techniques Flashcards
Plastic theatre
Sound of the Varsouviana is the polka tune to which Blanche and her young husband, Allen Grey, were dancing when she last saw him alive. … The polka music plays at various points in A Streetcar Named Desire, when Blanche is feeling remorse for Allen’s death
magic realism Blanche is unstable imagining creepy music
Personification
Elysian Fields (warm breath)
The Visual Aspect
Visual aspect was very important to Williams- his stage directions are detailed using evocative imagery to convey how the dramatist envisaged the scene.
The intention is to create an atmosphere that would heighten the impact of the action- The apartment in Elysian Fields is one of the actors in the play.
- Visual aspect of a stage presentation - particularly vivid in S3.
- In S3, the vivid colours of the men’s shirts, the yellow linoleum, the green lampshade and refers to a Van Gogh painting .
- S9- The symbolic figure of the Mexican flower-seller as a portent of death.
The Significance of Music
➢ Audience hear ‘the blue piano’ and the ‘polka’ in Scene One. The Polka can only be heard by Blanche and the audience has considerable dramatic weight- triggers the memory of Blanche and her husband before he shot himself.
➢ The use of music is to alert the audience to create an atmosphere and to stress an important aspect of the plot and Blanche’s character.
➢ Both the audience and reader will come to realise the significance of the polka only gradually- Fully told in Scene 6.
Dramatic Style
Williams inspired by European realist theatre (e.g. Ibsen); often considered to be a Southern Gothic (developed in the wake of the civil war, imagery of decaying grandeur and the grotesque)
Symbolism of the varsouviana
The Varsouviana is the polka tune heard throughout the play, and is named by Blanche in Scene 9. It may symbolise Blanche’s inability to escape her husband’s death.
Structure
Chronological narrative except for Blanche’s memories (not played out so doesn’t affect structure), Blanche’s first word is “they” and her last word is “strangers” which gives her loneliness an interminable or cyclical nature
Stage Directions
Tennessee Williams is known for his detailed stage directions, providing clear guidance to future productions on setting, character movement and emotional state.
Music Example
Use of Jazz music in Scene 3 heightens the atmosphere during Stanley’s poker night, later serving as a marker for Stanley’s impending actions.
Light Example
The recurring theme of Light represented by paper lanterns, starlight, and candles help convey Blanche’s desire to live in a world of illusions.
Dialogue Example
Unveiling of the truth about Blanche’s past by Stanley through flashback narratives adds depth to her character and justifies her insecurities.
Narrative Devices
Visual and auditory hallucinations are used as effective narrative tools to communicate Blanche’s deteriorating mental state.
Sound, in particular, plays an important role in the narrative, with the continuous noise of the streetcar and the strains of ‘The Varsouviana’ acting as auditory symbols of Blanche’s descent into madness.
Building Tension
Williams uses symbols, foreshadowing, and dramatic irony to heighten tension within the narrative.
The poker game, the Varsity Drag, and the final rape scene are all examples of scenes where Williams uses setting, situation, and action to create a sense of impending doom.
