Context Flashcards
What does understanding various contexts within a text help achieve?
It helps achieve AO4 and AO5.
Who was Tennessee Williams’ sister and what was her condition?
Rose, who suffered from mental illness and underwent brain surgery.
How did Rose’s experience affect Tennessee Williams?
It affected him greatly and is reflected in many of his characters, including Blanche.
What aspect of Tennessee Williams’ mother is reflected in Blanche?
Edwina’s detestation of her husband’s womanizing and alcoholic lifestyle.
What societal issue is reflected in Tennessee Williams’ play?
The unacceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.
How does Allan Grey’s experience relate to Blanche’s character development?
Allan Grey’s homosexual experience is key to Blanche’s development.
What quote reflects Tennessee Williams’ view on character creation?
I draw every character out of my very multiple split personality.
Fill in the blank: Tennessee Williams’ characters express the climate of his _______.
interior world
What traumatic experience did Tennessee Williams’ sister undergo?
She underwent brain surgery which left her institutionalized.
What did Tennessee Williams’ mother suffer from when he was younger?
Hysterical fits.
What socio-economic effects does Tennessee Williams address in his writing?
The socio-economic effects of the lost Civil War on the South.
This context highlights the transition from a society based on slavery to one driven by capitalism.
What major historical event was occurring when Williams wrote his plays?
World War II had just come to an end.
This period was marked by significant economic change in America.
What was happening to the working class during the time Williams wrote his plays?
The working class was on the rise.
This rise contrasted with the decline of the old aristocratic families.
How does Williams depict the old Southern families in his plays?
As having lost their power due to the rise of capitalism and the working class.
Williams’ portrayal often reflects themes of lost glory and self-destruction.
What themes are commonly found in Williams’ plays set in the South?
- Lost glory
- Immorality
- Debauchery
- Self-destruction
These themes reflect the socio-historical context of the South’s decline.
What does Williams suggest about the Southern assertion of nobility and aristocracy?
It was constructed on deceit.
This reflects his critical view of the old Southern values.
What personal connection does Williams express regarding the South?
He writes out of love for the South, recalling a way of life he remembers.
Williams contrasts this with the current society based on money.
What does Blanche Dubois represent in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’?
A decaying Southern Belle.
This character reflects the traditional expectations of women in the South.
How is the traditional Southern Belle characterized?
- Submissive
- Virtuous
- Fulfilling traditional gender roles
Blanche’s character challenges these ideals as she struggles with her identity.
What does Stanley symbolize in contrast to Blanche?
The American Dream where all men are equal by birth.
This represents the shift in societal values away from the Old South.
What does Blanche’s struggle represent in the context of the Old South?
The decline of the Old Southern agrarian economy defined by race and class.
Her character embodies the conflict between past ideals and present realities.
Who is an embodiment of the decline of the old southern agrarian economy?
Blanche Dubois
Blanche represents the fading values of the Old South, defined by race and class.
What themes does Williams explore through the character of Blanche in the play?
Masculinity and Femininity
The play examines the contrasting ideals of gender roles in the context of the Old South.
What does Stanley’s behavior reveal about gender dynamics in the play?
Male dominance and the consequences for women
Stanley’s indiscretions are tolerated due to his masculinity, while Blanche suffers for similar behaviors.
How does a feminist lens interpret the play’s portrayal of gender and identity?
Reflection of patriarchy and women’s roles
The play critiques the traditional roles of women as homemakers within a patriarchal society.
What is defined by male dominance over women and women’s dependence on men?
Patriarchy
The concept of patriarchy is central to the dynamics in the Kowalski household.
How does Stanley assert his dominance in the Kowalski household?
Through domestic violence and subjugation of Stella
Stanley uses violence to maintain control and assert his role as the patriarch.
What event symbolizes Stanley’s assertion of power over Blanche?
The rape of Blanche
This event illustrates the use of sexual violence as a means of exerting control.
What impact does the patriarchy have on Blanche’s mental state?
It chips away at her sanity and societal acceptance
Blanche feels pressured to find a husband to be validated in society.
What significant event occurs during Blanche’s birthday dinner?
Stanley feels threatened by her heritage
He reminds them that he is the ‘king’ of the house, asserting his dominance.
How have some critics interpreted the conflict between Stanley and Blanche?
Through a Darwinian Natural Selection lens
Critics liken Stanley and Blanche to animals competing for survival, with Stella as the prize.
What motifs and symbols are recurring in the play to support the natural selection theme?
Jungle sounds and animalistic motifs
These elements highlight the primal struggle between the characters.
What socioeconomic struggles does the play depict through a Marxist lens?
The power struggle between the rising working class represented by Stanley and the deteriorating bourgeois represented by Blanche and Stella.
This perspective highlights class conflicts in 1940s America.
How is Stella’s attitude towards Stanley interpreted in a Marxist reading?
Her submissive attitude is seen as acceptance of the new working class.
This reflects the shift in power dynamics between classes.
In a Marxist interpretation, how is Stanley viewed?
As a hero defending his wife and unborn child from the bourgeois threat.
Critics argue that Stanley embodies the survival of the fittest.
What does the baby symbolize in Albert Wertheim’s interpretation?
A representation of a Kowalski future, contrasting with a DuBois future.
This indicates Stanley’s ultimate victory over Blanche.
How did Tennessee Williams reinvent the idea of desire in the 20th century?
The play revolves around inherent sexual desires.
This indicates a shift in the portrayal of human needs and relationships.
What does psychoanalytic criticism examine in the play?
Williams’s homosexuality and guilt embedded in his characters, as well as Freudian drives.
This includes the death drive and sex drive, particularly through Blanche’s character.
What identity struggle does Blanche face?
She is in an identity crisis, trying to be what she thinks she should be while becoming the opposite.
This reflects her internal conflict and societal pressures.
What moral questions does the play raise?
The disparity in how Blanche is shamed for her sexual partners while Stanley escapes justice for his actions.
Williams critiques patriarchal notions of morality.
How was the play received upon its first performance?
It received mixed responses, with some repulsed by its portrayal of desire and others finding it refreshing.
This indicates a divide in audience reception based on cultural attitudes.
What did Robert J. Leeney call Tennessee Williams?
An ‘ultra-realist’ who bluntly addressed basic human needs and behavior.
This highlights Williams’s approach to realism in his plays.
How do some critics view Stanley in relation to Blanche?
As a victim of Blanche’s madness and an attack on his masculinity, class, and heritage.
This perspective complicates the dynamics of their conflict.
What is the significance of the rape scene in the context of the play?
It is sometimes justified as a reaction to Blanche’s perceived attack on Stanley’s masculinity.
This raises questions about gender dynamics and power in the narrative.
What socioeconomic struggles does the play depict through a Marxist lens?
The power struggle between the rising working class represented by Stanley and the deteriorating bourgeois represented by Blanche and Stella.
This perspective highlights class conflicts in 1940s America.
How is Stella’s attitude towards Stanley interpreted in a Marxist reading?
Her submissive attitude is seen as acceptance of the new working class.
This reflects the shift in power dynamics between classes.
In a Marxist interpretation, how is Stanley viewed?
As a hero defending his wife and unborn child from the bourgeois threat.
Critics argue that Stanley embodies the survival of the fittest.
What does the baby symbolize in Albert Wertheim’s interpretation?
A representation of a Kowalski future, contrasting with a DuBois future.
This indicates Stanley’s ultimate victory over Blanche.
How did Tennessee Williams reinvent the idea of desire in the 20th century?
The play revolves around inherent sexual desires.
This indicates a shift in the portrayal of human needs and relationships.
What does psychoanalytic criticism examine in the play?
Williams’s homosexuality and guilt embedded in his characters, as well as Freudian drives.
This includes the death drive and sex drive, particularly through Blanche’s character.
What identity struggle does Blanche face?
She is in an identity crisis, trying to be what she thinks she should be while becoming the opposite.
This reflects her internal conflict and societal pressures.
What moral questions does the play raise?
The disparity in how Blanche is shamed for her sexual partners while Stanley escapes justice for his actions.
Williams critiques patriarchal notions of morality.
How was the play received upon its first performance?
It received mixed responses, with some repulsed by its portrayal of desire and others finding it refreshing.
This indicates a divide in audience reception based on cultural attitudes.
What did Robert J. Leeney call Tennessee Williams?
An ‘ultra-realist’ who bluntly addressed basic human needs and behavior.
This highlights Williams’s approach to realism in his plays.
How do some critics view Stanley in relation to Blanche?
As a victim of Blanche’s madness and an attack on his masculinity, class, and heritage.
This perspective complicates the dynamics of their conflict.
What is the significance of the rape scene in the context of the play?
It is sometimes justified as a reaction to Blanche’s perceived attack on Stanley’s masculinity.
This raises questions about gender dynamics and power in the narrative.
What event is initiated by Blanche through her flirting and exhibitionism?
Blanche’s rape
Some audiences actively cheered during this scene.
According to Susan Spector, what does Blanche represent under Kazan’s direction?
An image of a redundant dying culture
Audiences accepted Stanley’s aggressions in this interpretation.
How does Clurman’s interpretation of Blanche differ from Kazan’s?
Clurman’s Blanche is portrayed as a victim of Stanley’s vicious patriarchy
This contrasts with Kazan’s depiction.
What is a significant aspect of contemporary criticism regarding Blanche?
The feminist reading of Blanche as a victim of patriarchy
Older critics often overlooked this perspective.
What does Jacqueline O’Connor argue about Blanche in her article?
Blanche is silenced by the label of madness
She speaks a truth that society is not prepared to hear.
What issue does Nancy M. Tischler address in ‘Tiger-Tiger!’?
The modern-day debate surrounding Blanche’s rape and censorship
This includes the reactions to the play and its plot.
Who was hired to amend the original script regarding the rape scene?
Lillian Hellman
Her amendments aimed to make the rape more socially acceptable.
What solution did Hellman propose for the rape scene?
Making the rape a figment of Blanche’s imagination
This was due to societal perceptions of women and madness.
What was Tennessee Williams’ stance on the rape scene?
He refused to let the rape scene be removed
He viewed it as a representation of brutal societal forces.
Fill in the blank: The rape was described as ‘the ravishment of the tender, the sensitive, the delicate, by the _______.’
[savage and brutal forces of modern society]
What is an anti-hero?
A protagonist who does not showcase any ‘heroic’ qualities like honesty, courage, virtue, etc.
Define foreshadowing in literature.
A literary technique where a writer drops hints or warnings about what is to come in the plot.
What is a motif?
A recurring idea in artistic work and literature.
What does Nietzschean philosophy propose about truth?
Humanity cannot rely on absolutes; there is no absolute truth but many interpretations.
What are the two forces proposed by Nietzsche?
- Apollonian: characterized by purity, order, logic, and dreaming state of illusions.
- Dionysian: a celebration of chaos and instinctual pleasures.
What is meant by authorial context?
The influence of an author’s life on their works, considering past life-events and circumstances under which a work was created.
Define socio-historical context.
Literary works reflect the times and society in which they were created, criticizing society and alluding to social or political events.
What questions do modern authors tackle in philosophical context?
- How are humanity and morality represented?
- How are God and death addressed?
- How is free-will presented juxtaposed to fate?
What is literary context?
Literary works respond to and influence other literary works, fitting into larger categories of literature.
What does the Blue Piano symbolize in the context of the New South?
The Blue Piano symbolizes the callous vitality of the Vieux Carre quarter of New Orleans and the fixation on crude, overpowering desire.
This reflects the cultural and emotional landscape of the New South.
In what types of scenes is the Blue Piano always played?
The Blue Piano is always played in scenes of great passion.
This indicates its connection to intense emotions and masculine power.
How does the Blue Piano relate to Blanche’s mental state?
The Blue Piano symbolizes the masculine power exacerbated in the New America and the simultaneous decline of Blanche’s mental state.
The music reflects her struggles and incompatibility with the New South.
True or False: The Blue Piano is used to explore Blanche’s compatibility with the New South.
False.
It is used to explore the ways that Blanche is fundamentally incompatible with the New South.
Fill in the blank: The Blue Piano exists inside the boundaries of the _______.
exterior world.
This suggests a contrast between internal emotions and external realities.
What do the Elysian Fields symbolize in the play?
The sinister relation between Blanche’s fantasy utopia and the harsh realities of the new world.
The Elysian Fields represent the contrast between idealism and reality.
What streetcar does Blanche refer to in the opening scene?
A streetcar named Desire.
This symbolizes her journey driven by desire, leading to her eventual downfall.
What does Blanche’s journey to Elysian Fields signify?
The intimate link between Blanche’s desires and the final destruction of her fantasies.
It emphasizes the conflict between her dreams and the reality she faces.
In Greek Mythology, what were the Elysian Fields originally known as?
Paradise in the Underworld.
It was a resting ground for immortal heroes.
What later role did the Elysian Fields take on in mythology?
Resting ground reserved for the ‘blessed dead’ or deceased virtuous heroes.
This reflects themes of death and morality.
How does death manifest in Blanche’s life in the play?
Through her late husband’s demise and the subconscious burden it places on her.
It deeply affects her psyche and actions throughout the play.
What metaphorical death does Blanche experience?
Her psyche disintegrates following her rape.
This represents the loss of her identity and innocence.
What could be argued about Blanche’s desire to express her femininity and sexuality?
It leads to her figurative death.
This desire is linked to the repercussions she faces later in the play.
