Genre and structure

Question 1

the unities

Answer 1

in classical drama, there were three so-called ‘unities’:

1. unity of time - the action of a play should take place in a 24hr period
2. unity of place - there should only be one setting used within the play
3. unity of action - (less clearly defined) states that the play should only focus on the main characters, should have no subplots, and should have a satisfying ending

Question 2

to what extent does Streetcar make use of the tragic ‘unities’?

Answer 2

• by focusing primarily on Blanche and what concerns her (for 8 out of the 11 scenes of the play end with Blanche’s dialogue), Williams might be said to achieve a unity of action.
• Williams disregards the artificial nature of the unity of time and instinctively adopts the unity of place/action.

Question 3

Streetcar as a morality play vs a melodrama

Answer 3

MORALITY PLAY:
- the title and recurring idea of the ‘streetcar’ as the driving force of passion conveys the helplessness of its riders and simultaneously stresses the element of choice involved.
- ‘punishment’ for Blanche, Stella and Stanley etc. is not death (as is typical in a morality play) but is rather immense guilt.
MELODRAMA:
- originally a play with music - melody-drama? - the use of the Varsouviana and blue piano
- later was used to refer to ‘sensational’ plays with grisly murders and villainies.
- currently stands as a play with violent actions/murder/injustice

Question 4

leitmotif

Answer 4

a short, recurring musical phrase associated with a particular person, place, or idea (e.g. both the Varsouviana Polka and the blue piano)