How does Tennessee Williams build up dramatic tension between Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski in Scene 10 to make it a theatrical climax of A Streetcar named Desire?
Tennessee Williams achieves dramatic tension in the play through the interactions between characters, symbolism of characters, effective use of music and sound effects, words and setting. He does not use Acts, but divides the play into eleven scenes, as with all other scenes, Scene 10 naturally leads to a dramatic climax.
He creates dramatic tension in “A Streetcar Named Desire” through the antagonism between Blanche and Stanley. Blanche’s dislike and condescending opinion towards Stanley are shown through the overheard conversation she had with Stella in Scene 4. When she unreservedly degrades Stanley by drawing parallels between him and a “survivor of the Stone Age”, she further says, “there’s even something- sub-human” and “ape-like about him”. Immediate antagonism is created as Blanche dehumanises him and despises him for his “bestial behaviour”. Stanley sees Blanche as a threat to his normal lifestyle, and resents her interruption, infringing upon their privacy, as shown in Scene 8 when Stanley says, “You remember…Them nights we had together?...when we can make noise in the night that way we used to…with nobody’s sister behind the curtain to hear us”. Stanley feels threatened by Blanche’s attack on his authority and wants to remove her disruptive presence. Tension is created when they are jostling for power and influence in their battle for Stella’s heart.
As an audience, we are aware of Stanley’s violent, forceful nature as he hits his pregnant wife in Scene 3 under the influence of alcohol, and Blanche’s constant threat of violence from Stanley puts her emotions on edge, heightening the tension as she reacts with a contrasting manner, which furthers infuriate Stanley. For example when Stanley screams “(booming) Now let’s cut the re-bop!” this dramatic outcry and instantaneous release of tension that shocks the audience, but Blanche reacted differently in a playful manner, by squealing “(pressing hands to her ears) Ouuuuu!”
Moreover, the music and
He creates dramatic tension in “A Streetcar Named Desire” through the antagonism between Blanche and Stanley. Blanche’s dislike and condescending opinion towards Stanley are shown through the overheard conversation she had with Stella in Scene 4. When she unreservedly degrades Stanley by drawing parallels between him and a “survivor of the Stone Age”, she further says, “there’s even something- sub-human” and “ape-like about him”. Immediate antagonism is created as Blanche dehumanises him and despises him for his “bestial behaviour”. Stanley sees Blanche as a threat to his normal lifestyle, and resents her interruption, infringing upon their privacy, as shown in Scene 8 when Stanley says, “You remember…Them nights we had together?...when we can make noise in the night that way we used to…with nobody’s sister behind the curtain to hear us”. Stanley feels threatened by Blanche’s attack on his authority and wants to remove her disruptive presence. Tension is created when they are jostling for power and influence in their battle for Stella’s heart.
As an audience, we are aware of Stanley’s violent, forceful nature as he hits his pregnant wife in Scene 3 under the influence of alcohol, and Blanche’s constant threat of violence from Stanley puts her emotions on edge, heightening the tension as she reacts with a contrasting manner, which furthers infuriate Stanley. For example when Stanley screams “(booming) Now let’s cut the re-bop!” this dramatic outcry and instantaneous release of tension that shocks the audience, but Blanche reacted differently in a playful manner, by squealing “(pressing hands to her ears) Ouuuuu!”
Moreover, the music and