A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 1
Opening Stage Directions
Used effectively to establish the setting and immerse the audience directly into the bustling action
• 'Elysian Fields' - Classical reference to paradise where the most heroic of souls came to
rest.
• Contradicts to the run down town with a 'raffish charm'. Also ironic as the characters
in the play are far from heroic and at some point in the play, all adopt the role of the
tragic villain. This could also be foreboding as Elysian Fields is known as the 'final
resting place', which could foreshadow Blanche's mental deterioration and descent
into madness.
• 'Semantic Field of Age' - 'Weathered' 'Rickety' 'Decay' 'Faded'- The ugly aspects
associated with ageing are masked by a seemingly beautiful "turquoise sky". Reference
to the death and darkness that are always prevalent in the city, which links to the
streetcar named "Cemetery" that runs through New Orleans. Also mirrors Blanche's
obsession with ageing as she too is 'decaying' but deceives people in order to mask the
fact she is old. For example, when she buys a Chinese Paper Lantern to dim the light and
to avoid exposure. The fact that the decayed parts of the city are being drowned out by
the music and liveliness, suggests the city is deceitful and that the roots of it are ugly and
evil. Decay could also foreshadow Blanche's eventual downfall.
• 'Intermingling of races in the old part of town' 'Infatuated fluency of brown fingers'-
Highlights the rich diversity in New Orleans. Highlights southern Blanche's otherness as
the play is set in 1947, so she would have grown up in a racial divided America. Her
southern views contrast the 'cosmopolitan city'. The 'infatuated fluency...' Fricative sound
draws attention to the smooth jazz that fills the city, provokes a surreal atmosphere due
to the constant music in the background. Infatuated also has connotations of desire.
• "Blue Piano" is the sound that is heard when Blanches mental state starts to unravel at
key points int the play. Plays in the opening stage directions- the sound could emphasise
the chaotic nature of the city or evoke a sense of unease in the audience.
Blanches Otherness and deceitfulness:
• 'Daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice' 'ear-rings of pearl' 'white clothes'-
The emphasis on her white clothes symbolises her supposed purity which she is obsessed
with maintaining, even though she has a tainted past. White often symbolises purity,
truth and good so it leads the audience to fall for the false pretence Blanche creates. She
also contrasts the setting around her which is described as 'dim white' 'mostly white'
'faded white' suggesting that there is a lack of innocence in New Orleans and plants
doubt in the audience's mind. The physical contrast between Blanche and New Orleans
foreshadows the fact that she is unable to survive in the city and will disrupt the natural
order of Elysian Fields.
• 'She pours half a tumbler of whiskey and tosses it down. She carefully replaces the
bottle...' reveals to the audience her heavy drinking problem that she doesn't want to
confess to. The adverb 'carefully' reveals that she is cunning about her facade and is
skilled in maintaining it. It also shows that she is aware of her wrongdoing as she doesn't
want Stella to know.
• Stage direction: 'Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light... suggests a moth.' She
cannot be seen in harsh lighting or the facade will deteriorate- again emphasising her
deceitfulness. This could evoke sympathy as it is evident how insecure as she is despite
not being that old, her whole life revolves around her appearance and her fear of age.
Metaphor of the moth- she is drawn to the light but it will 'kill' her metaphorically. This
could also be symbolic of her uncontrollable desire that arguably led to her downfall.
Describing the Loss of Belle Reve
Opening Stage Directions
Used effectively to establish the setting and immerse the audience directly into the bustling action
• 'Elysian Fields' - Classical reference to paradise where the most heroic of souls came to
rest.
• Contradicts to the run down town with a 'raffish charm'. Also ironic as the characters
in the play are far from heroic and at some point in the play, all adopt the role of the
tragic villain. This could also be foreboding as Elysian Fields is known as the 'final
resting place', which could foreshadow Blanche's mental deterioration and descent
into madness.
• 'Semantic Field of Age' - 'Weathered' 'Rickety' 'Decay' 'Faded'- The ugly aspects
associated with ageing are masked by a seemingly beautiful "turquoise sky". Reference
to the death and darkness that are always prevalent in the city, which links to the
streetcar named "Cemetery" that runs through New Orleans. Also mirrors Blanche's
obsession with ageing as she too is 'decaying' but deceives people in order to mask the
fact she is old. For example, when she buys a Chinese Paper Lantern to dim the light and
to avoid exposure. The fact that the decayed parts of the city are being drowned out by
the music and liveliness, suggests the city is deceitful and that the roots of it are ugly and
evil. Decay could also foreshadow Blanche's eventual downfall.
• 'Intermingling of races in the old part of town' 'Infatuated fluency of brown fingers'-
Highlights the rich diversity in New Orleans. Highlights southern Blanche's otherness as
the play is set in 1947, so she would have grown up in a racial divided America. Her
southern views contrast the 'cosmopolitan city'. The 'infatuated fluency...' Fricative sound
draws attention to the smooth jazz that fills the city, provokes a surreal atmosphere due
to the constant music in the background. Infatuated also has connotations of desire.
• "Blue Piano" is the sound that is heard when Blanches mental state starts to unravel at
key points int the play. Plays in the opening stage directions- the sound could emphasise
the chaotic nature of the city or evoke a sense of unease in the audience.
Blanches Otherness and deceitfulness:
• 'Daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice' 'ear-rings of pearl' 'white clothes'-
The emphasis on her white clothes symbolises her supposed purity which she is obsessed
with maintaining, even though she has a tainted past. White often symbolises purity,
truth and good so it leads the audience to fall for the false pretence Blanche creates. She
also contrasts the setting around her which is described as 'dim white' 'mostly white'
'faded white' suggesting that there is a lack of innocence in New Orleans and plants
doubt in the audience's mind. The physical contrast between Blanche and New Orleans
foreshadows the fact that she is unable to survive in the city and will disrupt the natural
order of Elysian Fields.
• 'She pours half a tumbler of whiskey and tosses it down. She carefully replaces the
bottle...' reveals to the audience her heavy drinking problem that she doesn't want to
confess to. The adverb 'carefully' reveals that she is cunning about her facade and is
skilled in maintaining it. It also shows that she is aware of her wrongdoing as she doesn't
want Stella to know.
• Stage direction: 'Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light... suggests a moth.' She
cannot be seen in harsh lighting or the facade will deteriorate- again emphasising her
deceitfulness. This could evoke sympathy as it is evident how insecure as she is despite
not being that old, her whole life revolves around her appearance and her fear of age.
Metaphor of the moth- she is drawn to the light but it will 'kill' her metaphorically. This
could also be symbolic of her uncontrollable desire that arguably led to her downfall.
Describing the Loss of Belle Reve
