Other
A Streetcar Named Desire Notes
- Module
- Unit 1 - Drama
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
This is a small supplementation to the previous document which includes the words and phrasings of certain AOs.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Nuggets of DesireWilliams choses to have no act division which creates the sense that there is a relentless
movement towards Blanche’s final catastrophe, which subverts theatrical divisions
Stella attaches herself firmly to Stanley to prevent her sister infantilizing her ‘You messy
child’ ‘Blesses baby’ ‘precious lamb’
Blanche’s chief motivation is her need to find protection which is dictated by the
tradition of the old South which instil the desire for fantasy in another person- a male
saviour
Blanche’s sexuality and her desire to be special isolates her from others
Blanche is capable of exciting pity from the audience- which is described by Aristotle as
a hallmark of tragedy
It is a tragic irony that the only way that Blanche can attract the special attention she
craves is by exploiting the sexuality that debases her and which leads her without the
possibility of a second marriage
Williams stresses the relationship between the set and the character within the play:
- ‘atmosphere of decay’
- ‘Van Gogh's billiard-parlour at night. ‘Lurid’ ‘raw colours of childhood’s spectrum’
-demonstrates a lack of delicacy and sophistication, grotesque mix of colours
- ‘Lurid reflections appear on the walls in odd, sinuous shapes. The "Varsouviana"
is filtered into a weird distortion, accompanied by the cries and noises of the
jungle’ -demonstrates the feeling of Blanche being hunted
Blanche's illusions demonstrated through costume- Jewelry ‘Rhinestones’ ‘ Mardi Gras
outfit’
Just as Stella goes into labour: “El pan de mais, el pan de mais, El pan de mais sin sal” =
'the maze bread without salt' = showing Blanche's insanity = also, a loaf of bread
without salt will not rise and it is tasteless, similarly a woman without beauty will not be
able to find a husband and will be cast aside for being too 'bland'
Quotes
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller 17cchambers-blake. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £2.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
62890 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now