Thus in this encounter between Blanche and Stanley, Blanche is seeing her own valued world disintegrate under the force of Stanley's attack. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A Streetcar Named Desire. Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc. Scene 1: At rise, we see a two-story building in a poor, charming, diverse section of New Orleans, called Elysian Fields. Contact us Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. Eunice gets in a fight with Steve. Only desperation and a lack of other options has brought her to Elysian Fields, a tenement as different from its heavenly title as can be imagined by Blanche's sheltered mind. They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off atElysian Fields! Blanche promises to say no more about it. A Streetcar Named Desire Summary and Analysis of Scene 1. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. She screams piercingly and Stella wonders why. She is talking to herself when Stanley enters. Stella is perfectly happy with her lot, and doesn't take kindly to Blanche's questions. Provide an explanation of the multiple ironies of this passage from scene 4, where Blanche lays out her objections to Stanley. But then she meets Stanley. Blanche portrays herself as a lady who rarely drinks, but her words are directly opposite to her actions. After throwing meat at Stella, where does Stanley go (Stella follows him there, to "watch")? bowling. Stella is upset at both the news and the accusatory way Blanche broke it to her, and she goes into the bathroom to cry. A Streetcar Named Desire has only one setting: a two-story flat in New Orleans. I stayed and struggled! Known by many as "The Rape Scene," scene 10 of " A Streetcar Named Desire " is filled with dramatic action and fear inside the flat of Stanley Kowalski. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 10 New orleans Click the card to flip Flashcards Learn Test Match Created by jskarr Terms in this set (10) In what city is the play set? (one code per order). You ought to lay off his liquor. Meanwhile, Blanche has been nervously moving through the apartment in anticipation of meeting Stanley. He is antagonistic toward Blanche. A Streetcar Named Desire has been labelled as one of the greatest American plays ever, and Tennessee Williams produces what could be regarded as a poignant and troubled tale about the hostility of conflicting the old world with the new world. I'll make myself scarce, in that case. The overly sensitive Blanche must introduce herself to Stanley, who immediately offers her a drink after he notices that the bottle has been touched. Music also allows the audience to enter Blanches head. Though the protagonist Blanche Dubois of Tennessee Williams ' famous play attempts to talk her way out of an attack, a violent attack takes place. Blanche becomes visibly agitated during the cross-examination. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! They stare at each other and then rush together with animal moans. He falls to his knees, tenderly caresses her face and belly, then lifts her up and carries her into their flat. Setting the Scene Audience sympathy may establish itself in Blanches favor, but nothing about Blanche suggests that she will emerge as a heroine. Refine any search. A Streetcar Named Desire (Scene One) Lyrics The exterior of a two-story corner building on a street in New Orleans which is named Elysian Fields and runs between the L & N tracks and the river.. Young, young, young man! No matter what happens, you've got to keep on going. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. He tries to leave again but Blanche stops him, telling him how handsome he looks and then she walks over and kisses him softly on the lips. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams And so it was I entered the broken world To trace the visionary company of love, its voice . The neighborhood is poor but has a raffish charm.. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, The play is set in a two-story, white-frame, faded corner building on a street called Elysian Fields, which runs between the train tracks and the river in New Orleans. Setting The Scene Before Reading . He cries remorsefully and then telephones upstairs, but Eunice wont let him speak to Stella. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Wed love to have you back! The second scene brings in the elements particular to Blanche and Stanley's relationship, and from there all the foundation is laid to send the story hurtling down the tracks towards its conclusion. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. She romanticizes the situation, envisioning herself as an ingnue in a tragic narrative. Blanche represents a society that has become too detached from its animal element. He hurls a package of meat up to her and says that he and Mitch are going to meet Steve at the bowling alley. He holds the power in the apartment, even though Blanche sees herself as elite. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Blanche is trying to keep up appearances in all aspects of her life. Stanley enters the apartment with Mitch and Steve, all returning from bowling. 20% Read the Study Guide for A Streetcar Named Desire, Chekhov's Influence on the Work of Tennessee Williams, Morality and Immorality (The Picture of Dorian Gray and A Streetcar Named Desire), Traditionalism versus Defiance in a Streetcar Named Desire, Comparing Social and Ethnic Tensions in A Streetcar Named Desire and Blues for Mister Charlie, The Wolf's Jaws: Brutality and Abandonment in A Streetcare Named Desire, View our essays for A Streetcar Named Desire, View the lesson plan for A Streetcar Named Desire, View Wikipedia Entries for A Streetcar Named Desire. for a customized plan. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. In a few minutes, a young man comes to the door. Renews March 10, 2023 on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Below you will find the important quotes in A Streetcar Named Desire related to the theme of Interior and Exterior Appearance. the library book readinggroupguides com, a streetcar named desire reading guide . Then, half-dressed, he stumbles out to the street and calls for his wife again and again: STELL- LAHHHHH! Eunice warns him to stop, but his bellowing cry continues. could suggest Blanches movements and the things she seems to appreciate. His dismissal of Blanches beauty is therefore significant, because it shows that she does not exude his same brand of carnal desire. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. In this way, Stanley and Blanche are like the sun and the moon. Sex and violence are paired on both floors of the house. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. While Stella is busy in the bathroom, Blanche turns on the radio, further angering Stanley. Stella leaves the bathroom, and Blanche impulsively turns the radio back on and begins to dance, slyly engaging the clumsy Mitch and preventing his leaving to go to the bathroom. They grab their poker winnings and leave. Stella arrives and they embrace happily, Blanche babbling excitedly about Stella's appearance and not giving her sister a chance to get a word in edge-wise. Teachers and parents! Blanche makes it clear from the start that her actions are involuntary "they," some unknown entity, told her to take a street-car named Desire. Stella is Stanley's wife and Blanche's sister. At this point Blanche is about ready to faint. Then later when Stanley asks her if she wants a drink, she tells him that she rarely touches it. Subscribe now. Alone, Blanche sits looking nervous and uncomfortable as she surveys the messy, dingy surroundings. Stanley dominates the table with his tough talk, while Mitch, who frets about whether or not he should go home to his sick mother, shows himself to be the most sensitive and sober man at the table. Dont have an account? Continue to start your free trial. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! What happened to Belle Reve, the DuBois family home? And we will learn that throughout Blanche's adult life, without any agency, she has been riding two metaphorical streetcars named Desire and Cemeteries the dual themes of lust and death that will be paired constantly through the play. The fact that Stanley bowls suggests symbolically his characteristic of summing everything up in terms of sexuality. Dismay. Stage directions describe Stanley as a virulent character whose chief pleasure is women. Previous [Her voice drops and her look is frightened. In a way, the play is a mystery, with Stanley investigating Blanche's background and an ever-unraveling layer of truth and un-truth is exposed to the ugly glare of the light. Her explanation of how Belle Reve was lost and her recounting her frequent encounters with death serve in some ways to account for Blanche's present neurotic state. Blanche's first action in the play is one of confusion, ambivalence, disorientation. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% 20% Ace your assignments with our guide to A Streetcar Named Desire! Active Themes Whoever you areI have always depended on the kindness of strangers. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! Blanche Mitch Eunice and Steve Pablo 2 of 5 Before Stella arrives to greet her, what does Blanche do in Stella's apartment? Blanche talks feverishly and seems nearly hysterical. They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off atElysian Fields! She surrounds herself in her silks and rhinestones and fantasies of Sheps yacht to maintain the appearance of being an upper-class ingnue, even though she is, by all accounts, a fallen woman. Blanche also calls Stanley a Polack and makes snide remarks about the state of the Kowalski apartment in order to maintain her own sense of external social superiority. They depart, and Stella soon follows to watch them. The quality of the neighborhood comes up quickly; Blanche is appalled that Stella is living in such conditions. A long string of deaths in the family ate up all the money, while the process of nursing dying loved ones took their toll on Blanche's psyche, and in the end Belle Reve was lost. (including. Their reunion is also described in terms of animal noises. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Why is the mention of Shaw threatening to her? For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! You're all I've got in the world, and you're not glad to see me! You want the lantern? Prior to Scene Three, the piano music that sounds throughout the play functions chiefly to create atmosphere, suggesting the plays setting in a somewhat seedy section of New Orleans. Her defensive strategy is to stay on the offensive criticizing Stella's lifestyle and social standing when Blanche is in an even worse situation herself, defending herself against blame for the loss of Belle Reve before Stella can even say a word. 20% Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Eunice and a Black woman are relaxing on the steps of the building when Stanley and his buddy Mitch show up. Blanche comes across as a frivolous, hysterical, insensitive, and self-obsessed individual as she derides her sisters lesser social status and doesnt express joy at seeing Stella so in love. Stanley says that he will have this man check it out and "clear up any mistake." An interesting choice of comparison, as moths are drawn to light the way Blanche is desperately drawn from it. on 50-99 accounts. She can claim to be a woman of twenty-five in semi-darkness, but the glare of sharp light reveals a woman who has seen more, suffered more, and aged more. This is both meaningful in the present tense and on a deeper thematic level. Immediately, Blanche wonders if Stella has heard some unkind gossip about her. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Eunice assures Blanche that the building is Stellas residence. Eunice comes downstairs and into the apartment. She pours a healthy shot, downs it immediately, replaces the bottle, cleans her tumbler, and returns to her original pose. The blue piano that frequently plays outside evokes tension and fraught emotions inside the apartment. A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 1 Summary & Analysis Next Scene 2 Themes and Colors Key Summary Analysis The play is set in a two-story, white-frame, faded corner building on a street called Elysian Fields, which runs between the train tracks and the river in New Orleans. and any corresponding bookmarks? Do you mind if I make myself comfortable? Where were you! In other words, since she once denied help to her young husband, she now tries to compensate by giving herself to almost anyone. So I just got in the habit of being quiet. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? All of the major themes and elements of A Streetcar Named Desire are introduced as quickly as possible at the top of the play. She has just finished composing a letter to Shep Huntleigh pretending that she has been on a round of teas and cocktail parties. As the scene ends, it is revealed that Blanche was married once, when she was young, but the boy died. Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Stanleys cocky interactions with Blanche show him to be insensitivehe barely lets Blanche get a word in edgewise as he quickly assesses her beauty. Also important is the detailed description of the set. What am I saying? The hum of voices in the street can be heard, as well as the bluesy notes of a cheap piano playing in a bar around the corner. She stops short at the entrance to the downstairs flat. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. But of course there were things to adjust myself to later on. Blanche also lives in a world of illusion, and rhinestone gives an illusion of. Please wait while we process your payment. BLANCHE [with faintly hysterical vivacity]: At the sound of Blanche's voice Mitch's arm supporting his cards has sagged and his gaze is, And I'll be buried at sea sewn up in a clean white sack and dropped overboard--at noon--in the. You'll also receive an email with the link. Which of the following events occurs first? The Kowalskis live in the downstairs apartment, and Eunice and Steve live upstairs. Mitch and Blanch's relationship is very much an illusion because What does Stanley tell Blanche about his acquaintance, Shaw? Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. she feared for either of them to stop and think. $24.99 Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# However, whereas Mitchs experiences have engendered in him a strong sincerity, Blanche seeks refuge in make-believe and insincerityinsincerity that is painfully obvious in her remarks about the sincerity of dying people. She tells Stella that she has created an illusion with Mitch that she is all prim and proper. The Varsouviana polka music can be heard from offstage. Free trial is available to new customers only. About your hair--. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Refine any search. Tennessee Williams and A Streetcar Named Desire Background, Read more about the unnamed Black womans role. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Stanleys return interrupts Blanches apology. Stanley, the son of Polish immigrants, represents the changing face of America. Two women, one white and one colored, are taking the air on the steps of the building. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. ], [They stare at each other across the yellow-checked linoleum of the table. Underscored is the cramped claustrophobia that enters the apartment with Blanche, and the heightened emotions of the bunker as Blanche's hide-out extends longer and longer. Blanche sings Paper Moon in the bath offstage while, onstage, Stanley reveals to Stella Blanches hidden and sordid history. Want 100 or more? Stella brings her a coke and tells her to quit talking morbidly. Soon after Stella leaves, her sister, Blanche, arrives, carrying a suitcase and looking with disbelief at a slip of paper in her hand and then at the building. This leads Blanche to tell Stella that Belle Reve, the ancestral home, has been lost. for a customized plan. But this is not Williams prescribing the elements of what we see, but rather the overall effect "there is something about her uncertain manner that suggests a moth." He tells her that the baby won't come before morning, and the doctors sent him home. Blanche takes another drink, and then worries about the privacy and decency of her staying in the apartment with no door to separate her from Stella and Stanley in the next room. Stanley asks Blanche if she wasn't once married. The polka music is only in Blanches mindeven though the audience hears itand its appearance signifies that she is haunted by her dead husband. What happened to Belle Reve, the DuBois family home? Renews March 11, 2023 Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Central Idea Essay: Is Blanche a Sympathetic Character? She thanks him for his kindness and waxes poetic while he quietly listens. Nevertheless, in this introduction, the audience is likely to sympathize with Stanley rather than Blanche, for Blanche behaves superficially and haughtily, while Stanley comes across as unpretentious, a social being with a zest for life. Stella and Blanche continue their sisterly chat in the bedroom while the poker game continues. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Tossing the package of meat symbolically captures Stanley and Stellas sexual relationship: he hurls himself physically at her, and she accepts delightedly. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Yet Stella sides with Stanley and his base instincts, infusing the play with an ominous sense of gloom. The portieres are partly. GradeSaver, 11 August 2008 Web. Loading The best I could do was make my own living, [Blanche begins to shake again with intensity. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Blanche promises to leave before Stanley pitches her out, but by now she is shaking so badly that the coke foams and spills on her dress. Blanches nervousness at Eunices questions indicate that she has something to hide in her past and that there is more to her seemingly innocent appearance than meets the eye. When Stanley abruptly asks what happened to Blanches marriage, Blanche replies haltingly that the boy died, then plops down and declares that she feels ill. He bellows to Stella and throws her the raw meat which she catches as she laughs breathlessly. As they talk Stanley grows increasingly annoyed at Mitchs absence from the game. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Its loss could signify the end of Blanche's dream life or fantasy.A Streetcar Named DesireTennessee williams' Scene 1KEY SOUND IN THE PLAY Like the woman in the song, Blanche is now a "captive maid," as she has nowhere else to go except Stella and Stanley's apartment. Subscribe now. And when he comes back I cry on his lap like a baby you left! Eunice and the Black woman find something hilariously suggestive in the meat-hurling episode, and their cackles indicate sexual innuendo. Williams is overly fond of using Freudian sexual symbols. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a young Prince out of the Arabian Nights? Just as circumstance has led her to the Kowalskis' doorstep, so too did circumstance lead her to a life driven by desire and death. You left nothing here but spilt talcum and old empty perfume bottlesunless its the paper lantern you want to take with you. Blanche asserts that the Flamingo is not the sort of place where she would be seen. Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus, Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines. After Stanleys drunken radio-hurling episode, Stella yells at him and calls him an animal thing, inciting Stanleys attack. Therefore, her sexual promiscuity returns to her guilt feelings over her failure to help her young husband. After calling again to no avail, he hurls the phone to the floor. Stella is quite in love with her husband, however. Stanley stumbles out of the bathroom, calling for Stella. The loss of Belle Reve, the beautiful dream, represents the loss of Blanche and Stellas previous way of life. Stella agrees that Mitch is polite but claims that Stanley is the only one of them who will get anywhere.. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Summary and Analysis Scene 1. It is an early May evening, and the sky at dusk is almost turquoise. Blanche, who arrives in New Orleans having lost Belle Reve and having been forced to leave her job, exudes vulnerability and emotional frailty. Don't ever believe it. Why, that you had to live in these conditions! The neighborhood is poor but has a "raffish charm." The play immediately establishes Stanley and Blanche as polar opposites, with Stella as the link between them. Stella for Star! In an outburst that builds to a crescendo of hysteria, Blanche reveals that she has lost Belle Reve, the familys ancestral home. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Williams uses music to play with the boundary between the interior and the exterior. I don't see where you're going to put me! Blanche broaches the subject of the DuBois family plantation, Belle Reve. Blanche is appalled. Instant PDF downloads. Then the men attempt to revive the now limp and confused Stanley, but when they try to force him into the shower to sober him up, he fights them off. Essentially, the play can be read as a series of encounters between the Kowalski world and the Blanche DuBois world. Blanche is immediately seen as Stanleys direct opposite: fluttering, insubstantial, and pale rather than a robust, muscular specimen. I cant stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action. She seeks to relive the past and longs for a young lover to replace the young husband who shot himself. I won't be looked at in this, I thought you would never come back to this horrible place! "A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 1 Summary and Analysis". Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Scene 1 Quotes They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off atElysian Fields! Blanche often mentions her love of poetry during the play as a sign of her cultured upbringing and sense of refinement. for a group? Eunice, the neighbor, sees that Blanche is confused and assures her that this is the place where Stella lives. Please wait while we process your payment. After exchanging a few harsh words with Stanley, Mitch rises from the table to go to thebathroom. Blanche meets Mitch. SparkNotes PLUS Complete your free account to request a guide. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% To hold front position in this rat-race you've got to believe you are lucky. Central Idea Essay: Is Blanche a Sympathetic Character? for a customized plan. Stella is shamed and joins Blanche, who is planning to take another bath, in the bedroom. Sounds of water can be heard running in the bathroom. The kitchen now suggests that sort of lurid nocturnal brilliance, the raw colors of childhoods spectrum. (Williams notes that the music from this piano is to set the mood throughout the play.) Blanche may be able to hide her alcoholism from devoted Stella, but not from Stanley. Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle; and you you here waiting for him." She asks Stella to tell her how she looks, fusses over Stellas plumpness and disheveled appearance, and is surprised to learn that Stella has no maid. Stella, oh, Stella, Stella! A summary of Scene Ten in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire. Contact us Purchasing A Streetcar Named Desire: Scene 11 Summary & Analysis Next Themes Themes and Colors Key Summary Analysis It is several weeks later. A Streetcar Named Desire literature essays are academic essays for citation. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Stanley and Blanche are characterized as polar opposites. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Stella makes polite introductions, but the men show no interest in Blanches presence. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Stella yells at Stanley, and he advances violently toward her. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! She cries out as if the lantern was herself. He is antagonistic toward Blanche. The setting is the exterior of a corner building on a street called Elysian Fields, which runs between the river and the train tracks in a poor section of New Orleans that has raffish [crude] charm. Faded white stairs lead up to the entrances of the shabby buildings two flats. Sometimes it can end up there. Why, that you had to live in these conditions!, I let the place go? See Important Quotations Explained The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Williams often dresses his most degenerate characters in white, the symbol of purity. Some people rarely touch it, but it touches them often. Its loss could signify the end of Blanches dream life or fantasy. She asks for a drink in order to restore her nerves. The outside world regularly penetrates the apartment, with visits from Mitch and Eunice and the occasional poker night.