Miss
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A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams
Class notes from Weds Feb 29th (Scenes 4-10). You were asked how particular extracts could be used to answer essay questions.
Scene Four Blanche and Stella discuss the events of the night before.
Discuss the view that the tragedy in Streetcar stems from the conflict of two opposing worlds * Conflict is presented through language: Blanche describes Stanley’s feelings for Stella as ‘brutal desire’ (oxymoron). * In Blanche’s longer speech, she presents Stanley as an animal “like one of those pictures I’ve seen in – anthropological studies”. To her he is from another world. * She appeals to her connection with Stella (“we have got to…hold as our flag!”) but conflict is emerging between the sisters – foreshadowing family breakdown?
Scene Five Stanley questions Blanche about her past.
To what extent is Blanche a tragic heroine? * According to Aristotle, a tragic hero should possess some form of nobility. Evidence of this in Blanche? Note her self-presentation (she tells Stanley that she is “Virgo..the Virgin”, she claims to use expensive perfume) and she takes longer conversational turns than other characters, implying that her social power is greater than theirs . * Aristotle suggests that a tragic hero’s downfall is caused by a fatal flaw. Blanche’s refusal to face reality (perhaps symbolised by the ‘note of fear’ in her voice as she discusses perfume with Stanley) may be her fatal flaw, and there is evidence in this scene that her position may be weakened through conflict with others. * Blanche’s self-presentation is also important – again note her longer speeches – she presents herself as precious and delicate (note “butterfly wings”, “temporary magic”) and as a victim (“I’ve run for protection Stella…I’m fading now”).
Scene Six After a disappointing date, Mitch and Blanche discuss their lives.
“The essence of a tragedy is that the
A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams
Class notes from Weds Feb 29th (Scenes 4-10). You were asked how particular extracts could be used to answer essay questions.
Scene Four Blanche and Stella discuss the events of the night before.
Discuss the view that the tragedy in Streetcar stems from the conflict of two opposing worlds * Conflict is presented through language: Blanche describes Stanley’s feelings for Stella as ‘brutal desire’ (oxymoron). * In Blanche’s longer speech, she presents Stanley as an animal “like one of those pictures I’ve seen in – anthropological studies”. To her he is from another world. * She appeals to her connection with Stella (“we have got to…hold as our flag!”) but conflict is emerging between the sisters – foreshadowing family breakdown?
Scene Five Stanley questions Blanche about her past.
To what extent is Blanche a tragic heroine? * According to Aristotle, a tragic hero should possess some form of nobility. Evidence of this in Blanche? Note her self-presentation (she tells Stanley that she is “Virgo..the Virgin”, she claims to use expensive perfume) and she takes longer conversational turns than other characters, implying that her social power is greater than theirs . * Aristotle suggests that a tragic hero’s downfall is caused by a fatal flaw. Blanche’s refusal to face reality (perhaps symbolised by the ‘note of fear’ in her voice as she discusses perfume with Stanley) may be her fatal flaw, and there is evidence in this scene that her position may be weakened through conflict with others. * Blanche’s self-presentation is also important – again note her longer speeches – she presents herself as precious and delicate (note “butterfly wings”, “temporary magic”) and as a victim (“I’ve run for protection Stella…I’m fading now”).
Scene Six After a disappointing date, Mitch and Blanche discuss their lives.
“The essence of a tragedy is that the