Fields’, the play is her metaphorical death)

  • mental illness, inability to cope → unable to make decision for herself, also constricted by societal expectations of marriage (Williams’ sister Rose never having a choice, becoming lobotomised)

• as the hero suffers, he begins to understand his own destiny and nature more clearly (anagnorisis)

  • B only has moments of clarity where she realises her deceitful nature

  • she comes to the conclusion that in Sc11 ‘I have always relied on the kindness of strangers’ in how she’s gotten through life (although Stanley did this, a stranger) (also Sc3 to Mitch ‘I needed kindness’

• towards the end of the play, the characters’ powerful emotions are brought to the surface and purged (catharsis), order is restored, guilty punished

  • B is taken away - restores order to St&St’s lives, punished for her manipulative nature and those she hurt (Allan, Mitch)

  • Stella’s complete breakdown and torment over her decision generates Pathos, Mitch standing up to assault Stanley before sitting down and sobbing

Freudian theory applied to ASND

Id = unconscious desires and primitive impulses

Ego = mediates between the id and reality

Superego = embodies social morality and conscience

• B’s struggle stems from the battle between her desires and her attempts to conform to social expectations

  • Sc1 ‘They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at - Elysian Fields!’

• B’s psychological issues originating from past traumas → turns to illusions and desires (id-driven behaviour) to escape harsh realities

  • Sc 9 ‘I don’t want realism. I want magic!’

• struggle between Id and Ego: seeks pleasure in romance/drinking, feels guilt and shame (bathing to cleanse) → inability to balance these forces leading to her collapse

  • Sc1 ‘The boy - the boy died. [She sinks back down.] I’m afraid I’m - going to be sick!’

• Stanley represents brutal reality (and his victory vs her defeat) and the dominance of the id, destroying B’s illusions

  • Sc10 ‘There isn’t a goddamn thing but imagination!’ ‘Oh!’ ‘And lies and conceit and tricks!’ (St breaking down her persona)

• Mitch offers a chance at stability (ego) but B’s past prevents her from maintaining the relationship

  • Sc9 [He tears the paper lantern off the light-bulb. She utters a frightened gasp.] …‘I didn’t lie in my heart’

B’s tragedy is rooted in her internal conflict and inability to reconcile her desires with social norms.

Her descent into madness is a result of losing control over her ego, allowing her id to dominate.

Southern gothic

Southern gothic, a style of writing practiced by many writers of the American South whose stories set in that region are characterised by the grotesque, macabre, or fantastic incidents.

It may contain some supernatural elements, but often more realistic flawed characters and settings.

Revealed the racial divide, oppression, loneliness, poverty, and violence of the times. 

Common themes of Southern Gothic include storytelling of deeply flawed, disturbing or eccentric characters who may be involved in hoodoo, decayed or derelict settings, grotesque situations, and other sinister events relating to or stemming from poverty, alienation, crime, or violence.

Hart Crane

‘And so it was I entered the broken world

To trace the visionary company of love, its voice

An instant in the wind [I know not whither hurled]

But not for long to hold each desperate choice,’

• the epigraph in ASND from Hart Cranes’ ‘The Broken Tower’

• Crane was one of Williams’ favourite writers, becoming an idol for him. he wanted to be laid to rest near Crane (who jumped off a passenger cruise ship)

  • ‘Sewn up in a clean white sack and dropped over board, twelve hours north of Havana, so that my bones may rest not too far from those of Hart Crane'.’ (from his ‘Memoirs’)

  • (similarly to Blanche) ‘I’ll be buried at sea sewn up in a clean white sack and dropped overboard - at noon - in the blaze of summer - and into an ocean as blue as my first lover’s eyes.’

• Williams use of this quotation as apt, as Crane himself often employed epigraphs from his own icons.

• Williams felt a personal affinity w Crane who, like himself, had a bitter relationship with his parents and suffered from bouts of violent alcoholism.

• more importantly, he identified with Crane as a homosexual writer, trying to find a means of self-expression in a heterosexual world.

  • Williams was influenced by Crane’s imagery and attention to metaphor. the epigraph’s description of love as only an ‘instant’ and a force that precipitates ‘each desperate choice’ brings to mind Blanche, who with increasing desperation ‘hurls’ her continually denied love into the world that only revisits her as suffering