Blanche du Bois
SCENE ONE
● “Her expression is one of shocked disbelief…faintly hysterical humour”- The stage
direction emphasises her surprise and inability to adapt to her surroundings. This is
underlined in her disdain for the city (seen in her first conversation with Stella, page
7)
● “Her appearance is incongruous to this setting… daintily dressed in a white suit with
a fluffy bodice, necklace and ear-rings of pearl, white gloves and hat … as if she
were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party”- Blanche juxtaposes her industrial
surroundings, and her white outfit symbolises the facade of purity that she relies on,
as well as marking out her disinclination for work. In this way, the impractical outfit
isolates her from the working-class population of New Orleans. The city opposes her
familiarity with high-class leisure (seen in the simile)
○ “Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light… her uncertain manner, as well
as her white clothes, that suggests a moth”- The imperative demonstrates her
fragility, and how she “must” avoid being exposed as a fraud (this links to how
Stanley rips off the lampshade, exposing her flaws to the light, Pg 105). The
comparison indicates how Blanche is attracted to beautiful, bright things,
often to her detriment or demise. It also emphasises her delicacy.
● “To take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries”-
Blanche has followed desire to death.
● The home contains “a folding bed”. The stage direction highlights how Blanche’s
place is temporary.
● “Sits in a chair very stiffly… shoulders slightly hunched… clutching her purse as if
she were quite cold”- her body language in the stage direction emphasises her sense
of discomfort and superiority.
○ “…explain this place to me! What are you doing in a place like this?… Never,
never, never in my worst dreams could I picture- Only Poe! Only Mr Edgar
Allan Poe!- could do it justice!”- Blanche maintains a judgmental tone
(foreshadowing conflict), and her use of fragmented speech highlights her
flightiness and sense of entitlement. This is her first literary allusion, and the
differences in the sisters’ ideologies creates a divide.
● “A cat screeches. She catches her breath with a startled gesture”- The cacophony of
the city is damaging for Blanche (she is similarly shocked throughout).
● The audience gets an early indication of Blanche’s alcohol dependency. This will be
seen throughout the play.
○ Pg 5- “She springs up and crosses to it, and removes a whiskey bottle”- verb
choice highlights enthusiasm.
○ Pg 6- “I know you must have some liquor on the place! Where could it be, I
wonder? Oh, I spy, I spy!”- the repetitive use of exclamations create a
frenzied tone, whilst the dramatic irony highlights Blanche’s alcoholic
tendencies.
○ Pg 6- “She rushes…and removes the bottle; she is shaking all over and
panting for breath as she tries to laugh”- The stage direction reveals
Blanche’s instability, and her need to maintain a facade in front of Stella to
conceal the cracks in her perfection.
○ Pg 14- “No, I- rarely touch it”- dramatic irony
, ● “Blanche springs up and runs to her with a wild cry”- highlights desperation
○ “Speak with feverish vivacity”
○ “But don’t you look at me… no, no, no, not till later, not till I’ve bathed and
rested! And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this
merciless glare!…Precious lamb! You haven’t said a word to me.”- Blanche
has the greater weight of dialogue, displaying her self-obsession. The
frequent repetition and exclamations create a feverish tone, indicating
instability. Blanche dominates conversation, showing her ability to ‘fulfil a
character’. She shows her need to hide from the exposure of her flaws, and
the recurring motif of bathing is first mentioned, highlighting Blanche’s need to
be “clean” and maintain her illusion. Her obsession with appearance shows
her need to conceal her flaws (in all ways). She is rather possessive of Stella,
and this will cause a conflict between Blanche and Stanley throughout the
duration of the play.
● “Because- as you must have noticed- I’m not very well… (Her voice drops and her
look is frightened)”- The stage direction and fragmented syntax highlight Blanche’s
vulnerability.
● There’s a level of resentment towards Stella
○ “I stayed at Belle Reve and tried to hold it together!… all the burden fell on
my shoulders…[Blanche begins to shake again with intensity]… But you are
the one that abandoned Belle Reve, not I! I stayed and fought for it, bled for it,
almost died for it!”- This shows how Blanche is incapable of letting go of her
antebellum past (as opposed to Stella, who responds with “The best I could
do was make my own living”). The stage direction demonstrates her
propensity to “fly off the handle”.
○ During Blanche’s speech (Pg 12), she has the greater weight of dialogue,
showing her tendency to dominate conversation. Her emphatic and
exclamatory language heightens the emotive response of the audience.
■ “I, I, I, took the blows in my face and my body! All of those deaths!”-
The repetition of the first person pronouns emphasises Blanche’s
personal suffering, and the insult to her vanity.
■ “All of those deaths!… So big with it, it couldn’t be put in a coffin! But
had to be burned like rubbish!”- the repetition of the theme of death
foreshadows Blanche’s own spiritual demise, and highlights how she
is haunted by death (of her family, of Belle Reve…). Cremation was
traditionally associated with disease- Williams implies that corruption
is a fatal disease. The woman is dehumanised, indicating the family's
loss of prestige.
■ “Funerals are pretty compared to deaths. Funerals are quiet, but
deaths- not always”- the juxtaposition highlights the contrast between
the sisters’ experience of Belle Reve.
■ “How in hell do you think all that sickness and dying was paid for?
Death is expensive, Miss Stella!”- Blanche resumes a condescending,
accusatory tone. By linking death to wealth, she shows that to be
destitute is to die (which foreshadows her fate).
■ “Why, the Grim Reaper had put up his tent on our doorstep!”- Death
follows Blanche throughout the play (and in her past).
SCENE ONE
● “Her expression is one of shocked disbelief…faintly hysterical humour”- The stage
direction emphasises her surprise and inability to adapt to her surroundings. This is
underlined in her disdain for the city (seen in her first conversation with Stella, page
7)
● “Her appearance is incongruous to this setting… daintily dressed in a white suit with
a fluffy bodice, necklace and ear-rings of pearl, white gloves and hat … as if she
were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party”- Blanche juxtaposes her industrial
surroundings, and her white outfit symbolises the facade of purity that she relies on,
as well as marking out her disinclination for work. In this way, the impractical outfit
isolates her from the working-class population of New Orleans. The city opposes her
familiarity with high-class leisure (seen in the simile)
○ “Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light… her uncertain manner, as well
as her white clothes, that suggests a moth”- The imperative demonstrates her
fragility, and how she “must” avoid being exposed as a fraud (this links to how
Stanley rips off the lampshade, exposing her flaws to the light, Pg 105). The
comparison indicates how Blanche is attracted to beautiful, bright things,
often to her detriment or demise. It also emphasises her delicacy.
● “To take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries”-
Blanche has followed desire to death.
● The home contains “a folding bed”. The stage direction highlights how Blanche’s
place is temporary.
● “Sits in a chair very stiffly… shoulders slightly hunched… clutching her purse as if
she were quite cold”- her body language in the stage direction emphasises her sense
of discomfort and superiority.
○ “…explain this place to me! What are you doing in a place like this?… Never,
never, never in my worst dreams could I picture- Only Poe! Only Mr Edgar
Allan Poe!- could do it justice!”- Blanche maintains a judgmental tone
(foreshadowing conflict), and her use of fragmented speech highlights her
flightiness and sense of entitlement. This is her first literary allusion, and the
differences in the sisters’ ideologies creates a divide.
● “A cat screeches. She catches her breath with a startled gesture”- The cacophony of
the city is damaging for Blanche (she is similarly shocked throughout).
● The audience gets an early indication of Blanche’s alcohol dependency. This will be
seen throughout the play.
○ Pg 5- “She springs up and crosses to it, and removes a whiskey bottle”- verb
choice highlights enthusiasm.
○ Pg 6- “I know you must have some liquor on the place! Where could it be, I
wonder? Oh, I spy, I spy!”- the repetitive use of exclamations create a
frenzied tone, whilst the dramatic irony highlights Blanche’s alcoholic
tendencies.
○ Pg 6- “She rushes…and removes the bottle; she is shaking all over and
panting for breath as she tries to laugh”- The stage direction reveals
Blanche’s instability, and her need to maintain a facade in front of Stella to
conceal the cracks in her perfection.
○ Pg 14- “No, I- rarely touch it”- dramatic irony
, ● “Blanche springs up and runs to her with a wild cry”- highlights desperation
○ “Speak with feverish vivacity”
○ “But don’t you look at me… no, no, no, not till later, not till I’ve bathed and
rested! And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this
merciless glare!…Precious lamb! You haven’t said a word to me.”- Blanche
has the greater weight of dialogue, displaying her self-obsession. The
frequent repetition and exclamations create a feverish tone, indicating
instability. Blanche dominates conversation, showing her ability to ‘fulfil a
character’. She shows her need to hide from the exposure of her flaws, and
the recurring motif of bathing is first mentioned, highlighting Blanche’s need to
be “clean” and maintain her illusion. Her obsession with appearance shows
her need to conceal her flaws (in all ways). She is rather possessive of Stella,
and this will cause a conflict between Blanche and Stanley throughout the
duration of the play.
● “Because- as you must have noticed- I’m not very well… (Her voice drops and her
look is frightened)”- The stage direction and fragmented syntax highlight Blanche’s
vulnerability.
● There’s a level of resentment towards Stella
○ “I stayed at Belle Reve and tried to hold it together!… all the burden fell on
my shoulders…[Blanche begins to shake again with intensity]… But you are
the one that abandoned Belle Reve, not I! I stayed and fought for it, bled for it,
almost died for it!”- This shows how Blanche is incapable of letting go of her
antebellum past (as opposed to Stella, who responds with “The best I could
do was make my own living”). The stage direction demonstrates her
propensity to “fly off the handle”.
○ During Blanche’s speech (Pg 12), she has the greater weight of dialogue,
showing her tendency to dominate conversation. Her emphatic and
exclamatory language heightens the emotive response of the audience.
■ “I, I, I, took the blows in my face and my body! All of those deaths!”-
The repetition of the first person pronouns emphasises Blanche’s
personal suffering, and the insult to her vanity.
■ “All of those deaths!… So big with it, it couldn’t be put in a coffin! But
had to be burned like rubbish!”- the repetition of the theme of death
foreshadows Blanche’s own spiritual demise, and highlights how she
is haunted by death (of her family, of Belle Reve…). Cremation was
traditionally associated with disease- Williams implies that corruption
is a fatal disease. The woman is dehumanised, indicating the family's
loss of prestige.
■ “Funerals are pretty compared to deaths. Funerals are quiet, but
deaths- not always”- the juxtaposition highlights the contrast between
the sisters’ experience of Belle Reve.
■ “How in hell do you think all that sickness and dying was paid for?
Death is expensive, Miss Stella!”- Blanche resumes a condescending,
accusatory tone. By linking death to wealth, she shows that to be
destitute is to die (which foreshadows her fate).
■ “Why, the Grim Reaper had put up his tent on our doorstep!”- Death
follows Blanche throughout the play (and in her past).
