A Streetcar Named Desire - Scene Summaries Flashcards
What is the scene summary for scene 1?
One evening May 1947, Eunice is talking to a neighbour outside her home in the ironically named Elysian Fields, a shabby street in a poor district of New Orleans. Stanley Kowalski and Mitch arrive, on their way to go bowling.
Blanche DuBois arrives, looking for her sister Stella’s apartment. As Eunice and her husband Steve own the apartment, Eunice is able to let Blanche in
Blanche nervously helps herself to a drink while Eunice fetches Stella
When Stella arrives, the sisters embrace, but there is an undercurrent of tension. Blanche is critical of the apartment, and then admits the loss of the family home, Belle Reve
Stanley greets Blanche pleasantly, but there is an uneasy atmosphere. Blanche tells him about the death of her husband some years ago
What is the scene summary for scene 2?
The sisters prepare to go out for supper, as Stanley and his friends will be playing poker in the apartment. Stanley is annoyed that Stella won’t be home to serve him a hot meal
Stanley is furious at the loss of Belle Reve. He believes that under Louisiana law his wife’s property belongs to him, therefore he has been cheated
Stanley opens Blanche’s trunk and displays her clothes and jewellery which he believes to be expensive and bought with the house sale money
Blanche comes in after a bath. She flirts with Stanley, but he refuses to compliment her
Stanley demands to see the papers relating to the sale of Belle Reve. Looking for them, he finds Blanche’s love letters from her dead husband
When Blanche hands Stanley a strongbox of papers he seems a little ashamed and explains any inheritance would be important because Stella is expecting a baby
Stella comes in and the sisters embrace. As they leave, Stanley’s friends arrive
What is the scene summary for scene 3?
Late the same night the men are still playing poker. The sisters return and Stanley snubs Blanche for her genteel airs. She is drawn to Mitch
Stanley orders the sisters to be quiet and turns off Blanche’s radio. She turns it back on and Stanley throws it out the window. Stella rushes at him and he hits her
Stanley’s friends restrain and calm him, but Blanche runs in hysterically to collect Stella’s clothes. Both sisters go upstairs to sleep in Eunice’s apartment
Stanley sobers up and shouts for Stella. She appears and they embrace passionately. Blanche is appalled to find Stella has gone back to Stanley
Mitch reassures Blanche that the Kowalski’s are ‘crazy about each other’
What is the scene summary for scene 4?
Morning after the poker party, Stella is still in bed, alone but happy. Blanche rushes in, hysterical after a sleepless night. She reproaches Stella for going back to Stanley and sleeping with him
Stella explains Stanley is always violent when drunk and he is now ashamed of himself. Her calm acceptance outrages Blanche, who wants to take Stella away from the situation
Stanley’s violent behaviour is related to his dominance and powerfulness, a large part of his sexual attraction for his wife. Yet Blanche condemns Stanley as a savage, a ‘survivor of the Stone Age’, bringing home the raw meat
While Blanche condemns Stanley, he approaches unseen and hears it all. He withdraws and returns noisily, calling for Stella. They embrace and Stanley grins triumphantly at Blanche over Stella’s head
What is the scene summary for scene 5?
A noisy row is heard from upstairs as Eunice accuses Steve of infidelity. She rushes out, with Steve following, while the sisters listen below amused
Stanley returns from bowling. It’s clear from Blanche’s nervous behaviour she is afraid of him. He tells her that an acquaintance of his met her at a disreputable hotel in Laurel, the town where she taught
When Stanley leaves, Blanche tries to find out what Stella knows about her past and tries to explain her past behaviour. She admits she’s nervous. Mitch is coming to take her on a date, she is desperate to attract him.
Stella tries to reassure her as she leaves to join Stanley. She encourages Blanche’s hopes of marrying Mitch
A young man calls, collecting subscriptions to a paper. Blanche flirts with him and kisses him, then sends him on his way just before Mitch’s arrival
What is the scene summary for scene 6?
It’s after midnight when Mitch and Blanche return. The evening hasn’t been successful and Mitch feels he has been dull. Blanche invites him in for a drink
At first, the conversation remains awkward in spite of Blanche’s feverish attempts at gaiety. It seems the best Mitch can manage to talk about is his weight
Blanche tells Mitch that Stanley does all he can to offend her, Mitch is sympathetic
When Mitch asks Blanche her age, she avoids answering by asking why he wants to know. When he says his mother asked, this leads to a more serious discussion, with Mitch talking about his ailing mother, and Blanche of her husband’s suicide after she found him in bed with another man
Mitch, deeply moved, embraces Blanche as she weeps
What is the scene summary for scene 7?
It’s now September and Blanche’s birthday. While Blanche has a bath, Stella decorates the birthday cake
Stanley enters triumphantly with details of Blanche’s past: she was promiscuous even while living at Belle Reve, meeting drunken soldiers at night. After the house sale, she moved to a cheap, disreputable hotel. She was dismissed from her teaching post for seducing a pupil
Stella refuses to believe Stanley’s claims, though she admits Blanche’s flighty behaviour had caused concern at home. She blames Blanche’s disastrous marriage and her husband’s suicide
She is appalled to learn that Stanley has ruined Blanche’s chances with Mitch by revealing her past
Blanche emerges from the bathroom and realises at once something has happened and is frightened
What is the scene summary for scene 8?
Less than an hour later Blanche, Stella and Stanley are finishing the miserable birthday meal. Mitch’s chair is empty. Blanche makes desperate attempts at conversation, telling a story about a parrot
Stella criticises Stanley’s table manners, he furiously smashes his plate on the floor. He makes it clear he resents what he sees as the lack of respect the two women show him. He resents what he believes is a criticism of his class
Stella lights the cake, but this fails to lighten the mood
Stanley’s cruel birthday present of a bus ticket back to Laurel shatters Blanche
Suddenly Stella’s labour pains start and Stanley takes her to hospital
What is the scene summary for scene 9?
Blanche is drinking heavily, trying to silence the polka music
Mitch arrives and accuses her of lying about her age and her innocence. He tells her what he now knows about her past
Blanche tries to explain herself and the truth; but realising Mitch doesn’t understand, she tells him the truth in stark almost deliberately provocative terms: that, surrounded by dying women, she used to slip out at night to meet soldiers from the army camp. Then after the loss of Belle Reve, she entertained numerous lovers at Hotel Flamingo
Mitch says he no longer wants to marry her, but he clearly wants to have sex with her. She frightens him away by shouting ‘fire’
What is the scene summary for scene 10?
Dressed in her cheap finery, Blanche drunkenly tries to pack her belongings, talking widely to herself
Stanley returns from the hospital to await the baby’s birth at home. He too has been drinking
Blanche claims that a millionaire admirer, Shep Huntleigh, has invited her on a cruise, and Mitch returned to beg for forgiveness. Stanley mocks these fantasies
Fearing Stanley, Blanche breaks a bottle with which to defend herself
Stanley disarms her and carries her off to the bedroom to rape her
What is the scene summary for scene 11?
Some weeks have passed. Blanche is taking another bath while Stella packs for her. The men are playing poker again but only Stanley concentrates on the game
Stella has arranged for Blanche to be admitted to a mental hospital. Stella tells Eunice that she couldn’t go on living with Stanley and believe Blanche’s claims
Blanche thinks she’s going on a cruise with her old admirer Shep. When the hospital doctor and matron arrive she panics but is reassured by the doctors courtesy
Blanche leaves quietly with the doctors. Stella stands weeping with her baby in her arms, but Stanley caresses calm her
