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paper 2 - drama > Streetcar 4 > Flashcards

Streetcar 4 Flashcards

1
Q

how is Stella described in the opening SD of scene 4?

A
  • content, satisfied, fulfilled
  • ‘Her face is serene in the early morning sunlight’
  • ‘Her eyes and lips have that almost narcotized tranquillity that is in the faces of Eastern idols.’
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2
Q

‘Her face is…’

A

‘Her face is serene in the early morning sunlight’ - SD about Stella
- morning after the violence

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3
Q

‘One hand rests…’

A

‘One hand rests on her belly, rounding slightly with new maternity.’ - SD about stella
- morning after the violence

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4
Q

‘From the other dangles…’

A

‘From the other dangles a book of coloured comics.’ - SD about Stella
- morning after the violence (casual)
- not very sophisticated
- pop culture vs southern belle
- can’t access the ‘‘higher pleasures’’

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5
Q

‘Her eyes and lips have that…’

A

‘Her eyes and lips have that almost narcotized tranquillity that is in the faces of Eastern idols.’ - SD about Stella
- morning after the violence

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6
Q

‘Blanche appears at…’

A

‘Blanche appears at this door. She has spent a sleepless night and her appearance entirely contrasts with Stella’s.’ - SD
- looks how you might expect Stella to

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7
Q

‘Blanche mutters a moaning…’

A

‘Blanche mutters a moaning cry and runs into the bedroom, throwing herself down beside Stella in a rush of hysterical tenderness.’ - SD

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8
Q

‘drawing… what is…’

A

‘[drawing away from her]: Blanche what is the matter with you?’ - Stella

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9
Q

‘When I found out you’d been…’

A

‘When I found out you’d been insane enough to come back in here after what happened - I started to rush in after you!’ - Blanche
‘I’m glad you didn’t.’ - Stella
- undertone of euphemism
- everyone knows what the two did

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10
Q

comparison of scene 4 to the duchess

A
  • D is an unusual central figure for a 17th cent. tragedy (combination of virtue and sexual desire)
  • violates norms by taking an active role in wooing Antonio - Stella’s active desire
  • expresses sexuality in a healthy relationship (Stella and stan - healthy?)
  • questions the madonna-whore dichotomy
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11
Q

‘Why, you must have…’

A

‘Why, you must have slept with him!’ - Blanche
‘[Stella gets up in a calm and leisurely way.]’
- s is unfazed by this drama, she doesn’t mind B being aware of her sexuality

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12
Q

Stella justifies Stanley’s actions from the night before

A
  • ‘it wasn’t anything as serious as you seem to take it’
  • ‘He didn’t know what he was doing’
  • ‘He was as good as a lamb when I came back and he’s really very, very ashamed of himself.’ - slightly parental
  • ‘Stanley’s always smashed things’
  • ‘He’s taken the radio to get it fixed’
  • ‘They went through two cases last night’
  • poker is ‘his pleasure, like [Stella’s] is movies and bridge. People have got to tolerate each other’s habits, I guess’
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13
Q

‘but it wasn’t anything…’

A

‘but it wasn’t anything as serious as you seem to take it’ - S to B

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14
Q

‘He didn’t know what…’

A

‘He didn’t know what he was doing… He was as good as a lamb when I came back and he’s really very, very ashamed of himself.’ - S to B
- slightly parental
- ‘lamb’ - wolf in sheep’s clothing idea, knows what to do to get Stella back, deliberate ploy

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15
Q

‘Stanley’s always…’

A

‘Stanley’s always smashed things. why, on our wedding night […] he snatched off one of my slippers and rushed about the place smashing the light-bulbs with it.’ - Stella

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16
Q

‘He smashed all the…’

A

‘He smashed all the light-bulbs with the heel of my slipper! [She laughs.]’ - Stella
- passion, desire, enjoys his violence: ‘thrilled by it’

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17
Q

‘I was - sort…’

A

‘I was - sort of - thrilled by it.’ - Stella
- (Stanley smashing the light bulbs on their wedding night)

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18
Q

‘He’s taken the radio…’

A

‘He’s taken the radio to get fixed. It didn’t land on the pavement so only one tube was smashed.’ - Stella
- justifying Stanley
- focuses on the object not her

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19
Q

what does Blanche think of Stanley after the poker night?

A

‘In my opinion? You’re married to a madman!’ - Blanche

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20
Q

‘[slowly and… I’m not in…’

A

‘[slowly and emphatically]: I’m not in anything I want to get out of.’ - Stella to B

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21
Q

‘I said I am not…

A

‘I said I am not in anything that I have a desire to get out of.’ - Stella to B
- becomes more formal
- to level B?

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22
Q

‘I’m going to /do/…’

A

‘I’m going to /do/ something. Get hold of myself and make myself a new life!’ - Blanche
- ‘There is a subtle irony in her reflexive reversion to the Southern Belle’s habits of thought […] just moments after she has said [the above]’ - Felicia Hardison Londre

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23
Q

‘And those empty bottles…’

A

‘And those empty bottles! They went through two cases last night!’ - Stella
- still justifying Stanley’s behaviour

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24
Q

‘He promised me this morning…’

A

‘He promised me this morning that he was going to quit having these poker parties, but you know how long such a promise is going to keep. Oh, well, it’s his pleasure, like mine is movies and bridge.’ - Stella

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25
Q

‘it’s his pleasure…’

A

‘it’s his pleasure, like mine is movies and bridge. People have got to tolerate each other’s habits, I guess.’ - Stella

26
Q

‘I don’t understand…’

A

‘I don’t understand you. [Stella turns towards her.] I don’t understand your indifference.’ - Blanche

27
Q

‘Let go of that broom…’

A

‘Let go of that broom. I won’t have you cleaning up for him!’ - Blanche
- doesn’t fit with their status
- sees injustice
- protective of her sister

28
Q

‘I went out with…’

A

‘I went out with him at college and wore his pin for a while.’ - Blanche
- public, respectable

29
Q

‘I took the trip as an…’

A

‘I took the trip as an investment, thinking I’d meet someone with a million dollars.’ - Blanche
- sees marriage (especially to a wealthy man) as a solution

30
Q

Shep Huntleigh

A
  • epitomises the “southern gentleman”
    > supporting his wife
    > knight in shining armour-esque
    > held a respectful relationship with Blanche (‘wore his pin for a while’)
  • he is an unseen character which allows blanche to project whatever she needs to onto him
  • ‘Darling Shep’
31
Q

Blanche’s behaviour once she decides to contact Shep Huntleigh

A
  • she becomes erratic and impulsive
  • ‘suddenly springs up’ ‘grabs up a sheet of Kleenex and an eyebrow pencil for writing equipment’ ‘smashes the pencil on the table and springs up’
32
Q

‘Stanley doesn’t give me a regular…’

A

‘Stanley doesn’t give me a regular allowance, he likes to pay bills himself’ - Stella
- lost her independence and control
- reflects Blanche’s stranded situation (neither have money)

33
Q

‘this morning he gave me…’

A

‘this morning he gave me ten dollars to smooth things over. You take five of it, Blanche’ - Stella
- Stanley uses money to control S (doesn’t give her a ‘regular allowance’ and now giving her money to placate after the poker night)
- money isn’t as important to Stella as it is to Blanche (‘I know how it helps your morale just having a little pocket-money on you’)

34
Q

‘Stella, I can’t live with…’

A

‘Stella, I can’t live with him! You can, he’s your husband.’ - Blanche
- some things are just between husband and wife
- its okay for Stella to witness and live with that side of Stanley but not a guest

35
Q

‘On the contrary, I saw him at his…’

A

‘On the contrary, I saw him at his best! What such a man has to offer is animal force and he gave a wonderful exhibition of that!’ - Blanche
- animalistic view of Stanley
- a side of him that can only be dealt with through going ‘to bed with him’

36
Q

‘But the only way to live…’

A

‘But the only way to live with such a man is to - go to bed with him! And that’s your job - not mine!’ - Blanche
- would have gone through the same process as stella
- recognises the dynamic
- says this but then still tries to “rescue” stella (‘I have a plan for us both’)

37
Q

‘I take it for granted that you…’

A

‘I take it for granted that you still have sufficient memory of Belle Reve to find this place and these poker players impossible to live with.’ - Blanche
- this isn’t where girls like them belong
- superiority

38
Q

‘But there are things that…’

A

‘But there are things that happen between a man and woman in the dark - that sort of make everything else seem - unimportant.’ - Stella
- can forgive stanley of anything because of their passion and desire
- talks as if she has experiences Blanche doesn’t (doesn’t think B understands)

39
Q

‘What you are talking about is…’

A

‘What you are talking about is brutal desire - just - Desire - the name of that rattle-trap streetcar that bangs through the Quarter, up one old narrow street and down another…’ - Blanche
- understands what S is experiencing
- “Streetcar Named Desire” metaphor for sexual desire
- now B sounds like she thinks she knows more than S

40
Q

streetcar named desire metaphor

A
  • ‘What you are talking about is brutal desire - just - Desire - the name of that rattle-trap streetcar that bangs through the Quarter, up one old narrow street and down another…’ - Blanche
  • ‘haven’t you ever ridden on that streetcar?’ - S
  • ‘It brought me here.’ - B
    > the name of the play
    > metaphor for sexual desire: ‘up one old narrow street and down another’
    > interesting use of ‘brutal’ - violent, damaging
    > S seems to be asking whether B has just ridden the wave of desire, followed it - she says that path brought her to where she is now
    > train passing disguises Stanley’s movements in the continuing conversation
41
Q

‘It brought me…’

A

‘[Desire] brought me here. - Where I’m not wanted and where I’m ashamed to be.’ - B
- trying to save her sister from the same fate (regret?)

42
Q

‘A man like that is…’

A

‘A man like that is someone to go out with - once - twice - three times when the devil is in you. But live with! Have a child by?’ - Blanche
- has had a relationship like S + S
- passion hasn’t lasted so long for her (or did she just think she deserved more? aimed for more?)
- morality and religion surrounding desire, is condemning it

43
Q

feminist criticism of scene 4

A
  • Felicia Hardison Londre
  • ‘This scene invites feminist criticism: although Blanche regards Stella’s husband as a brutal predator, her first impulse is to turn to another man as saviour. There is a subtle irony in her reflexive reversion to the Southern Belle’s habits of thought […] just moments after she has said, ‘I’m going to do something. Get hold of myself and make myself a new life!’’
44
Q

‘This scene invites… in her reflexive…’

A

‘This scene invites feminist criticism: although Blanche regards Stella’s husband as a brutal predator, her first impulse is to turn to another man as saviour. There is a subtle irony in her reflexive reversion to the Southern Belle’s habits of thought […] just moments after she has said, ‘I’m going to do something. Get hold of myself and make myself a new life!’’ - Felicia Hardison Londre

45
Q

PAGE 46 - make a post-it for the streetcar named desire metaphor and add (if necessary to FC 39)

A
46
Q

what does the train that disguises Stanley’s movements symbolise?

A
  • overwhelming noise
  • progress and New America
  • industry
47
Q

how is the end of scene 4 reminiscent of the beginning of the play?

A
  • Stanley carrying packages
  • tension between the sisters
  • Blanche’s monologue, Stella’s silence
  • ‘You’re hating me saying this, aren’t you?’ - ‘you’re bound to reproach me’
48
Q

‘Under cover…’

A

‘Under cover of the train’s noise Stanley enters from outside.’ - SD

49
Q

‘There’s something down…’

A

‘There’s something downright - /bestial/ - about him! You’re hating me saying this aren’t you? - Blanche

50
Q

‘He acts like…’

A

‘He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits. Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one!’ - Blanche (monologue)

51
Q

‘There’s even something…’

A

‘There’s even something - subhuman - something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something - ape-like about him’ - Blanche (monologue)

52
Q

‘Thousands and…’

A

‘Thousands and thousands of years have passed him right by, and there he is - Stanley Kowalski - survivor of the Stone Age!’ - Blanche (monologue)
- Stanley is out of place in this world, just like Blanche and Williams

53
Q

‘Bearing the…’

A

‘Bearing the raw meat gome from the kill in the jungle!’ - Blanche (monologue)
- ‘red-stained package’
- ‘holding some packages in his arms’

54
Q

‘Night falls and…’

A

‘Night falls and the other apes gather! There in the front of the cave, all grunting like him, and swilling and gnawing and hulking! His poker night! - you call it - this party of apes!’ - B (monologue)

55
Q

‘/God!/ Maybe we are…’

A

‘/God!/ Maybe we are a long way from being made in God’s image, but Stella - my sister - there has been /some/ progress since then!’ - B (monologue)
- poetic tone

56
Q

‘Such things as..’

A

‘Such things as art - as poetry and music - such kinds of new light have come into the world’ - Blanche (monologue)
- cultured audience
- redeeming Blanche so that the audience cares about her inevitable downfall

57
Q

‘In this dark march…’

A

‘In this dark march towards whatever it is we’re approaching… /Don’t - don’t hang back wth the brutes!/’ - B (end of monologue)
- climactic, emphasis, plea
- ‘dark march’ seems reminiscent of war-time (WW2 ended recently)

58
Q

Blanche’s monologue

A
  • poetic tone, narrative
  • theme of evolution and Stanley as animalistic (‘subhuman’ ‘ape-like’ ‘survivor of the Stone Age’ ‘grunt’ ‘swilling and gnawing and hulking’)
  • light and dark (‘such kinds of new light’ - “higher pleasures” like music and poetry - ‘dark march’)
  • superiority complex
59
Q

‘Stanley hesitates…’

A

‘Stanley hesitates, licking his lips. Then suddenly he turns stealthily about and withdraws through the front door.’ - SD
- (while ‘another train passes’)
- animalistic: ‘licking his lips’ ‘stealthily’ ‘withdraws’

60
Q

importance of Stanley hearing Blanche’s monologue

A
  • he can choose to fulfil her image of him
  • knows how to drive her away, upper hand
  • ‘He grins at her’
61
Q

Stella’s reaction to Blanche’s accusations in her monologue

A
  • deliberately chooses Stanley:
    ‘Stella has embraced him with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche’

paper 2 - drama (49 decks)

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