STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE CHARACTER ANALYSIS AND CONTEXT

STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE CHARACTER ANALYSIS AD CONTEXT

	Context		Language and Structure
	A lot based on own life-. Alcoholism, depression, thwarted desire, loneliness, and insanity all something he experience His experience as a known homosexual in an era unfriendly to homosexuality also influenced work . Stanley Kowalski,  likely modeled on Williams’s own father and other males who tormented Williams during his childhood. Realism era after Depression and World War II. The characters in A Streetcar Named Desire are trying to rebuild their lives in postwar America: Stanley and Mitch served in the military, Blanche had affairs with young soldiers based near her home Critique of the way the institutions and attitudes of postwar America placed restrictions on women’s lives The struggle between men and women within downtown American society. Tennessee Williams foregrounds this gender struggle, using different techniques to represent that truth of societies attitudes towards masculinity and femininity. Setting: New Orleans – the French quarter. Very multicultural (this is seen throughout the play) and cosmopolitan. Home of Jazz, oddly tolerant city, despite being in the middle of the deep south. The city is one of powerful contrasts: old French architecture and the new jazz; Old World refinement mixed with the grit of poverty and modern life; decay and corruption alongside the regenerative powers of desire and procreation		Stanley and Blanche, individual representatives two backgrounds- colour to represent this Stanley needs vividness to prove his physical manhood-  "as coarse and direct and powerful as the primary colors." Blanche shuns loud shades and selects pastels or white. The directness of bright colors repulses her; she prefers muted, muffled tones Stage effects are used to represent Blanche's decent into madness. The maddening polka music, jungle sound effects, and strange shadows show Blanche experiences Blanche avoids light- see reality of fading beauty, reality of her past, haunted by ghosts of lost and what she has done, when forced to stand under light, say that 'magic rather than reality, represents life, shows here struggle to grasp reality, bright light represents youthful sexual innocence, poor light represents sexual maturity and disillusionment- Allan Grey relationship 'bright vivid light' since, 'bright light missing' Blanche bathes herself. Her sexual experiences have made her a hysterical woman, but these baths, as she says, calm her nerves- represent her efforts to cleanse herself of her odious history. Can'terase the past, her bathing is never done. Stanley shows after beating Stella- soothe his violent temper- does it again, water represent transparency and instability of their actions. •Two conflicting moods, points towards conflict ahead. First atmosphere – bustling, lively and romantic, there is music in the area and the buildings have ‘raffish’ charm= light tone, and also a sense of exoticism “bananas and coffee”, involves the senses. New Orleans is portrayed as a cosmopolitan city, does not suffer from racial discrimination (the play opens on two neighbours, one white, one black). “Voices of people on the street overlapping”  city is thriving. Conflict--feeling of decay. The houses are ‘weathered grey’ with ‘rickety stairs’. The sky is a ‘tender blue’ – is the bustling atmosphere a fragile façade? The use of the word ‘decay’ implies that there is rot beneath the surface (particularly true in the case of Blanche, who is deteriorating mentally). The ‘faded white stars’ and the fact that it is ‘first dark’ give a sense of foreboding.
		The Struggle for Identity	Quotes
		The antagonistic relationship between Blanche and Stanley is a struggle between appearances and reality or fantasy vs reality. Blanch represent fantasy-When Mitch rejects Blanche due to gossip, turns to another man—the millionaire Shep Huntleigh—who might rescue her- dependence on men, she has no realistic conception of how to rescue herself- link to context. Blanche moving from upper class society (Belle Reve)to lower class society (living with Stanley and Stella)- This links to Socio-historical factors– People from the country moving to the city. Idea of New South and industrialization.- Shown further through Blanch and Stanley’s exchange of the Belle Reve papers when they end up in ‘Stanley’s big capable hands’. Shows that the upper class has demised so greatly that ever the grand upper class houses are now being controlled by the lower classes. Reflects decaying south. Blanche’s struggle to find a man- The one person shewas involved with fails to be a compatible husband(Homosexuality), Fate- supposed to be alone. Could not even make itmwork with Mitch-Going from place to place – ‘run from one leaky roof to another’ looking for a man, unsuccessfulrelationships Gender– a woman’s role in 1947 America. Contrast Blanche withStella – how they adapt, how they behave in the home. HowWilliams presents masculinity and its impact on Blanche andStella Class– conflict between Stanley and Blanche, Mitch’s relationshipwith Blanche Cultural, social and historical- the loss of Belle Reve and the oldSouthern way of life, Stanley’s Huey Long Philosophy and thechanging world. The clash of culture	Arriving at Kowalskis’, Blanche says 'she rode a streetcar named Desire', then transferred to a streetcar named 'Cemeteries', which brought her to a street named Elysian Fields'.  allegorically represents Blanche’s life. The Elysian Fields are the land of the dead in Greek mythology. Blanche’s lifelong pursuit of her sexual desires has led to her eviction from Belle Reve, her ostracism from Laurel, and, at the end of the play, her expulsion from society at large. ''Meat!” Stanley instantly presented as a brutish,monosyllabic ‘caveman’ this shows his strong stereotypical character precedes himself “I’ve never had a real look at you, Blanche.” Blanche’s deceitful natureshows her need of mystery and romance, it also suggests that she isashamed of her true self from

STEALLA KWOLSKI

	Personality	Background
	Confident as she always stands up for herself and isn't afraid to tell her husband what to do. Caring towards her sister and does what she wants her to do. Believed to have been created by Williams as a bridge joining the two worlds of Blanche and Stanley as tey both constantly compete for her to be on their side. Unwilling to leave her husband after the violence that he inflicts upon her and she makes excuses for him. Passive as she is swayed from one side to another but never fully follows through with her opinion.	Married to Stanley Kowalski and is having their baby She is Blanche's sister and supposedly left her sister and family and Blanche had to deal with the deaths of her family on her own.
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	Quite quiet at the beginning of the play and doesn't really speak to her sister instead she listens to her. She is also very much in love with Stanley She becomes very weak when Stanley abuses her	"Admire her dress and tell her shes looking wonderful" "I want to go away, I want to go away!" "But there are things that happen between a man and woman in the dark- that sort of make everything else seem- unimportant"

HAROLD ‘MITCH’

	Personality	Background
	More sensitive than the others perhaps as he lives with his dying mother. Mummy's boy Him and blanche are dawn together by their need for companion ship	Mitch lives with his mother who is dying, he says when he is talking to blanche that she only has a couple months left to live. Stanley's friend Later find out that Mitch has experienced the death of a loved one just like Blanche.
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	He is very respectful of Blanche and takes a liking to her even though he is not Blanche's ideal man as he is clumsy and sweaty, she also likes him. However after finding out about Blanche's sexual past he is angry and confronts her about it. Mitch still remains a gentlemen unlike Stanley as Mitch does want to have sex with her even though he says he doesn't want to marry her but he doesn't as Blanche doesn't want to.	"Poker should not be played in a house with women" "I don't think I want to marry you anymore" "(Mitch collapses at the table, sobbing)"

STANLEY

	Personality	Background
	Animalistic physical vigor, which is evidence in his love of fighting, work and sex. His authoritive personality is shown through his outbursts of anger he demonstrates towards his friends and his wife. Very loving towards his pregnant wife. Likes gambling, drinking and sex.	His family and himself are polish which results in the term "polka" being used to describe him by Eunice and Blanche. Stanley shows anger towards this and states that he is from America and should be referred to as a "Pole".
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	Seen at the start of the play as the egalitarian hero. Doesn't like Blanche from the onset as she feels he looks down on himself and his friends, This animosity towards her manifests itself in everything that he does therefore resulting in him investigating her past, her birthday gift to her (ticket back to Laurel) and the sabotage of her relationship with Mitch. His down to earth personality is changed to a degenerate one when he strikes his wife and then later on in the play he rapes his sister in law. Stanley shows no remorse or his actions with the play ending with him being the ideal family man and comforting his wife and baby.	"Since when do you give me orders" "Open your eyes to this stuff!" "So you want some rough-house! All right,  lets have some rough- house!"

BLANCHE

	Personality	Background
	Anxious, maybe suffering from a mental illness such has anxiety or depression She has a drink problem which she hides poorly as she is constantly having Stan's alcohol She is aging and lives in a perpetual panic about her aging as she asks for dim lighting and only goes places that are dark when with Mitch. Her manner is dainty and frail and she owns a very showy collection of cheap evening clothes which Stan see's straight through and outs her. Depends on male sexual desire for her self esteem. Beneath her veneer of snobbery she is an insecure individual.	Blanche arrives at her sister's having lost their family fortune in their estate Belle Reve. Lost her young husband to suicide and she has not gotten over it. She is a social pariah due to her indiscrete sexual behaviour back in Laurel
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	When in the Kawolski household she claims to be a women who has suffered no indignity and who is pure. Feels as if she has to marry Mitch so that she can put poverty and her bad reputation behind her. Stan's constant persecution of Blanche ruins her persuit of Mitch and her oblivious nature to her situation. Stan then rapes her destroying the amount of sanity and self esteem she had, she is then sent to an insane asylum. The play ends in a sad way as it reminds the audience of Blanche's dependence on men for happiness as she is led away by a kind doctor despite her sisters cries.	"... I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I cant be alone!" "She pours half a tumbler of whisky and tosses it down" "Now don't get worried, your sister hasn't turned in to a drunkard"