Scene 3 Flashcards
> game of chance - ideas of fate/destiny
‘American Dream’ - taking risks, everyone has a chance of success,
synonymous with American culture
gendered space - male control and aggression
‘Poker’
ao3 - original title ‘The Poker Night’
> expressionist painter - warped reality
Williams - expressionist writer
painting mirrors scene playing out - epitome of American culture
opening stage directions
“picture of Van Goghs of a billiard-parlour at night.”
> surreal, dreamlike atmosphere
mimics expressionist painting
sensory image is to the point of discomfort
Williams’ craft - poetic expressionism
“lurid nocturnal brilliance”
“childhood’s spectrum”
“vivid green glass”
“primary colours”
> foil for Blanche’s association with white and purity
“primary colours”
> fast-paced, topic changes
fighting for dominance in the discourse
impulsive, reaction-based mentality > tense unpredictable atmosphere
hedonistic pursuit of enjoyment
male dialogue
> appearance concerns revolving around cleanliness
wants to give off air of purity
“hot and frazzled”
> Blanche anticipates chivalry; Stanley ensures she does not receive it through abrupt vernacular
Mitch’s subsequent ‘Gentleman’ treatment - affirming ‘Southern Cavalier’ ideal
Blanche: “please don’t get up”
Stanley: “nobody’s going to get up”
followed by Mitch’s “awkward courtesy”
> borderline predatory
sexualising herself
contradicts earlier aversion to light >inconsistency in performance
“suggests a moth” attracted to light
“certain interest”
“unbuttoning her blouse”
“in her pink silk brassiere and white skirt in the light”
> social darwinism and ‘American Dream’
Blanche’s inability to understand highlights class differences + ignorance to societal progression
“its a drive that he has”
> Stella + Blanche commonality angers Stanley in his domain
“you hens cut out that conversation”
> exerting his control over the space
trying to divide the genders
“jumps up”
“turns it off”
“jerks roughly at curtains to close them”
> scarlet woman motif - Stanley to Mitch >juxtaposes initial desire to detract attention
weaponizing her sexuality
“she has slipped on the dark red satin wrapper”
> creating damsel narrative
faking her vulnerability >constantly contradicting herself
series of deceits >possesses antagonistic traits
“reading with feigned difficulty”
> circus associations - bears in captivity for others entertainment
romantic idealism of Mitch isn’t reality - he isn’t suited to her world
“moves in awkward imitation like a dancing bear”
ao3 - 1940s censorship
violence off stage
> Stella goes back to Stanley - addicted to him >violence reignites their lust
drawn to what destroys her (Blanche parallel)
desire
“her eyes go blind with tenderness”
“low animal moans”
> cycle of abuse
Stella has chosen her side
audience lose faith she will understand detriment of her relationship
foreshadowing - already made her choice times before
Eunice “like the last time”
> melodramatic idiosyncrasies
perhaps there is some truth
dialogue is hyperbolised >performative
strategically playing damsel in distress
“there’s so much - so much confusion in the world…”
