In what way does characterisation contribute to the presentation of theme in ‘A Streetcar
Named Desire’ and ‘Sweet Bird of Youth’?
‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ and ‘Sweet Bird of Youth’ are widely heralded amongst literary
critics and theatregoers alike as two of the twentieth century’s most socially explicit and
thematically expressive plays. Tennessee Williams, the architect of both, is extensively seen
as using the plays as a vehicle to disseminate the cultural dynamic of mid-twentieth century
America, addressing many of the problems he had witnessed as the archaic values of the
South clashed with the prevailing diversity of the North. Moreover, literary critics are generally
in agreement that Williams’ own dilemmas are connected inextricably with the core values of
his most celebrated works. Williams’ inherent fear of loneliness, attitude towards sex and
resent of the erosion of youth are reflected by his exquisitely crafted characters.
The futile quest to stave off the inevitable ageing process and the ruining of squandered
opportunities is a theme integral to both “Sweet Bird of Youth” and “A Streetcar Named
Desire”, providing a sense of poignancy that helps balance the more macabre aspects of the
plays. In “A Streetcar Named Desire” Blanche Dubois, a stereotypical Southern Belle, clings
desperately to the hope that she can reverse the gradual deterioration of her youthful beauty.
As Williams’ protagonist she reflects the downward spiral of the American South, whilst her
inability to acknowledge the reality of her situation also ties in with the apathy of the south in
adjusting to the twentieth century. Upon arrival in the cosmopolitan and diverse city of New
Orleans she is described as “Incongruous” to her surroundings and a “daintily dressed”
character. Although such stage directions are, by their nature, never witnessed by the
audience, the image they help create on stage helps develop their understanding of Blanche’s
desire to conceal her seedy past behind a facade of youthful innocence.
Furthermore, the character Alan Gray also highlights the loss of innocence in “Streetcar”. He
is mentioned in passing by Blanche as a childhood sweetheart whom she “loved
unendurably”, and ultimately married. However, their love was to prove ill-fated with the
emergence that Alan was in fact homosexual. This episode, and references to it, has deep
connections to the themes of lost innocence and decay which run through “A Streetcar
Named Desire”, with Blanche always seeking a way to rekindle the innocence she felt in this
youthful infatuation through her promiscuous dealings with men. His character can ultimately
be viewed as the trigger that initiates Blanche’s downward spiral, with the recurrent use of the
Versuviana Polka by Williams at timely intervals punctuating her nose-dive into insanity by
reminding her of the loving relationship she once inhabited. Undoubtedly, Williams’ own
heartfelt experiences as a homosexual in a culturally intolerant era are explored
through Alan’s fate, whilst the downfall of Blanche, a character he likened himself to, also
reflects his own doubt about his self-worth.
“Sweet Bird of Youth” arguably deals with the theme of loss of youth in far a less subtle
manner than the gradual, episodic revealing of Blanche’s past in ‘Streetcar’. The character
Chance Wayne, with his “slightly thinning blond hair” and “ravaged” yet “exceptionally good
looking” face, is similar to Blanche in terms of the decay of his youthful good looks. However,
the effect of this is to manifest itself as arrogant defiance in Chance, as opposed to the
severely paranoid behaviour of Blanche;
“I gave people more than I took. Middle-aged people I gave back a feeling of youth. Lonely
girls? Understanding, appreciation!”
Here chance maintains that his illicit liaisons were undertaken altruistically, yet his constant
flirting with Princess Alexandra hints to the audience at the underlying need for egotistical
self-verification. I also feel that Chance’s revelation “And at the same time I was...employing
my other talent, lovemaking” draws up an interesting parallel between himself and Blanche.
Their respective attempts at self-validation both require the casual use of sex, almost like a
commodity called-upon with little thought of consequence, and this contrasts the innocence
that their youthful relationships once held, accentuating their decline.
In addition to the outwardly noticeable decline of Chance, the hysterectomy that his one-time
lover Heavenly is forced to undergo as a result of their sexual activity represents another
facet of the loss of youth and decay. Heavenly poignantly summarises her fate in
Act 2;
“Dr George Scudder’s knife had cut the youth out of my body, made me an old, childless
woman. Dry, cold, empty, like an old woman.”
This moving revelation on Heavenly’s part reveals the desperate regrets she has, with the
emotive use of “dry”, “cold” and “empty” depicting to the audience her world has crumbled
with the enforced loss of youthful vitality. It could be argued, perhaps, that Williams’ uses the
hysterectomy to represent his own trauma as a homosexual, knowing that he would never be
able to father children.
After careful reference to both “Sweet Bird of Youth” and “A Streetcar Named Desire”, I feel
that the characters of Chance Wayne, Heavenly Finley and Blanche DuBois are integral to
the further appreciation of the theme of loss of youth/decay.
Another extremely prominent theme throughout the work of Tennessee Williams is that of
Sex. Growing up in a predominantly homophobic society, Williams was observant of the
sexual attitudes of a culturally diversifying America and this is greatly reflected in his work,
where sex is widely depicted by his characters.
In “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Blanche, whilst hiding behind a facade of Southern purity and
refinement, is shown to be unflustered by using sex almost at will. Although she bears an
“expression of shocked disbelief” upon arriving in the sexually-adventurous city of New
Orleans, as her past unravels it becomes apparent to the audience that Blanche is herself no
stranger to using sex for purposes of self-promotion;
“Yes, I have had many meetings with strangers. After the death of Allan, meetings with
strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with. I think it was panic--just panic-that drove me from one to another, searching for some protection.”
Interestingly, the symbolism employed by Williams in describing Blanche’s journey to Elysian
Fields (the final resting place of the deceased in Greek mythology) via a streetcar called
‘Desire’, hints at sex being a precursor to tragedy.
In addition to Blanche’s secretive, naive use of sex there is the contrasting and openly sexual
relationship of her sister Blanche and the bestial, brutish Stanley Kowalski. This is never
clearer than when Stella discusses her animalistic lust for her husband;
“When he’s away for a week I nearly go wild!”
These feelings highlight how their relationship typifies the sexual promiscuity of the North,
where the contrasting Southern values were being left behind as American culture pushed
towards a greater tolerance of outward sexuality. Williams arguably uses the strength and
longevity of Stella and Stanley’s sexual relationship in comparison to Blanche’s external
diffidence to chastise the old Southern values that had shackled him as a homosexual.
“Sweet Bird of Youth” also features sex as an extensively explored theme. The promiscuity of
Chance Wayne is the most obvious vehicle for Williams to explore the effect of sex upon the
human character. Chance takes an apparent pride from his work as a gigolo during his time in
the North after a failed attempt at forging a career as an actor, viewing himself as having
provided a valuable service. This, one could argue, marks an attempt on Williams’ part to
criticize the overtly sexual North, and its impact upon traditionally inhibited values of the
South.
Loneliness is another theme that Williams takes great care in depicting in both “A Streetcar
Named Desire” and “Sweet Bird of Youth”. As a homosexual during the early twentieth
century, Williams was bound to have felt ostracized and isolated to a far greater extent than
most of his literary contemporaries. This is reflected in the character Blanche Dubois in “A
Streetcar Named Desire”, whose inability to settle within the New Orleans. From her very
arrival in this proliferating, diverse city Blanche is a conspicuous figure of isolation;
“Her appearance is incongruous to this setting. She is daintily dressed in a white suit with a
fluffy bodice, necklace and earrings or pearl, white gloves and hat, looking as if she were
arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party...”
When this initial appearance given to the audience is contrasted with her surroundings in the
urban bustle of a “raffish”, “weathered” and “rickety” quarter of New Orleans, she quickly
becomes a figure of isolation, drawing a degree of sympathy from the audience as her
loneliness is evident perpetually. By her own admission, after the demise of all whom she
held dear at Belle Reve, Blanche is desperately seeking human company;
"I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I can't be alone!"
In addition to her cultural loneliness within the setting of New Orleans, Blanche’s constant
inability to deal with the reality she finds herself trapped in, results in her persistently living in
the past or intoxicating herself so as to avoid confronting her demons. Her repeated
references to Alan, her young lover, emphasize this desire to escape reality
"These are love letters, yellowing with antiquity, all from one boy.....Poems a dead boy wrote.
I hurt him the way that you would like to hurt me, but you can't! I'm not young and vulnerable
any more. But my young husband was...”
Such references to her past tie in with the aforementioned theme of lost youth and as such
Blanche’s importance in binding themes in “A Streetcar Named Desire” cannot be
underestimated.
Whilst loneliness does not feature in “Sweet Bird of Youth” as prominently, there are still
definite underlying hints of emotional solitude in the character of Chance Wayne. It certainly
appears to the audience that despite masquerading as a confident, almost arrogant, individual
there are undercurrents of discontentment below the surface of Chance’s persona. This most
noticeably manifests itself as Chance’s constant need for attention, particularly in his delusion
regarding his home town, St. Cloud;
“... and when I came home for those visits, man how that town buzzed with excitement.”
In addition, his sexual promiscuity could arguably be seen as an attempt to verify his own
existence in a desperate bid to stave off the thought of loneliness.