Scene 5 Flashcards
work as a foil for Stan and Stella - highlight normalisation of aggression from men in this context
en medias res - chaotic middle of the action
Steve and Eunice argument
parallel to poker scene - reconciliation through sex
distinction - Eunice’s aggression illuminates Stella’s passivity - products of environments - more sympathy for Stella as she cannot see the danger in passion/toxicity
“they go slowly upstairs in a tight embrace”
-symbol for the cycle of domestic turmoil
-broader commentary on the normalized dysfunction in working-class marriages
-normalizes a cycle of abuse and reconciliation
-highlights the social milieu community shaped by economic struggle, passion, and survival
-contrasts with Blanche’s romanticized fading notions of love and class
phrases for purpose of Steve and Eunice
enactment of the Southern Belle - looking to men for protection
Blanche’s letter to Shep
euphemistic language
sexuality determines morality - societal judgement
“I wasn’t so good”
euphemism for sex
indication of her attitudes towards sex - enjoys it, confirms her womanhood/ femininity
fleeting thrill of sexual encounters that make her feel alive
“make a little - temporary magic -“
highly self-critical, acute self awareness that perhaps comes as a shock to the audience, reveals the depth of her character
clear insecurity that dictates her choices - sex acts as an escape and a means of affirming her attractiveness/ desirability: something she feels is fading
“I was never hard or self-sufficient enough”
degrades the situation in which these encounters were occurring - dichotomy in her pursuit for pleasure and the internalized shame she feels
her language is still poetic - fragments of a confession, but she is still adding euphemisms and flourishes onto her dialogue
“from under one leaky roof to another leaky roof”
self-awareness deepens the tragedy of her character - cannot grasp the inevitability of her physical decline
existential anxiety that ties in with her reliance on her looks for power/ control - she knows her beauty is slipping away, but she clings to it because it represents her last vestige of control
“You’ve got to be soft and attractive. And I’m fading now!”
economic reality - devoid of financial independence, Southern Belle who has lost her social standing + wealth
feminist critique - limited options available to women in her position, no safety net for those who age or fall from grace
Blanche’s monologue as an intersection for feminism and class
Stella is willingly subservient to Blanche -
increases Stanley’s jealousy of the hold Blanche has over her
internalized rivalry between them
“I like to wait on you Blanche, it makes it seem more like home.”
antagonistic, manipulative, deeply insecure
“I want to deceive him enough to make him want me”
Blanche = alpha male
likes sex, predatory behaviour, has power over passive characters in the play eg. Stella and Mitch
she rivals/is a threat to Stanley
“without waiting for him to accept, she crosses quickly to him and presses her lips to his”
fixation on younger men may represent an unconscious attempt to recreate or replace the love she once had with Alan
his youth represents a time in her own life where she felt alive
acutely aware of the inappropriateness of her actions - supressed desires/ uncontrollable impulses
recognizes the moral/ social transgression of her behaviour
significance of the paper boy
idiosyncratic exclamations
she is reignited by her kiss with the younger man
“Look who’s coming! My Rosenkavalier!”
