Context STREETCAR

Question 1

Post-War, impacts on the play?

Answer 1

-poverty, portrayed in elysian fields also blanche homeless
-The play’s performance coming 3 years after American victory of the 2WW, attitudes to sex
-WW2 potential social leveller.

Question 2

Scientific context that applies to Stanley’s prime?

Answer 2

-Darwin’s belief of survival of the fittest
-Stanley = arch-survivor of war, arches over Blanche
-passes on genetics/generation. primal

Question 3

What are some cultural impacts?

Answer 3

-attitudes towards ‘old money’ (blanche) and immigration civil war
-‘melting pot’ vision of United States, this was idealised American Dream

Question 4

What are contemporary attitudes to sex and homosexuality?

Answer 4

-Homosexuality was still illegal in most of the US at the time
-Williams was a homo
-Influence on how versions of Blanche’s story was displayed. ‘two people’

Question 5

How are philosophical ideas of superman applied to Stan?

Answer 5

-Superman was mistakenly interpreted as a justification of eugenics (improved genetic quality)
-Stan could be creating his own meaning by believing in his own luck

Question 6

when was streetcar written

Answer 6

1947 first performed. set post-world war late 1940’s

Question 7

How is the southern gothic seen in the play? any literary mentions?

Answer 7

-there are themes of the grotesque rape and alcoholism, and melodrama.
-Edgar Allan Poe (gothic poet) mentioned by Blanche
-conventions of types of tragedy - conforms to some