A Streetcar Named Desire - Notes

Introduction

  • "Streetcar is a cry of pain," according to Arthur Miller.

  • The play explores themes of dependence, kindness, and the concept of strangers.

  • It was a major success for Tennessee Williams, following The Glass Menagerie.

  • Recurring themes include lying, self-deception, human frailty, mental illness, and sexual repression.

  • Williams was influenced by psychology and evolution, merging these concepts in his works.

Plot Summary

  • The play is set in New Orleans, in the Elysian Fields neighborhood.

  • Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle, arrives at her sister Stella's home.

  • Blanche has lost the family home, Belle Reve, and her job.

  • Blanche and Stanley dislike each other from the beginning.

  • Blanche confides in Mitch, a friend of Stanley's.

  • Stanley is violent and hits Stella.

  • Stanley undermines Blanche by revealing her past to Stella and Mitch.

  • Stanley rapes Blanche, leading to her nervous breakdown.

  • Stella has Blanche committed to a mental institution.

  • The play closes with Stanley comforting Stella as the poker game continues.

Symbolism

  • Streetcar is biographical, drawing on Williams's sister Rose and the theme of repressed homosexuality.

  • The title, place names, and characters carry symbolic meanings.

  • Elysian Fields represents a final destination with unfulfilled emotion.

  • Blanche means white, but also suggests being blanched or traumatized.

  • Light and music are used to convey Blanche's inner turmoil.

  • Water symbolizes cleansing for Blanche.

The Truth About Blanche

  • Blanche is an actress performing the role of a Southern belle.

  • She lies as a protection against solitude and desperation.

  • Some critics see her as a "little trollop," while others see her as a potential artist.

  • Her character has parallels with Ibsen's Nora in A Doll's House.

Sex and Violence

  • The play stages domestic violence, which was not fully confronted at the time.

  • Stella implicitly forgives Stanley's crime, raising questions about human nature and survival.

  • Williams's plays show empathy for the defeated but also an understanding of the instinct for survival.

  • The play explores the link between domestic violence and sexual fulfillment.

  • Sexuality determines people's futures, often tragically.

Gender

  • The play camps up male and female stereotypes.

  • Blanche's femininity is portrayed as something performed rather than natural.

  • Stanley's "animal joy" is likened to a richly feathered male bird among hens.

  • Some interpretations suggest that Blanche symbolizes the repressed male homosexual.

What the Critics Say

  • Initial reactions were overwhelmingly positive, praising the acting and direction.

  • Some critics felt the play was marred by sentimentality.

  • Williams's lyricism and operatic grandness were noted.

Innovation

  • Williams pushed language and character to the front of the stage.

  • He experimented with non-realistic forms, drawing influence from Chekhov, Strindberg, and Brecht.

  • The play uses poetry, art, and music in innovative ways, drawing from Van Gogh's art.

Theatricality

  • Theatre tells lies, requiring a suspension of disbelief.

  • Williams explores the theme of "the theatricalising self."

  • Blanche relies on strangers because she has been betrayed by family and friends.

  • The play breaks down barriers between people, contrasting with Blanche's erection of barriers.

Williams's Message

  • Williams aimed to dramatize the need for greater understanding and acceptance among people.

  • He sought to break down the inculcated hate and fear in American culture and society.

Five Facts about A Streetcar Named Desire

  • Original title was The Poker Night.

  • Annual STELLAAAAA! yelling contest is hosted in Mississippi.

  • Williams changed his name from Thomas to Tennessee in 1939.

  • The film won four Academy Awards in 1951.

  • Williams lied about his age to win a playwriting competition.