A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Q - justify the title “a streetcar named desire” .
Tennesse William’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” is a dark play set in the 1940’s in
new orleans and highlights the darkness of desire as it often leads to destruction.
The title provides the audience with an understanding of desire as a driving force
towards chaos. The playwright justifies the title by masterfully employing symbolism
and expressionistic theatre, the characterisation of Blanche and Stanley and the
glorification of pleasure and desire in the structure of the play.
One of the most effective ways that the title is justified is by the skillful use of
symbolism and expressionistic theatre. The streetcar on which Blanche arrives is
employed as a symbol of the danger of change led by desire. The danger of desire
has brought her to this alienated world where she is alone. In scene one Blanche
changes from the streetcar of desire to one going to cemeteries; which connotes a
metaphorical death due to sinful pleasure, as in Blanche. This foreshadows to the
audience metaphorically, and by insuination that she is going towards sin and
destruction. The image of the streetcar as this destructive driving force, one of
sexual passion conveys the helplessness of its riders to the audience but also
stresses the element of choice as they have made the decision to board it.
Additionally pleasure is glorified through the symbolism of the polka music as
Blanche’s tragic past and guilt. It rises in tense moments where Blanche feels
remorse towards Allen’s death such as when Blanche delivers her monologue on the
loss of belle reve. It symbolises her gay husband’s death and centers her into an
extreme state of panic, fear and guilt. This is used to alert the audience of Blanche’s
guilty feelings leering towards suicide. Furthermore the poker parties dramatic
purpose is to portray men’s animalistic nature and drive towards passion and desire.
They metaphorically symbolise the luck and gamble of Blanche’s life evoking the
deception of her supposed innocence. When Blanche continues to play her music
which bothers Stanley it depicts to the audience the lack of self control she has once
she boarded the streetcar of desire.
The playwright masterfully justifies the title through the characterisation of Blanche
and Stanley. Blanche’s self-absorption and need for flattery when she constantly
asks stella how she looks and reveals she has brought a lot of clothes to impress
their friends. Through this use of characterisation, Williams skillfully portrays the
need for flattery and therefore the insecurity she feels to the audience. Furthermore
through the characterisation of Blanche’s evasiveness the writer depicts Blanche’s
need to ‘ride’ the streetcar, portraying her escapism. Firstly Blanche’s arrival at
elysian fields after the loss of bel reve and her husbands depicts her need to get
away. This is further embellished when Blanche squirms with discomfort at stanley’s
questions and is vague about her job symbolising her fear of reality which hints at
the fact that Blanche is secretive due to a self-protective mechanism. Her stealthy
and secretive drinking also hints at the need for ‘desire’. All of this is masterfully
portrayed to the reader through Blanche’s escapism.
Additionally Stanley’s animalistic nature portrays the uncontrollable need for desire.
Blanche’s idea of love is equated with civilisation and evolutionary advancement,
placing Stanley as the diametric opposite; brutal, savage and unevolved. This is
portrayed when she calls him “survivor of the stone age”. This thereby places
Q - justify the title “a streetcar named desire” .
Tennesse William’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” is a dark play set in the 1940’s in
new orleans and highlights the darkness of desire as it often leads to destruction.
The title provides the audience with an understanding of desire as a driving force
towards chaos. The playwright justifies the title by masterfully employing symbolism
and expressionistic theatre, the characterisation of Blanche and Stanley and the
glorification of pleasure and desire in the structure of the play.
One of the most effective ways that the title is justified is by the skillful use of
symbolism and expressionistic theatre. The streetcar on which Blanche arrives is
employed as a symbol of the danger of change led by desire. The danger of desire
has brought her to this alienated world where she is alone. In scene one Blanche
changes from the streetcar of desire to one going to cemeteries; which connotes a
metaphorical death due to sinful pleasure, as in Blanche. This foreshadows to the
audience metaphorically, and by insuination that she is going towards sin and
destruction. The image of the streetcar as this destructive driving force, one of
sexual passion conveys the helplessness of its riders to the audience but also
stresses the element of choice as they have made the decision to board it.
Additionally pleasure is glorified through the symbolism of the polka music as
Blanche’s tragic past and guilt. It rises in tense moments where Blanche feels
remorse towards Allen’s death such as when Blanche delivers her monologue on the
loss of belle reve. It symbolises her gay husband’s death and centers her into an
extreme state of panic, fear and guilt. This is used to alert the audience of Blanche’s
guilty feelings leering towards suicide. Furthermore the poker parties dramatic
purpose is to portray men’s animalistic nature and drive towards passion and desire.
They metaphorically symbolise the luck and gamble of Blanche’s life evoking the
deception of her supposed innocence. When Blanche continues to play her music
which bothers Stanley it depicts to the audience the lack of self control she has once
she boarded the streetcar of desire.
The playwright masterfully justifies the title through the characterisation of Blanche
and Stanley. Blanche’s self-absorption and need for flattery when she constantly
asks stella how she looks and reveals she has brought a lot of clothes to impress
their friends. Through this use of characterisation, Williams skillfully portrays the
need for flattery and therefore the insecurity she feels to the audience. Furthermore
through the characterisation of Blanche’s evasiveness the writer depicts Blanche’s
need to ‘ride’ the streetcar, portraying her escapism. Firstly Blanche’s arrival at
elysian fields after the loss of bel reve and her husbands depicts her need to get
away. This is further embellished when Blanche squirms with discomfort at stanley’s
questions and is vague about her job symbolising her fear of reality which hints at
the fact that Blanche is secretive due to a self-protective mechanism. Her stealthy
and secretive drinking also hints at the need for ‘desire’. All of this is masterfully
portrayed to the reader through Blanche’s escapism.
Additionally Stanley’s animalistic nature portrays the uncontrollable need for desire.
Blanche’s idea of love is equated with civilisation and evolutionary advancement,
placing Stanley as the diametric opposite; brutal, savage and unevolved. This is
portrayed when she calls him “survivor of the stone age”. This thereby places
