Streetcar Named Desire- Scene 11
How is the scene introduced? Examine the opening stage direction carefully.
‘some weeks later’—lapse in time.
‘Sound of water…in the bathroom’- final chance to escape reality, perhaps now washing
away the sexual violation she has suffered. the bathing in this scene is different to before, it
is an attempt to wash away Stanley’s recent violation rather than her past sexual acts.
Blanche’s bath in this scene shows her cleansing herself for an impending ritual and hiding
from real danger rather than simply calming her nerves.
The scene echoes the stage direction at the beginning of ‘The Poker Night’- the atmosphere
is the ‘same raw, lurid one’- masculine dominance, Stanley’s defeat of Blanche and how he
is still the swaggering, aggressive, dominant male. Williams revisits the world of male
camaraderie and competition. By repeating the poker party, he encourages us to see both
what has changed and what has remained constant.
“The portieres are partly open on the poker players…” The poker games throughout the
play have varied slightly, but they typically illustrate male dominance within society in the
1940s. The men are typically seen drinking, being crude and unrefined, and ultimately
portraying them as primitive, basic, and animal-like.
Stella ‘arranges the flowery dresses in the open trunk’- preparing for departure; Stella
taking on almost a maternal role and packing Blanche’s things-clear that this is also because
she feels guilty.
Contrast between Stella’s ‘crying’ and the ‘burst’ from the poker table.
This scene balances with the poker scene 3, where Stanley was losing but we soon find out
Stanley is the winner of this game, and is ‘prodigiously elated’- once again master in his own
house and represents also the victory over Blanche.
Make notes on the presentation of the four main characters (Stanley, Mitch, Blanche and Stella) in
the final scene.
Stanley:
Discusses luck (‘To hold front position…you’ve got to believe you are lucky’)- competition
and victory- his risk paid off and he has now achieved the ultimate victory and Blanche is
soon to leave as he always wished. Stanley also speaks of having to believe “you’re lucky…
to hold front position in this rat-race”. This illustrates the developing capitalist views in
America during the 1940s. People are deservingly rewarded for hard work rather than being
born into wealth and power, reflecting the deteriorating aristocratic society and the growing
industrialised middle class.
‘rises as if to block her way’- arrogant behaviour; mocks Blanche with his questions ‘What
did you forget, Blanche?’, ‘You want the lantern?’.
Stage direction of him ‘tearing’ the lantern ‘off the lightbulb’- destroys her last hope/form
of protection. Again the light symbolism emphasizes Blanche's desire to live in a world of
semi-illusion which contradicts Stanley's world.
At the end he speaks ‘a bit uncertainly’- momentarily concerned. However, at the end ‘his
fingers find the opening of her blouse’- sexual reconciliation.
‘[He kneels beside her and his fingers find the opening of her blouse.] Now, now, love.
Now, love…’- Stella and Stanley reconcile on a non-verbal level, underscoring the physical
, nature of their relationship. Despite the distress his wife is in, he still manages to find the
“opening of her blouse” demonstrating his fixation with sex and his emotional insensitivity.
He is animal-like and crude and is the general personification of male dominance in society-
‘gaudy seed bearer.’ The repetition of endearments seem to be an over compensation for
what he did, but again, we see Stanley is taking advantage of Stella in her vulnerable state,
just as he did with Blanche in scene 10. By repeating ‘now’, it emphasises his conviction that
their life can return to normality. Stanley Kowalski is an exaggeration of humans in our most
exposed, animal-like form, there seems to be excessiveness in every aspect of him; his
passion, sexual drive, assertiveness, and aggressiveness. Williams clearly points out the
imperfections of both worlds. Stanley’s overly violent and destructive nature is the
compromise made with the colourful vitality that comes the lack of restrictions of the
aristocratic society.
Mitch:
‘you…brag…brag…bull’- Mitch’s anger, tension towards Stanley, identifies him as animalistic.
‘At the sound of Blanche’s voice Mitch’s arm…sagged and his gaze dissolved into space’-
sense of his guilt conveyed, perhaps believing that it was his own attempted rape of Blanche
that pushed her over the edge. Unlike Stanley, this sensitivity and perhaps remorse is
highlighted.
Mitch ‘ducks his head lower’ upon hearing Blanche’s voice, almost in disgrace- knowing that
he had a part to play in Blanche’s downfall. It seems he still feels and empathises with her
character, in contrast to Stanley, who continues to dominate the poker setting unnerved by
Blanche’s presence: ‘shoves his chair back.’
Mitch ‘remains seated, looking at the table’- cannot face up to what he’s done.
Blames Stanley ‘You done this…’
While Stella and Eunice are speaking on the porch, Mitch has ‘started toward the bedroom’
and ‘lunges and strikes at Stanley’- in his final efforts he attempts to do the right thing,
clearly still caring for Blanche, but Stanley blocks him from entering, shoving him away.
Stanley asserts his alpha-male dominance over Mitch, and Mitch bows out of the fight,
recognizing Stanley as holding the power. Mitch here represents perhaps the final hope and
fighter for Blanche, yet interestingly once again Stanley is the one to shut this down.
He ‘collapses at the table, sobbing’- extent of emotional response, demonstrates some
affection for Blanche as well as perhaps his own guilt. He is unable to save her.
Blanche:
‘She wouldn’t eat anything but asked for a drink’- another coping mechanism.
Still concerned with appearance and has lost her grip on reality- is expecting Shep Huntleigh.
‘opens the bathroom door slightly’, ‘the bathroom door opens a little’, ‘Is the coast clear?’
‘I don’t want to pass in front of those men’- timid by this point, afraid of her environment-
the apartment as the site of her violation. Blanche’s behaviour toward the poker players
and during her bath reflects the way being raped by Stanley has scarred her. At the start of
the play, she performs for Stanley’s friends and demands their charm and devotion. By its
end, she wants to hide from their gaze and hopes they won’t notice her.
‘tragic radiance’- evokes pathos.
How is the scene introduced? Examine the opening stage direction carefully.
‘some weeks later’—lapse in time.
‘Sound of water…in the bathroom’- final chance to escape reality, perhaps now washing
away the sexual violation she has suffered. the bathing in this scene is different to before, it
is an attempt to wash away Stanley’s recent violation rather than her past sexual acts.
Blanche’s bath in this scene shows her cleansing herself for an impending ritual and hiding
from real danger rather than simply calming her nerves.
The scene echoes the stage direction at the beginning of ‘The Poker Night’- the atmosphere
is the ‘same raw, lurid one’- masculine dominance, Stanley’s defeat of Blanche and how he
is still the swaggering, aggressive, dominant male. Williams revisits the world of male
camaraderie and competition. By repeating the poker party, he encourages us to see both
what has changed and what has remained constant.
“The portieres are partly open on the poker players…” The poker games throughout the
play have varied slightly, but they typically illustrate male dominance within society in the
1940s. The men are typically seen drinking, being crude and unrefined, and ultimately
portraying them as primitive, basic, and animal-like.
Stella ‘arranges the flowery dresses in the open trunk’- preparing for departure; Stella
taking on almost a maternal role and packing Blanche’s things-clear that this is also because
she feels guilty.
Contrast between Stella’s ‘crying’ and the ‘burst’ from the poker table.
This scene balances with the poker scene 3, where Stanley was losing but we soon find out
Stanley is the winner of this game, and is ‘prodigiously elated’- once again master in his own
house and represents also the victory over Blanche.
Make notes on the presentation of the four main characters (Stanley, Mitch, Blanche and Stella) in
the final scene.
Stanley:
Discusses luck (‘To hold front position…you’ve got to believe you are lucky’)- competition
and victory- his risk paid off and he has now achieved the ultimate victory and Blanche is
soon to leave as he always wished. Stanley also speaks of having to believe “you’re lucky…
to hold front position in this rat-race”. This illustrates the developing capitalist views in
America during the 1940s. People are deservingly rewarded for hard work rather than being
born into wealth and power, reflecting the deteriorating aristocratic society and the growing
industrialised middle class.
‘rises as if to block her way’- arrogant behaviour; mocks Blanche with his questions ‘What
did you forget, Blanche?’, ‘You want the lantern?’.
Stage direction of him ‘tearing’ the lantern ‘off the lightbulb’- destroys her last hope/form
of protection. Again the light symbolism emphasizes Blanche's desire to live in a world of
semi-illusion which contradicts Stanley's world.
At the end he speaks ‘a bit uncertainly’- momentarily concerned. However, at the end ‘his
fingers find the opening of her blouse’- sexual reconciliation.
‘[He kneels beside her and his fingers find the opening of her blouse.] Now, now, love.
Now, love…’- Stella and Stanley reconcile on a non-verbal level, underscoring the physical
, nature of their relationship. Despite the distress his wife is in, he still manages to find the
“opening of her blouse” demonstrating his fixation with sex and his emotional insensitivity.
He is animal-like and crude and is the general personification of male dominance in society-
‘gaudy seed bearer.’ The repetition of endearments seem to be an over compensation for
what he did, but again, we see Stanley is taking advantage of Stella in her vulnerable state,
just as he did with Blanche in scene 10. By repeating ‘now’, it emphasises his conviction that
their life can return to normality. Stanley Kowalski is an exaggeration of humans in our most
exposed, animal-like form, there seems to be excessiveness in every aspect of him; his
passion, sexual drive, assertiveness, and aggressiveness. Williams clearly points out the
imperfections of both worlds. Stanley’s overly violent and destructive nature is the
compromise made with the colourful vitality that comes the lack of restrictions of the
aristocratic society.
Mitch:
‘you…brag…brag…bull’- Mitch’s anger, tension towards Stanley, identifies him as animalistic.
‘At the sound of Blanche’s voice Mitch’s arm…sagged and his gaze dissolved into space’-
sense of his guilt conveyed, perhaps believing that it was his own attempted rape of Blanche
that pushed her over the edge. Unlike Stanley, this sensitivity and perhaps remorse is
highlighted.
Mitch ‘ducks his head lower’ upon hearing Blanche’s voice, almost in disgrace- knowing that
he had a part to play in Blanche’s downfall. It seems he still feels and empathises with her
character, in contrast to Stanley, who continues to dominate the poker setting unnerved by
Blanche’s presence: ‘shoves his chair back.’
Mitch ‘remains seated, looking at the table’- cannot face up to what he’s done.
Blames Stanley ‘You done this…’
While Stella and Eunice are speaking on the porch, Mitch has ‘started toward the bedroom’
and ‘lunges and strikes at Stanley’- in his final efforts he attempts to do the right thing,
clearly still caring for Blanche, but Stanley blocks him from entering, shoving him away.
Stanley asserts his alpha-male dominance over Mitch, and Mitch bows out of the fight,
recognizing Stanley as holding the power. Mitch here represents perhaps the final hope and
fighter for Blanche, yet interestingly once again Stanley is the one to shut this down.
He ‘collapses at the table, sobbing’- extent of emotional response, demonstrates some
affection for Blanche as well as perhaps his own guilt. He is unable to save her.
Blanche:
‘She wouldn’t eat anything but asked for a drink’- another coping mechanism.
Still concerned with appearance and has lost her grip on reality- is expecting Shep Huntleigh.
‘opens the bathroom door slightly’, ‘the bathroom door opens a little’, ‘Is the coast clear?’
‘I don’t want to pass in front of those men’- timid by this point, afraid of her environment-
the apartment as the site of her violation. Blanche’s behaviour toward the poker players
and during her bath reflects the way being raped by Stanley has scarred her. At the start of
the play, she performs for Stanley’s friends and demands their charm and devotion. By its
end, she wants to hide from their gaze and hopes they won’t notice her.
‘tragic radiance’- evokes pathos.
