A Streetcar Named Desire Flashcards
What are some stage directions that show Stanley is sexually promiscuous?
“the center of his life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it”
“he sizes women up at a glance, with sexual classifications, crude images flashing into his mind and determining the way he smiles at them”
Quote about kings and queens showing Stanley’s assertion of power
“what do you two think you are? A pair of queens?”
“I am the king around here, so don’t you forget it!”
Quote from Stanley before he rapes Blanche
“we’ve had this date with each other from the beginning!”
Stage directions about Blanche’s appearance
“her appearance is incongruous to this setting”
Quote from Blanche scolding herself
“I’ve got to be good–and keep my hands off children”
Quote from Blanche about Stanley
“that man is my executioner! That man will destroy me”
Insults from Blanche about Stanley
“animal”
“ape-like”
“subhuman”
How Blanche wants to be perceived
“prim and proper”
What did Blanche do?
“I had many intimacies with strangers”
Why did Blanche sleep with lots of men?
“hunting for some protection”
“panic”
“after the death of Allan”
What was Mitch to Blanche?
“a cleft in the rock of the world that I could hide in”
What did Blanche want to do to Mitch?
“I want to deceive him enough to make him–want me”
Blanche’s final words
“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”
Quote that shows how dependent Stella is
“Stanley doesn’t give me a regular allowance”
“this morning he gave me ten dollars to smooth things over”
Quote from Stella after Stanley tells her about Blanche
“there’s not a word of truth in it and if I were a man…”
Quote that shows Stella doesn’t believe that Stanley raped Blanche
“I couldn’t believe her story and go on living with Stanley”
Mitch quote
“you’re not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother”
Eunice quote
“men are callous things with no feelings”
What context do we use in the Blanche paragraph?
1947 patriarchal society
Domestic containment of women after the second world war
What context do we use in the Stanley paragraph?
New America - multicultural, urban, rough
Old South - elitist, rural, purist
What context do we use in the endings paragraph? SND
1951 film version changed ending to have Stella likely to leave Stanley
What did Kazan say?
“conquers with his penis”
Who said “conquers with his penis”?
Kazan
What did Guilbert say? (1)
“in 1947 men could have as much sex as they liked. Things were different for women. In 1947, if a woman was openly promiscuous, she was seen as mad”
Who said “in 1947 men could have as much sex as they liked. Things were different for women. In 1947, if a woman was openly promiscuous, she was seen as mad”?
Guilbert
What did Guilbert say? (2)
“according to Victorian double standards: men may have multiple sexual experiences, but women should be virgins until marriage and chaste after widowhood”
Who said “according to Victorian double standards: men may have multiple sexual experiences, but women should be virgins until marriage and chaste after widowhood”?
Guilbert
What did Vlasopolos say about Stanley and Blanche?
“critics have noted astonishing similarities between the two antagonists, Blanche and Stanley, such as… their charged sexual presence”
Who said “critics have noted astonishing similarities between the two antagonists, Blanche and Stanley, such as… their charged sexual presence”?
Vlasopolos
What did Vlasopolos say about Blanche being taken away?
“the troubling focus of the play” “the act becomes public and the woman is punished” “She is taken away under the consenting gaze of all the characters on stage”
Who said “the troubling focus of the play” “the act becomes public and the woman is punished” “She is taken away under the consenting gaze of all the characters on stage”?
Vlasopolos
What did Tischler say about Blanche?
“Blanche is given a gracious exit scene. Her dignity in this exit scene provides her with a moral victory in the face of a physical defeat”
Who said “Blanche is given a gracious exit scene. Her dignity in this exit scene provides her with a moral victory in the face of a physical defeat”?
Tischler
What did Tischler say about Stella?
“Stella seems likely to forgive and justify Stanley. Stanley is unpunished”
Who said “Stella seems likely to forgive and justify Stanley. Stanley is unpunished”?
Tischler
What did Tolman say about how the patriarchy defines Blanche?
“the patriarchy defines her as threatening, deviant, and bad”
Who said “the patriarchy defines her as threatening, deviant, and bad”?
Tolman
