Characterization of Blanche
How does Williams present Blanche in scene 1?
From the beginning of A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams, it is evident that Blanche will demonstrate a contrasting persona to that of the other female voices, ‘her appearance is incongruous to this setting. She is daintily dressed in a white suit.’ The introduction to Blanche through the stage directions makes it apparent to the reader that Blanche will not blend in with her new surroundings and will believe herself to be superior to that of her peers: ‘looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district.’ The conventional techniques used by Tennessee Williams such as stage directions and language devices allow the audience, from the offset, to understand the contradictory and hysterical personality that Blanche will show throughout the play- with the implication that her lies will lead to not only a physical, but mental deterioration.
The other women in Scene 1 appear to be of a confident nature who will converse with one another, no matter the race or hierarchal status. However, when we are first introduced to Blanche it appears she is reluctant to talk to people of a different race, or of women who seems more lower class than herself. The audience are made aware of this from the stage directions ‘wearily refers to the slip of paper’. The word ‘wearily’ connotes the idea that she has a lack of enthusiasm to partake in conversation as she, perhaps, perceives herself to be of a superior nature. This interpretation of Blanche is also apparent when she is shown to Stella’s house; she seems less than impressed at the state of the house compared to what she has been used to prior at the luxury accommodation of the family house: Belle Reeve: ‘What? Two rooms did you say?’ This shows to the reader that she is shocked at the unexpected conditions that her sister, Stella, is currently residing.
Regarding stage directions, there is the implication that Blanche is a fragile
From the beginning of A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams, it is evident that Blanche will demonstrate a contrasting persona to that of the other female voices, ‘her appearance is incongruous to this setting. She is daintily dressed in a white suit.’ The introduction to Blanche through the stage directions makes it apparent to the reader that Blanche will not blend in with her new surroundings and will believe herself to be superior to that of her peers: ‘looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district.’ The conventional techniques used by Tennessee Williams such as stage directions and language devices allow the audience, from the offset, to understand the contradictory and hysterical personality that Blanche will show throughout the play- with the implication that her lies will lead to not only a physical, but mental deterioration.
The other women in Scene 1 appear to be of a confident nature who will converse with one another, no matter the race or hierarchal status. However, when we are first introduced to Blanche it appears she is reluctant to talk to people of a different race, or of women who seems more lower class than herself. The audience are made aware of this from the stage directions ‘wearily refers to the slip of paper’. The word ‘wearily’ connotes the idea that she has a lack of enthusiasm to partake in conversation as she, perhaps, perceives herself to be of a superior nature. This interpretation of Blanche is also apparent when she is shown to Stella’s house; she seems less than impressed at the state of the house compared to what she has been used to prior at the luxury accommodation of the family house: Belle Reeve: ‘What? Two rooms did you say?’ This shows to the reader that she is shocked at the unexpected conditions that her sister, Stella, is currently residing.
Regarding stage directions, there is the implication that Blanche is a fragile