critics

Question 1

What did Audrey Thayner say about Blanche?

Answer 1

“Blanche in reality had the agency to leave at any time, it is her circumstance and lack of opportunity as a woman that forces her to stay in any danger.”

Question 2

What did Latha R say about women?

Answer 2

“Marginalised.”

Question 3

What did Raluca Comanelea say about Blanche?

Answer 3

“Blanche is one of the first female characters in drama to be so open about her sexual needs.”

Question 4

What are three short quotes other critics say about Blanche?

Answer 4

“Blanche becomes the excessive woman.”
“Embracing all her fleeting desires.”
“Acting on her impulses.”

Question 5

How does Anca Vlasopolos interpret Blanche’s downfall?

Answer 5

“As a demonstration of Williams’ sympathy for her circumstance and a condemnation of the society that destroys her.”

Question 6

What are the vastly torn opinions concerning Blanche’s role in the play?

Answer 6

Some praise her as a fallen angel victimized by her surroundings, while others condemn her as a destroyed harlot.

Question 7

What did Lant say about Blanche?

Answer 7

“Williams condemns Blanche as a rape victim and utilizes her as a symbol of justice, a promiscuous woman who essentially brought her victimization on herself.”

Question 8

What did Berlin say about Stanley?

Answer 8

“Stanley feels judged by Blanche and his rape of her is his attempt to get her to admit that she is a sexual animal like him.”

Question 9

What did J.H. Adler say about Stanley?

Answer 9

“Stanley is more creative than destructive - he shows the vitality the old South lost.”

Question 10

What did Donald Spotto say about Stanley as a symbol?

Answer 10

“Stanley is a symbol for many things: the rising working class, the American dream, patriarchy, and hegemonic masculinity.”

Question 11

What is a critic’s viewpoint about Stanley?

Answer 11

“Williams exposes a patriarchal society in which women ceased to be valued once they lost their physical attractiveness; men saw women as property.”
“Stanley is an honest animal who needs no motivation for anything other than he wants to do it at that particular time” – William Hawkins.
“Stanley ‘cannot be blamed for protecting his marriage against the force that would destroy it’” – Bloom.

Question 12

What did Louis Kronenberger say about Blanche?

Answer 12

“Blanche is the most demonically driven kind of liar - the one who lies to the world because she must lie to herself.”

Question 13

What did John Chapman say about Blanche?

Answer 13

“Blanche shuns the reality of what she is and takes gallant and desperate refuge in a magical life she has invented for herself.”

Question 14

What did Susan Spector say about the 1947 performance of the play?

Answer 14

“The 1947 performance left audiences feeling that a madwoman had entered an alien world and, after shaking that world, had been successfully exorcised.”

Question 15

What did Duerre say about Blanche?

Answer 15

“Blanche attempts to maintain her past luxurious life by holding onto and creating new desires rather than adjusting to her reality.”

Question 16

What did Fang say about Blanche?

Answer 16

“Sorrowfully, when Blanche is stuck in trouble, men are always the ones to whom she resorts.”

Question 17

What did Costa say about Williams’ play?

Answer 17

“Williams’ play depicts a weak and unadjusted masculinity.”

Question 18

What did Lart say about Stanley?

Answer 18

“Stanley is an agent of Blanche’s destruction.”

Question 19

What did Galloway say about the play’s conclusion?

Answer 19

“The play has no clear victor, everyone loses something.”

Question 20

What did Thomas Hardy say about tragedy?

Answer 20

“The bad end unhappily, the good unluckily. That is what tragedy means.”

Question 21

What did Berkman say about Stella?

Answer 21

“Stella must flatter her or lie to her in order to get along with her.”

Question 22

What did Lant say about Stella?

Answer 22

“Stella consistently refuses to look at things, to listen to the truth, or even to tell the truth.”

Question 23

What did Samuel Tapp say about both leading roles in the play?

Answer 23

“Both leading roles are portrayed as victims of their gendered languages and social norms.”

Question 24

What did Adler say about Stanley and Stella’s baby?

Answer 24

“Just as the plantation served as a symbol of the past, Stanley and Stella’s baby stands for the way the ‘working class’ ethos will be carried into the future.”

Question 25

What did Simon Bubb say about Mitch?

Answer 25

“Instead of offering a positive alternative to Stanley’s insensitive, bullish masculinity, Mitch has ended up imitating it.”

Question 26

What did Onyett say about Stanley’s actions toward Blanche?

Answer 26

“Blanche has become a social outcast because she refuses to conform to conventional moral values. In cruelly unveiling the truth about her scandalous past, Stanley strips her of her psychological, sexual, and cultural identity.”

Question 27

What did McDonough say about Stanley, Blanche’s husband, and Mitch?

Answer 27

“Sensual brute Stanley, Blanche’s young husband Allan, and the naive Mitch together epitomize the conflicting masculine identities available in Williams’ stage world.”

Question 28

What did Vlasopolos say about Blanche’s downfall?

Answer 28

“Blanche’s downfall is a demonstration of Williams’ sympathy for her circumstances and a condemnation of the society that destroys her.”

Question 29

What did Lant say about Williams’ portrayal of Blanche?

Answer 29

“Williams condemns Blanche even as a rape victim and utilizes her as a symbol of justice, a promiscuous woman who essentially brought her victimization on herself.”

Question 30

What did Tischner say about Stella’s love for Stanley?

Answer 30

“Williams wants the audience to believe that Stella is wrong in loving Stanley but right in living with him.”

Question 31

What did Mary Corrigan say about the events in the play?

Answer 31

“The external events of the play, while actually occurring, serve as a metaphor for Blanche’s internal conflict.”

Question 32

What did Elia Kazan say about Stanley and Blanche?

Answer 32

“Blanche is dangerous. She is destructive. Stanley’s got things the way he wants them around there, and he does not want them upset by a destructive woman. This makes Stanley right!”