“A Streetcar named Desire”
“A Streetcar named Desire” by Tennessee Williams is a play in which the central character is flawed but nevertheless gains your admiration. This is a play set in New Orleans in the 1940s. Blanche DuBois unexpectedly arrives at her sister Stella’s home in unexplained circumstances. Her arrival causes tension between herself and Stella’s husband Stanley Kowlaski. Stanley does not believe Blanche’s story and begins to unravel the truth. As the truth is revealed Blanche’s flaws become clearer to the audience. Tennessee Williams makes Blanche’s flaws clear through his use of characterisation, contrast, conflict and stagecraft.
The stage directions at the start of the play give and early hint to Blanche’s flawed character. She is described as: “daintily dressed in a white suit” and “as fragile as a moth”. The expression “white suit” suggests innocence and purity but “daintily” and “moth” also suggest fragility. Tennessee Williams is alluding to the expression “like a moth to a flame” which has connotations of danger and self destruction. This flaw will affect her relationships with men and in particular her brother in law, Stanley.
Another way in which Blanche’s flawed character is revealed in the stage directions is to present her as a character who has difficulty fitting into her society. Williams writes: “her appearance is incongruous to this setting.” Thus rather than being dressed for the poorer areas of New Orleans Blanche looks “as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party.” This links to a further flaw in her character in that she has difficulty in facing up to harsh reality and prefers what she calls ‘magic’.
At this stage the audience is uncertain about Blanche. She does not appear as an admirable character instead the audience wonders if she is the innocent she appears to be and is concerned that “moth” suggests that she may have a tendency to self-destruct.
The first sign of Blanche’s tendency toward self destruction is the characterisation of her as an alcoholic. When she arrives at the flat she begins to secretly drink Stanley’s alcohol and lies to Stella about the number of drinks she has had. In the stage directions Stanley “observes the depletion” and states “liquor goes fast in hot weather”. This helps the audience to understand that Stanley is suspicious of Blanche’s behaviour and this suspicion will bring the two characters into conflict.
The conflict between the two characters is further developed after their discussion about how the family home, Belle Reve, was lost when Blanche “playfully sprays” Stanley with her atomiser which he “seizes”. The word choice of “playfully” and “seizes” suggests a strong contrast in their characterisation. Stanley’s response:
“If I didn’t know you were my wife’s sister I’d get ideas about you.
Such as what?
Don’t play dumb, you know what”.
This develops Blanche’s flawed character – not only is she an alcoholic but she is flirtatious and promiscuous – even with her sister’s husband. This continues the idea that she is a character who likes to play with danger.
It is however the tension which Blanche creates between Stanley and Stella which is the greatest source of conflict in the play. After a poker match in the house Stanley gets drunk, throws a radio out of the window and hits Stella. Blanche gathers her sister up and uses the incident to try and pull Stanley away from Stella by taking her to the safety of the upstairs flat. Rescuing someone from danger is an admirable thing to do but Blanche’s flaw is that she doesn’t realise the strength of desire each has for the other. Stanley will shout for Stella “with earsplitting violence” the expression suggesting his powerful desire for her. Stella will later say that on her honeymoon night Stanley smashed all the lightbulbs and that she was “sort of – thrilled by it”. The word “thrilled” tells the audience that Stella enjoys Stanley’s behaviour because she is sexually excited by it.
Blanche continues in her desperate plan to pull Stella and Stanley apart even to the point of sending a telegram to an imaginary beau for help. She suggests that she and Stella are in a “desperate situation”. Stella calls Blanche’s telegram “ridiculous” and an argument begins between the sisters. At this point Stanley returns and Williams uses dramatic irony so the audience knows that he is listening in, but not the sisters. Blanche calls Stanley “common” and “bestial” saying that Stella is living with a man who is more or less cave man. She pleads with her “Don’t, don’t hang out with the brutes”. This gives Stanley his motive for finally and speedily getting rid of Blanche. Had Stanley done this decently the audience’s sympathy would have remainedwith him and Stella, instead Stanley’s brutality moves the audience’s sympathy towards Blanche and she leaves as a character you can admire.
It’s in scene 10 that the play reaches its dramatic climax. Stanley has gained information back from Blanche’s home town of Laurel revealing Blanche’s promiscuous past and the fact that she lost her job as she had become attracted to a 17 year old student. The pressure of these revelations forces Stella into an early labour and Blanche onto a precipice of madness. When Stanley returns from settling Stella into the hospital he and Blanche find themselves alone in the flat. The two of them begin drinking and Stanley puts on his “brilliant silk pyjamas”. Blanche feels threatened and Stanley asks: “You think I’ll interfere with you?” Then states “some to think of it – maybe you wouldn’t be bad – to intere with.” A scene begins reminiscent of the violent sex Stanley and Stella enjoy. Blanche tells him to back off: “I warn you, don’t, I’m in danger.” She then “smashes a bottle on the table and faces him.” Stanley responds to the idea of rough and violent sex “Oh you want some rough-house! All right, let’s have some rough-house.” He states “We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning” referring back to his earlier statement about Blanche’s flirting with him.
The drama then moves into its anti-climax as Stella prepares for Blanche’s departure. She tells Eunice “I couldn’t believe her story and go on living with Stanley.” Stella chooses her husband over her sister and the stage is set for Blanche to leave the drama. The fact that Stella has believed Stanley’s lies and that Blanche has been raped by her Brother in law switches the audience’s sympathy towards Blanche. She is now an admirable character because she has suffered and is being sent to the living death of a state mental institution. The audience admires her because she seeks to leave with dignity. The audience feels great pity as a Matron can not handle Blanche scratching wildly at her and suggests a “jacket”. Instead a Doctor “draws her up gently and supports her with his arm.” Blanche departs stating “whoever you are – I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”
In conclusion the character of Blanche DuBois is one which is riddled with many flaws. Some of her actions are difficult to admire and there are times in the drama when you believe she is behaving badly. On the other hand she is clearly one of life’s victims and due to Stanley’s despicable behaviour you feel pity for her and admire her for seeking to leave a place where she had not fitted in with at least some self-respect.