Literary Context Flashcards
Southern Gothic
Southern Gothic is a genre of literature heavily influenced by the rich imaginations of Southern writers, usually involving deeply flawed or eccentric characters, whose problems stem from poverty, alienation, crime, violence, or other issues unique or predominant to the South.
Southern culture had a huge influence on Williams. He disliked his mother, who was from Illinois in the North, so he heavily romanticised the South, despite the fact it was a broken, damaged society with a decaying economy and history. To Williams, the South represented the simple cultural values ignored by the money-driven, prosperous, ‘carpetbagging’ North, and as a result, Stanley and Blanche can be seen as representing opposing sides.
Tragedy
The play is a tragedy, with Blanche serving as a tragic heroine. The way in which other characters act is also significant; Stella sacrifices Blanche by rejecting her claims to rape to protect her marriage with Stanley, and Stanley sees Blanche as an outdated caricature of the Antebellum that is intruding on his relationship, so he seeks to drive her out the way. The antagonism between Blanche and Stanley is sexual in nature, which culminates in Stanley raping her, which destroys Blanche’s sanity.
The play presents the downfall of a weak woman who will rise to a tragic dignity in the end, as Blanche metaphorically dies when she leaves for a mental institution.
European Influence
Williams was influenced by European playwrights whilst at university, such as Chekhov, Strindberg, and Ibsen. This inspired the class antagonism and sexual tension in the play, and the intermingling of Southern and European Culture can be seen throughout the play.
