Refer to scene 1,
Beginning “Stella, oh, Stella for Star” and
Ending “It’s just incredible, Blanche, how well you’re looking.
This interaction occurs near the middle of the scene. Blanche is just reunited with Stella.
Referring to these lines and other parts of the play, examine how and why Williams presents
melodramatic characters throughout the play.
Answer:
Within scene 1 and the wider play Williams presents melodramatic characters as highly emotional
and fighting for power to add to the melodramatic genre of the modern tragedy play.
In scene 1 we can see a melodramatic character in the form of Blanche when she states ‘Stella, oh,
Stella, Stella! Stella for star!’ her use of exclamatives present her as a highly strung and emotional
character who is easily excitable. This is enhanced through her list of directives and exclamatives
‘Now, then, let me look at you. But don’t you look at me, Stella, no, no, no, not till l’ve bathed and
rested! And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this merciless glare!’ The
use of directives, imperatives and exclamatives in Blanche’s speech presents her as an unstable
character with a lot of emotion. The use of punctuation such as the repeated use of commas and
exclamation marks also present, her speech as fast and loud, this highlights her unstable and
emotional condition. We see a similar example of Blanche being presented as a melodramatic
character in scene 4 where she says ‘Listen to me. I have an idea of some kind. [Shakily she twists a
cigarette into her holder]’ again the use of the imperative ‘listen to me’ presents her as an unstable
character with high emotions who is fighting for power. The pre-modifier ‘shakily’ also enhances this
as it presents her as having little control over her emotions and actions. IN addition to this, we see
Blanche’s mental instability within this scene as she says, ‘I ran into Shep Huntleigh - I ran into him
on Biscayne Boulevard, on Christmas Eve, about dusk… getting into his car – Cadillac Convertible;
must have been a block long!’ The use of punctuation here presents what Blanche is saying as a lie
that she is making up on the spot, for example to use of dashes and ellipsis represent pauses and
periods of thought as Blanche is developing the lie and thinking of what to say next.
Another place in the play in which e see Blanche being presented as a melodramatic character can
be seen in Scene 11 where Blanche is sent away to the mental hospital. ‘The greeting is echoed and
re-echoed by other mysterious voices behind the walls, as if reverberated through a canyon of rock’
the pre-modifier ‘mysterious’ displays Blanche as being mentally unstable as she begins to hear
voices and see ‘lurid reflections’ presenting her as a schizophrenic. This presentation of Blanche is
also shown through the use of plastic theatre ‘the “Varsouviana” is playing distantly’ the varsouviana
is a slow musical piece that depicts Blanches demise and mental breakdown.
Another melodramatic character in the play can be seen in Stanley who presented melodramatic
through his high emotions and violence. This can be seen in scene 3, where Stanley hits stella. ‘He
advances and disappears. There is the sound of a blow. Stella cries out.’ The use of the verb
‘advances’ presents his as a predator and presents Stella as the weak prey. This same predator-like
presentation can also be seen in scene 11 where Stanley attacks Blanche. ‘He springs towards her,
overturning the table. She cried out and strikes at him with the bottle top, but he catches her wrist.’
The use of the verbs ‘springs’ and ‘catches’ present Stanley as a predator through their dominative
and violent nature. In addition to his predator-like presentation Stanley is also presented as having
unstable violent emotions. We can see this in scene 3, ‘[with heaven-splitting violence]: STELL-
Beginning “Stella, oh, Stella for Star” and
Ending “It’s just incredible, Blanche, how well you’re looking.
This interaction occurs near the middle of the scene. Blanche is just reunited with Stella.
Referring to these lines and other parts of the play, examine how and why Williams presents
melodramatic characters throughout the play.
Answer:
Within scene 1 and the wider play Williams presents melodramatic characters as highly emotional
and fighting for power to add to the melodramatic genre of the modern tragedy play.
In scene 1 we can see a melodramatic character in the form of Blanche when she states ‘Stella, oh,
Stella, Stella! Stella for star!’ her use of exclamatives present her as a highly strung and emotional
character who is easily excitable. This is enhanced through her list of directives and exclamatives
‘Now, then, let me look at you. But don’t you look at me, Stella, no, no, no, not till l’ve bathed and
rested! And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this merciless glare!’ The
use of directives, imperatives and exclamatives in Blanche’s speech presents her as an unstable
character with a lot of emotion. The use of punctuation such as the repeated use of commas and
exclamation marks also present, her speech as fast and loud, this highlights her unstable and
emotional condition. We see a similar example of Blanche being presented as a melodramatic
character in scene 4 where she says ‘Listen to me. I have an idea of some kind. [Shakily she twists a
cigarette into her holder]’ again the use of the imperative ‘listen to me’ presents her as an unstable
character with high emotions who is fighting for power. The pre-modifier ‘shakily’ also enhances this
as it presents her as having little control over her emotions and actions. IN addition to this, we see
Blanche’s mental instability within this scene as she says, ‘I ran into Shep Huntleigh - I ran into him
on Biscayne Boulevard, on Christmas Eve, about dusk… getting into his car – Cadillac Convertible;
must have been a block long!’ The use of punctuation here presents what Blanche is saying as a lie
that she is making up on the spot, for example to use of dashes and ellipsis represent pauses and
periods of thought as Blanche is developing the lie and thinking of what to say next.
Another place in the play in which e see Blanche being presented as a melodramatic character can
be seen in Scene 11 where Blanche is sent away to the mental hospital. ‘The greeting is echoed and
re-echoed by other mysterious voices behind the walls, as if reverberated through a canyon of rock’
the pre-modifier ‘mysterious’ displays Blanche as being mentally unstable as she begins to hear
voices and see ‘lurid reflections’ presenting her as a schizophrenic. This presentation of Blanche is
also shown through the use of plastic theatre ‘the “Varsouviana” is playing distantly’ the varsouviana
is a slow musical piece that depicts Blanches demise and mental breakdown.
Another melodramatic character in the play can be seen in Stanley who presented melodramatic
through his high emotions and violence. This can be seen in scene 3, where Stanley hits stella. ‘He
advances and disappears. There is the sound of a blow. Stella cries out.’ The use of the verb
‘advances’ presents his as a predator and presents Stella as the weak prey. This same predator-like
presentation can also be seen in scene 11 where Stanley attacks Blanche. ‘He springs towards her,
overturning the table. She cried out and strikes at him with the bottle top, but he catches her wrist.’
The use of the verbs ‘springs’ and ‘catches’ present Stanley as a predator through their dominative
and violent nature. In addition to his predator-like presentation Stanley is also presented as having
unstable violent emotions. We can see this in scene 3, ‘[with heaven-splitting violence]: STELL-
