Costume Flashcards
How is costume used overall in streetcar?
-In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams uses costume as a visual extension of character psychology and class struggle, contrasting Blanche’s fragile, illusion-based identity with Stanley’s grounded, working-class realism
-Through the symbolic deterioration of Blanche’s attire and the consistent practicality of Stanley’s wardrobe, Williams reveals how clothing becomes a battleground for power, perception, and survival.
How is Blanche’s costume presented ?
-Blanche’s costumes, in particular, are an extension of her carefully curated self-image, designed to mask the reality of her declining status and fading youth.
What’s the significance of Blanche’s “white suit with a fluffy bodice”?
-Blanche’s costume immediately marks her as out of place in the New Orleans setting; her “white suit with a fluffy bodice” positions her as a relic of the Old South—an image of delicacy and refinement that becomes increasingly absurd against the backdrop of working-class realism
-Williams describes her as “incongruous” in this world, and her outdated aura costume reinforces this, casting her as a spectacle rather than a participant in a society that no longer indulges nostalgia
-Lost in illusion like the delicate “moth” that cannot survive the harsh glare of industrialisation, Blanche exists in transience—fluttering at the edges of a society that no longer accommodates fragility or fantasy.
-This extends to her obsession with dim lighting, as she insists that she “can’t stand a naked lightbulb” and covers it with a “paper lantern”, reinforcing the idea that her beauty, like her entire existence, is an illusion that must be maintained at all costs
-However, Williams ensures that Blanche’s visual elegance is undercut by reality; her appearance may suggest wealth, but the fact that her clothing is “cheap and imitation” exposes the truth of her destitution. Just as she fabricates stories about her past to maintain the illusion of virtue, she adorns herself in artificial elegance to maintain the illusion of status
How are Stanley’s costume’s presented?
Stanley’s costumes reflect his alignment with realism, physical dominance, and the working-class ethos of the post-war era.
How do Stanley’s costumes contrast with Blanche?
-Unlike Blanche, who constantly alters her appearance to manipulate perception, Stanley’s wardrobe remains consistent, reinforcing his stability and unwavering sense of self
-Williams uses this to emphasise the contrast between illusion and reality—while Blanche’s clothing is designed to deceive, Stanley’s reflects a man who is unapologetically himself
What’s the significance of Stanley’s silk bowling shirt?
-Immediately, Stanley’s “blue denim work clothes” show his alignment with the industrial, working-class world that dominates the play’s setting.
-His “raw colours” and “powerful physique” establish him as a man of action, one who exerts dominance over his surroundings rather than attempting to conceal or manipulate them
-This is particularly evident in his silk bowling shirt, which he wears during the poker night scene. The silk, a fabric typically associated with refinement, contrasts with the “vivid green” colour, which is bold and primal, reinforcing Stanley’s blend of aggression and sexuality
-Unlike Blanche, who uses clothing to maintain an illusion of power, Stanley’s wardrobe serves to enhance the power he already possesses
Why is Stanley ripping Blanche’s costume important?
-His dominance is further underscored in the final scene, where he reasserts his control by stripping Blanche of her “soiled” robe and offering her his “special jacket”.
-This act is deeply symbolic, as it represents the final destruction of Blanche’s carefully constructed identity—Stanley replaces her fragile, feminine aesthetic with his own, forcing her to conform to his brutal reality. Williams ensures that this moment is not simply about clothing but about power
How is Stella’s costume presented?
Williams uses Stella’s costumes to reinforce her role as the bridge between these two opposing forces
How does Stella’s wardrobe show she is submissive to Stanley?
-Stella’s costume reflects her quiet submission to Stanley’s world
-She no longer wears the ornate, aristocratic clothes linked to Belle Reve; instead, her wardrobe aligns with the working-class environment she now inhabits
-In moments of intimacy—such as when she appears in a “pink silk brassiere”—Williams emphasises how her identity within the marriage is shaped by desire rather than heritage.Yet she remains in a liminal space, neither fully part of Stanley’s world nor the one she left behind.
-This tension is echoed in the final scene, where she wears a “light blue” dress while holding her baby—an image that evokes Blanche’s Virgin Mary symbolism, but stripped of sanctity, now rooted in resignation rather than reverence.
