Streetcar and Malfi essay plans Flashcards
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FAMILY
Both playwrights portray the abandonment of family in the pursuit of love, highlighting the common theme of complex sibling relationships within the play
“I couldn’t believe her and go on living with Stanley”
“you left! I stayed and struggled! You came to New Orleans and looked out for yourself!”
“She is a young widow. I would not have her marry again”
“I’ll never marry”
“[She puts her ring upon his finger]”
FAMILY
Both female characters leave their own families to create their own families but the Duchess is unsuccessful in creating happiness and Stella becomes entrapped in a toxic, oppressive marriage
“[Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh]”
“[She backs out of sight. He advances and disappears. There is the sound of a blow. Stella cries out.]”
“Alas what pleasures can two lovers find in sleep”
“Here’s a hand
[Gives her a dead man’s hand.]
To which you have vow’d much love; the ring upon ‘t you gave.”
FAMILY
Both playwrights end the play with a sense of hope and future prosperity by depicting male heirs to carry on the family legacy
“[Eunice descends to Stella and places the child in her arms. It is wrapped in a pale blue blanket]”
“Let us make noble use of this great ruin; and join all our forces to establish this young hopeful gentleman in’s mother’s right”
MORALITY
Both Stella and Bosola have a complex relationship with morality, with both diverging onto the wrong paths
“What have I done to my sister? Od, god, what have I done to my sister?”
“[She sobs with inhuman abandon. There is something luxurious in her complete surrender to crying now that her sister is gone”
“I stand like one that long hath ta’en a sweet and golden dream: I am angry with myself now I wake”
“I’ll seek thee out, and all my care shall be to put thee into safety from the reach of these most cruel biters that have got some of thy blood already”
MORALITY
Both Cardinal and Stanley show a lack of mortality, abusing their positions, both as a Cardinal and as a husband
“[he picks up the inert figure and carries her to the bed]”
‘but if some cursed example poison’t near the head death and diseases through the whole land spread’
“He and his brothers are like plum-trees that grow crooked over standing pools”
“I pray thee kiss me” (Cardinal to Julia)
MORALITY
Both plays suggest that no character is generally pure, as characters who were seen to possess respectable morals are divulged in sin
“[fumbling to embrace her]: What have I been missing all summer”
“tears the paper lantern off the lightbulb”
“I would wish you, at such a time as you are non-resident with your husband, my mistress”
“Whose throat must I cut” (Bosola)
WOMEN
In both plays, women are often marginalised and tormented by the male characters, who abuse their power to achieve their own desires
“[A red-stained package from the butchers]”
“He heaves the packet at her”
“[Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh]”
“She’s a young widow. I would not have her marry again”
“[Ferdinand gives her a poniard]”
‘I would have a mathematical instrument made for her face, that she may not laugh out of compass
WOMEN
Both playwrights depict a woman comfortable with her own sexuality, but she is villainised by the male characters
“There are worst things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark- that sort of make everything else seem important”
“Even the management of the Flamingo… requested Blanche to turn in her room key - permanently!”
“Diamonds are of the most value, they say, that have passed through the most jewellers’ hands”
“Lusty Widow” - archetype of the time
WOMEN
Both playwrights depict masculinity to be prominent straits of one of their leading females, diverging from stereotypes to evoke questions of what it means to be masculine
“Sit down” (Blanche to Mitch)
“[She precedes him into the room]”
“[She puts the ring upon his finger]”
“I have fixed it already” (Duchess)
POWER
Through the playwrights’ depiction of masculine power over women, women are marginalised, highlighting the inequality in the patriarchal society.
“[A red-stained package from the butchers]”
“He heaves the packet at her”
“[Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh]”
“She’s a young widow. I would not have her marry again”
“luty widown”
POWER
Both Cardinal and Stanley show a lack of mortality, abusing their positions, both as a Cardinal and as a husband
“[he picks up the inert figure and carries her to the bed]”
“He and his brothers are like plum-trees that grow crooked over standing pools”
“I pray thee kiss me” (Cardinal to Julia)
POWER
Both playwrights adopt the repeated motif of light as a symbol of inner turmoil and secrecy for a character verging on lunacy that arises from their guilt
“[her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light]”
“I like the dark. The dark is comforting to me”
Mitch “[turns the light on and stares at Blanche. She cries out and covers her face]”
“what follows me? Tis your shadow”
“He comes I’th’night and prays you gently neither torch nor taper shines in your chamber”
Ferdinand enters the chamber with light and takes it away
GUILT/INNOCENCE
Both playwrights adopt the repeated motif of light as a symbol of inner turmoil and secrecy for a character verging on lunacy that arises from their guilt
“[her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light]”
“I like the dark. The dark is comforting to me”
Mitch “[turns the light on and stares at Blanche. She cries out and covers her face]”
“what follows me? Tis your shadow”
“He comes I’th’night and prays you gently neither torch nor taper shines in your chamber”
Ferdinand enters the chamber with light and takes it away
GUILT/INNOCENCE
Both plays suggest that no character is generally pure, as characters who were seen to possess respectable morals are divulged in sin
“[fumbling to embrace her]: What have I been missing all summer”
“tears the paper lantern off the lightbulb”
“I would wish you, at such a time as you are non-resident with your husband, my mistress”
“Whose throat must I cut” (Bosola)
GUILT/INNOCENCE
Both Stella and Bosola have a complex relationship with guilt, both of them regretting their choices later in the play
“What have I done to my sister? Od, god, what have I done to my sister?”
“[She sobs with inhuman abandon. There is something luxurious in her complete surrender to crying now that her sister is gone”
“I stand like one that long hath ta’en a sweet and golden dream: I am angry with myself now I wake”
“I’ll seek thee out, and all my care shall be to put thee into safety from the reach of these most cruel biters that have got some of thy blood already”
GENDER
The idea of toxic masculinity is a theme that is prevalent throughout, causing the torment of those around them as they revel in their self-entitlement
“[gaudy seed bearer]”
“hurry back and we’ll fix you a sugar-tit”
“I am your creature” (Bosola)
“[Dead man’s hand]”
GENDER
Both Webster and Williams depict a character that differs from the traditional ideals of masculinity, presenting traits that are more resonant with a 21st-century society, despite the time periods in which they were written.
“I oughta go home pretty soon… I gotta sick mother”
“I’m all yours”
GENDER
Both playwrights depict masculinity to be prominent trait of one of their leading females, diverging from stereotypes to evoke questions of what it means to be masculine
“Sit down” (Blanche to Mitch)
“[She precedes him into the room]”
“[She puts the ring upon his finger]”
“I have fixed it already” (Duchess)
VIOLENCE
In both plays, violence is intertwined with male dominance over the vulnerable females who are often taken advantage of and opressed
‘[He picks up her inert figure and carried her to the bed]’
“[Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh]”
“[gives her a poniard]”
Learning who the Duchess married would “beget such violent effects as would damn us both”
VIOLENCE
In both plays, almost all women are depicted to suffer violence at the hands of their male counterparts, ending up imprisoned in a mental hospital or an abusive marriage in ‘A Streetcar Names Desire’, or ending up dead in ‘Duchess of Malfi’
‘[She backs out of sight. He advances and disappears. There is the sound of a blow]’
‘[Blanche turns wildly and scratches at the Matron. The heavy woman pinions her arms]’
torture of the mad men
wedding masque
dumbshow - stripped of title and power and family
VIOLENCE
Both playwrights also depict masculine rage to end in violence, smashing up objects or threatening the women verbally
(Mitch) ‘tears the paper lantern off the lightbulb’
‘[(Stanley) crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table … he tosses the instrument out of the window]’
‘And here it shall stick till of her bleeding heart I make a sponge to wipe it out’ (Ferdinand)
‘I would have their bodies burnt in a coal pit with the ventage stopped’
FEMININITY
In both plays, the playwrights depict a character who is carries more feminine traits than masculine, submitting to their masculine partner to depict a divergence from the toxic gender stereotype.
Hurry back and we’ll fix you a sugar-tit’ (Stanley to Mitch)
‘I oughta go home pretty soon … I gotta sick mother’ (Mitch)
‘I’m all yours’ (Antonio
FEMININITY
Both playwrights also depict women embracing their feminine sexuality, much like the male characters do, yet find themselves villainised for embracing the natural and primal desires of women.
‘There are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark that sort of make everything else seem unimportant.”
‘Even the management of the Flamingo … requested (Blanche to turn in her room key - for permanently!’
“Diamonds are of most value, they say, that have past through most jewellers’ hands.”
‘Lusty widow’ (Ferdinand)
FEMININITY
In both plays, women who demonstrate femininity are marginalised and tormented by their male counterparts, who exploit this for their own benefit
‘[A red-stained package from the butcher’s]’
‘He heaves the package at her’
‘[Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh]’
‘She’s a young widow. I would not have her marry again’ (Ferdinand)
‘[Ferdinand gives her a poniard]’
