A Street Car Named Desire- Tenessee Williams Flashcards
“Elysian Fields”
Greek mythology, a haven where noble people go when they die (army), ironic as it is actually a slum which has ben neglected overtime
“Between L and N tracks and the river”
Two restricting boundaries, both trains move and rivers flow, but Elysian Fields is stationary (trains is a constructed process, where rivers are natural processes
“New Orleans is a cosmopolitan city”
Mix raced, ironic as the coloured woman does not have a name, yet the white woman does (Eunice)
“Meat!” - Stanley
Throws raw meat at Stella, which resembles his masculinity and sexual acts, may be trying to abuse her
“Moth”
Describes Blanche, moths are attracted to light, and get burnt, Stanley represents light
“Are you lost?” - Eunice
Blanche is out of place physically, she is costumed in typical Southern elegance, pearls, jewelry, Blanche is physically and mentally lost
“They told me to take a streetcar named desire and then transfer to one called the Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields”
Desire (fulfillment of needs) leads to cemeteries (desire leads to death, foreshadowing that someone may die), Elysian Fields (death leads to Elysian Fields, where Blanche is tormented emotionally and physically)
“Mr. Stanley Kowalski”
Stella has abandoned and rejected her history and background, including her identity, she has married a WC man
“A great big house with white columns” - Belle Reve
Belle Reve was rich, fancy, had lots of slaves which represents the Old South (civil war)
“Tosses it down” - Blanche drinking whiskey
Emphasises how Blanche is trying to numb and dull her life experiences, past and present
“I won’t be looked at in this merciless glare”
Blanche is afraid to be looked at and judged, wants to obscure reality through use of light
“One is my limit” -Blanche about whiskey
Hypocritical as she has had more than one, she has been drinking a lot
“I, I, I “ - Blanche about Belle Reve
Repetitive of I emphasises that she was left alone to struggle, she is a victim of past experiences
“Funerals are pretty compared to deaths” - Blanche about Belle Reve
Funerals are a facade for death, Blanche is a facade as she is pretty and elegant externally, but is a victim on the inside, traumatised)
“Where were you? In bed with your- Polack” -Blanche about Stella
Blanche is critical of Stella for leaving Belle Reve and not supporting her through deaths, she is sexually jealous that Stella is married and she isn’t
“Bathing” -Blanche
Repeated motif- Blanche frequently bathing exemplifies her need for cleanliness and desire to be clean, she is trying to wash away her guilt
“Where are your pearls and gold bracelets” -Stanley
Stanley believes Blanche has sold Belle Reve and spent the money on luxuries
“Put it over the light bulb! […] I can’t stand a naked light bulb” - Blanche
Blanche wants to obscure reality by creating illusions and shadows with the lantern
How do Stanley showering and Blanche bathing juxtapose eachother?
Stanley showering is to bring him back to reality, but Blanche bathing is an escape from reality
“Smashing light bulbs with it” - Stella about Stanley
This is a symbol that Stanley controls the light as his destructive force of power
“Get hold of myself and make myself a new life” - Blanche
Blanche is certain to move on from Elysian Fields, this is only a pit stop for her, she sees herself having a future
“Shed Huntleigh”
Symbolic representation of how Blanche is going to live her future, surrounded by money by aligning herself with the Bourgeoisie (Upper Class)
“With just those curtains between us?” -Blanche
Suggestion of sexual activity between Stanley and Blanche
“Desire”- Blanche
Blanche characterises the partnership between MC and WC (Stella and Stanley), Blanche criticises Stella for operating on desire, not the intelligence of her MC background
