madness Flashcards
intro
In a streetcar named desire, we see Blanche’s gradul descent into madness brought about by fear, loss, regret and the conflict between her and Stanley who are embodiments of the old south and new south respectively. At first, Blanche’s madness through duplicity, fantasy and alchoholism is presented as an attempt to escape from reality - an altered self image and a tarnished reputation. However, as the play progresses Blanche’s mental stability deteriorates as she deviates further from reality. Perhaphs, through both Blanche’s madness and Stanley’s madness William is contextually reminding us off the harsh realities of the new post war America.
Topic sentence 1
Most notably, Blanche’s unstable and questionable state of mind is evident from the outset through her constant fixation and paranoi about her appearance.
quote
blanche plea’s “ but dont you look at me stella, no, no,no .. not till ive bathed and rested”
language device
repetition
anlaysis
- reveals her obsession with maintaining a facade of refinement and dignity, even as she grapples with inner turmoil and emotional fragility.
- The repetition of “no” underscores her adamant insistence on concealing her vulnerability, highlighting her fear of judgment and rejection. - Blanche’s desperate desire to control how others perceive her reflects her ongoing struggle to reconcile the disparity between her idealized self-image and the harsh realities of her life
quote
“i wont be looked at in this merciless glare”
Language device
personification
analysis
- Lighting can represent purity and transparency, the fact that Blanche cannot stand light may symbolize that she is impure and something that she does not seem to be.
quote -
“i was on the verge of lunacy”
language device
hyperbole
analysis
Perhaps this is proleptic of what will happen to Blanche in the end / foreshadowing
quote
“you havent said a word about my appearance”
analysis-
ironic
- dominating the convo not letting stella speak
context
obsession with maintaing her youthfullness could mirror Williams personal struggles with identity and self - image.
quote
” i dont want realism i want magic!”
language device
extended metaphor
analysis / context
shows her yearning for escapism and growing detachment from reality
- may parralel Williams own yearning to escape the harsh realities of a world that often condemned his sexual orientation and islotated him in the same way that Blanche was ostracised in new america
- manifests in williams own battles
having to hide his sexuality in a stigmatised society
- Both Blanche and Williams have shared experiences of being alienated from a society where madness and commital is a constant threat.
overall ..
- indicator of her unraveling sanity. - It masks deeper insecurities and
trauma, reflecting her fragile grip
on reality. - This obsession becomes a
desperate attempt to maintain a
sense of self-worth amidst
overwhelming feelings of loss and
inadequacy, ultimately
contributing to her descent into
madness.
topic sentence 2
insanity shown through Blanche’s disconnection from the reality in which she lives
ao5
Illustrated by Ruhina Jasmine , “Blanche has an infuation with replacing reality with fantastic embodiments or illusion “ in order to shelter herself from the harsh realities of the New world
quote -
Through Blanche’s “Long hot baths” “for her nerves”
analysis
william conveys her fragile mental state,
Transforms into a symbol of her delusional attempts to wash away her past
Williams purpose
William deliberatley uses stanleys presense either before or after each of her baths to signify the disintegration of her fantasy world, bringing her back to her harsh realities
quote
“hey canary bird, Toots, get out the bathroom “ ( scene 7)
analysis
verbal dominance over blanche
Degrades her through use of animalistic and dehumanising comparison of her to a bird
quote
“the distant piano goes into a hectic breakdown”
analysis
aural dissonance implies her phyiological collapse
quote
Mitch tears the paper lantern
analysis
destruction of her illusions
topic sentence 3
Ultimately, Blanche’s madness is starkly depicted through her hallucinations and subsequent institutionalization as the play comes to an end
contextually…
Williams sister Rose’s strange behaviour which had long been a source of anxiety to her parents, later took the form of violent sexual fantasies and accusations against her father.
Her parents had her committed to an institution. Following the medical practice of the time a pre-frontal lobotomy was carried out, and Rose calmed down, certainly, but was left with no memories, no mind. Not only did Tennessee Williams feel guilty for not having saved Rose from all this, but he now feared for his own sanity because the mental illness that afflicted Rose might be hereditary. He certainly did have a breakdown of sorts in his early twenties. this major themes in A Streetcar Named Desire subsequently reflected his own private terrors which gave the edge to his writing.
