Music context - ASND

A-level English Literature - music context + effect on character/audience

Blues Music

Plastic theatre and shows the fraught emotions of intense and sad emotions. Symbolic of unnatural - effects Blanche as it only comes in an emotional time, like Allan Gray’s death.

In Scene 1

Music of the polka

Plastic theatre - non-diegetically - when Allan is brought up/an intense past brought up - effects Blanche as it emphasises the loss of her late husband.

Rhumba music

Fast pace, sexual, tango like music - power dynamic between Stanley and Blanche through music - diegetical.

Paper Doll

Fragile and links to Blanche and the paper lantern - non-diegetical

Blue piano and trumpet and drums

Plastic theatre - suggests an increase of emotions due to more instruments - effects audience as it causes them to be confused sue to the fast-paced music.

The polka

Constant playing and stopping suggests Blanche’s state of mind to be panicked, upset, muddled up with events.

Paper Moon

1920’s popular song - highlights Blanche’s make-belief fantasy to marry and have a stable life

Distant piano

Foreshadows the events to come shall be hectic - effects all characters as it emphasises Blanche’s fraught emotions, Stella’s worry and Stanley’s glee which all contrasts each other’s emotions - linked to the ‘eye of the storm’.

Mexican song

Fragmented song with connotations of death - symbolism of mental health decline - effects Blanche as everything is quickly coming out by Stanley and her chances of being with Mitch lowers as Stanley continues to spread facts about her.