Critical Essay Quotes Flashcards
“You must have some liquor on the place! Where could it be? I spy! I spy!”
- already witnessed her drinking whiskey before
- dialogue shows playful in deceit and endearing
- indicative dramatic personality which helps worsen tendency to fantasise, becomes less playful and more problematic as play goes on
- establishes duality of Blanche’s character, audience forces to consider difficulty in differentiating between true nature and fantasies
- reveals how clever but manipulative she can be
- untrustworthy character but still likeable
Blanche undermines Stella and choice of life, tries to convince her to run away with her. She then says Stanley “acts like an animal has, has animal habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! There’s even something sub-human - something not quite to the stage of humanity yet!”
- aids in characterisation of Blanche + establishes turning point leading to her demise
- flawed mindset causes Blanche to paint herself + Stella as higher class but confirms her delusions because she isn’t anymore
- habit to fantasise perhaps causes her to disregard what happened, unable to cope with reality of past or unable to confront reality of them being equal value
“[he laughs and clasps her head to him. Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche]”
- clear victory for Stanley, mocking Blanche and essentially saying he knows what she is up to and will destroy her
- foreshadows Stellas loyalties for the end of the play and Blanche is delusional for not seeing it
- Stanley heard himself being referred to as “common” ect
- Resentment of Blanche and desire to be rid of her is justifiable as animalistic and manly nature is threatened
Prior to date with Mitch, Blanche attempts to seduce newspaper boys and kisses him then says “Now run along, now, quickly! It would be nice to keep you, but I’ve got to be good and keep my hands off children”
- given impression this isn’t the first time Blanche has done this and is reason she lost her job
- she lives off delusions and seeks validation from men to confirm she is still youthful, beautiful ect
- clear to audience she isn’t the innocent maiden she makes out to be
- highlights desperation to be needed perhaps as husband wasn’t attracted to her
“You know as well as I do that a single girl, a girl alone in the world, has got to keep a firm hold on her emotions or she’ll be lost!!”
- Blanche tries making out she is pure/wholesome and isn’t the type to throw herself at men
- audience doesn’t fall for this illusion as they are aware of Blanche’s true nature of demanding male validation and how far she will go to acquire it
- speaks to Mitch in french asking if he wants to sleep with her
- Mitch part of Blanche’s delusions through her enticing lies and Blanche plays with him by speaking in different language
- perhaps to feel superior and in control as a result of not being able to control the events of her past
Matron and doctor come to talk Blanche away, she says “Whoever you are - I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”
- highlights Blanches reliance on men and would follow them blindly
- dependent on men for her happiness rather than working for it herself
- struggles to face reality of her actions and genuinely believes this man is here to help her
- might only be able to receive kindness from strangers as once people get to know Blanche they want rid of her
Plastic theatre to create profound emotional impact and insight into Blanches fragile mental state. “Varsouviana”
- highlights Blanche’s loss of innocence
- suicide of young husband was event that triggered mental decline and she hears Varsouviana whenever she panics of loses grip on reality
-uses to highlight in this scene Blanche is going completely delusional + lost grip on reality now
Final line, Steve says “This game is a seven-card stud”
- williams attempting to reflect on truth of reality,
life will continue on regardless of anything that happens or may happen - highlights unreliability and gambles you take in life
Blanche’s persona came as a result of not having family to rely on so had to live off fantasies to cope - in poker only four out of seven cards exposed to others symbolising kowalski household
- stella had no choice but not to believe Blanche as delusions were going out of control despite being honest now
- game of poker based on deception and ability to bluff
- Stella also trapped in world of fantasy
Williams uses stage directions to describe Stanley as having “the power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens”
- established he has a masculine sense of superiority and chauvinistic attitude especially in interactions with woman
- indicates role as dominant force which demands power/control
Referred to as animalistic throughout man and entrance with “red stained package from the butchers”
- symbolises primitive social nature like bringing back food from hunt
- establishes tense and foreboding aura
- contrasts with Blanche’s delicate + soft demeanor
“daintily dress in white suits, white gloves and a hat”
- highlights fragile Southern Belle facade
- heavily contrasts with tough working class Stanley
“There is something about her uncertain manner as well as her white clothes that suggest a moth”
- compares Blanche to moth forcing audience to focus on her fragility contrasting with Stanley’s self assured nature
- alluding to the expression “like a moth to a flame” highlighting Blanche’s flaw
- Blanche drawn to male validation and thrives on it despite destroying her
- needs to feel desired in order to cope with emotions
- affects relationship especially with her brother in law, who takes advantage of women like Blanche
“gaudy seed bearer”
- conveys sexual magnetism and his masculinity
- entrance in this scene also underlines the intense sexual bond between himself and Stella
- like Blanche, Stanley will throw himself at women which we see later in the play however he isn’t affected in a negative way by it
“he heaves the package at her”
- use of monosyllabic blunt imperatives contributes to the primitive alpha-male role that Stanley has as a dominating character
- he has no refinement and ultimately initiates conflict between them
Stanley raids Blanche’s trunk in order to solve what happened in Belle Reve. No claim over money however still feels entitled to it. “pulls open, jerks out, hurls the fur at her and kicks the trunk shut”
- stage directions demonstrate Stanley’s frustration + inability to cope with emotions
- also indicative of anger towards Blanche’s lies
- trunk full with fake furs + costume jewelry shows how she uses fantasy to make reality more bearable
- Blanche’s attitude towards fantasy and reality is shown in reaction to letters
- happy for Stanley to look at legal letters, representative of real world but not the love letters, her delusions and fantasies
