Scene Analysis of ‘A Streetcar Named desire’
Scene 1
Blanche’s arrival in Elysian field. There is an undercurrent of
tension in the meeting between Blanche and Stella. Blanche
admits the loss of belle Reve. Blanche and Stanley meet for the
firt time creating an uneasy atmosphere.
Opening scene acts to introduce some of the major themes such as
the social distinction between Blanche and many of the other
characters in the play, especially Stanley. She treats those around
her sister’s apartment as inferior and almost like they are there to
serve her. This treatment is continued with Stella, treating her like a
child who must run her errands.
Also aware of Blanche’s relationship with alcohol, she craves a drink
yet she tries, and fails, to hide this from Stanley and Stella. It is
repeatedly referred to, highlighting what an issue it is for the
character.
Blanche is also introduced as a vain character that requires constant
flattery. Her insecurities lie in the fact she feels she is losing her looks
and the kind comments of others allow her to put these thoughts to
the back of her mind. This scene introduces her as the main
character and this is done through stage directions as well as
interactions with others.
Introduction of Stanley relies heavily on stage directions as his
dialogue is limited. We are presented with a man who is full of sexual
magnetism, explaining somewhat why Stella is so infatuated with him.
Stella, in contrast, is given very little description and the audience is
left to build their own picture of her.
Music is also introduced as an important aspect in the play. The ‘blue
piano’ represents the cultural melting pot of New Orleans and the
polka (which only Blanche can hear) as a symbol of the guilt that she
feels about her past.
Scene 3
The sisters return after their night out to find the men still
playing poker. Stanley is obviously drunk and becomes jealous
of Mitch’s interest in Blanche. Stanley’s behaviour escalates and
he hits Stella who returns to him shortly after. Blanche is
distressed by this and Mitch comforts her.
This should be viewed as a pivotal scene in the play. The way in
which Stanley dominates over his friends should be taken not of; it is
not just Stella that is devoted to him but all those who surround him.
When Mitch shows an interest in Blanche, Stanley becomes jealous
and perhaps this leads to the subsequent drunken rage during which
Stella is struck. However, she soon returns to him only to further
highlight the passion that the marriage is based on. The hysterical
reaction by Blanche is noted by Stanley and serves as another
reason for him to get rid of her. He also takes note of her passing half
naked so that the men may see, and will recall this later when
revealing her promiscuous past. By this point we are faced with a
number of contradictions in her character; from Southern Belle to
cheap seductress. However the audience is encouraged to pity her at
the end of the scene with the words ‘I need kindness now.’
Scene 4
After the events of the previous night, Blanche encourages
Stella to leave Stanley but Stella refuses. Stanley overhears
Blanche’s condemnation of him.
This is a scene that offers the audience a break from the high drama
and tension that was present in the previous scene. The audience is
now aware of the deeply passionate and often volatile relationship
that exists between Stanley and Stella and it is clear that Blanche
does not understand this type of love. This allows us to see that
Blanche, despite her sexual encounters, has never really experienced
passion in its purest form. Stella is annoyed at Blanche’s attitude and
this is shown to the audience through her dry ironical comments.
This scene is key in Stanley’s growing dislike of Blanche as he
overhears her criticism of him and is now intent on getting rid of her.
His grinning at the end of the scene shows Stanley’s intent to bring
Blanche down to his level.
Scene 5
Stanley begins to hint that he knows something about Blanche’s
past, who is trying to offer an explanation to Stella about her
behaviour and her fear of growing old. Stella encourages her to
marry Mitch though Blanche puts this in jeopardy when she flirts
with a young man whilst waiting for Mitch to arrive.
Opens with a violent argument between Eunice and Steve which sets
a threatening undertone for the rest of the scene. Stanley and
Blanche have a conversation in which it becomes clear that Stanley
has discovered something about Blanche’s past which unnerves her.
Blanche talks to Stella and suggests the extent of her sexual liaisons,
citing that she needed them in order to feel attractive and important.
This prompts the audience to feel sympathy for her as we recognize
that she is et for self-destruction, always searching for sexual
gratification.
A young man arrives and Blanche kisses him despite the fact that she
is awaiting Mitch’s arrival. This incident highlights the contradictions
within her character; she has shown her desperation to marry Mitch,
yet is willing to risk it all for a minor flirtation. We are left thinking that
there will be no happy ending for her.
Scene 6
Mitch and Blanche return from their date, though it becomes
clear that it has not gone well. They talk awkwardly and Blanche
tells him of her husband’s suicide. Mitch suggests they marry.
As the couple enters the mood is depressing after and unsuccessful
date and each party is willing to blame themselves for this. Blanche
attempts to lighten the mood by suggesting that they pretend they are
in a café in the Left Bank in Paris; she has completely misread the
situation. She then offers to sleep with him in French and risks being
found out for who she really is. What the audience is really seeing is
that Blanche cannot cope with the realities of life and is looking for
salvation in Mitch, but we are really questioning whether she could
cope with the ordinary existence of being a wife.
Blanche also speaks of Stanley’s dislike of her and suggests that this
may be down to the fact that he is sexually attracted to her in some
way. Mitch does not understand this and the audience can clearly see
that she has gained knowledge of men’s attitudes towards things
through her sexual liaisons.
The function of this scene is to foreshadow the events of scene 10
when she is speculating about Stanley’s attitude towards her.
Scene 7
Stella is preparing a birthday dinner for Blanche and is
interrupted by Stanley arriving with details he has learned about
Blanche’s promiscuous past. Stanley has also informed Mitch of
this and he has decided not to attend the birthday tea.
Throughout this scene the audience witness the dramatic contrast
between Stanley’s feelings about his discover and Blanche’s
sentimental song she singing in the bath. Stanley gleefully tells Stella
of her sister’s past indiscretions as Blanche continues blissfully
unaware in the bathroom next door which creates dramatic impact for
the audience. Blanches bathing acts as a metaphor for her need to
‘cleanse’ herself of her past acts but also of her being oblivious to
what is happening nearby add to the tension throughout the play.
Scene 8
Blanche has realized that Mitch is not going to attend her
birthday dinner. Stanley upsets Blanche by giving her a bus
ticket home for her present which then prompts an argument
between him and Stella. The argument is interrupted as Stella
goes into labour.
The mood frequently changes as the events of this scene unfold. At
the start of the scene there is an air of embarrassment due to Mitch’s
decision not to attend Blanche’s birthday dinner. The mood then
moves to a more violent one as Stanley’s cruelty towards Blanche
becomes more apparent. Williams breaks the mood in a tense
moment in the plot by introducing Stella’s labour, moving the focus
away from Blanche. The interruption also provides Stanley the
opportunity to be alone with Blanche in scene 10. The scene ends
with the focus returning to Blanche as she begins to murmur in
Spanish, highlighting her now fated descent into insanity.
The music in this scene is significant as the Vaesouviana polka is
heard to remind the audience of Blanche’s past, her inability to cope
with it and the impending disaster that surrounds her.
Scene 9
Mitch arrives to find Blanche drinking. She tries to explain her
past behaviour towards him but Mitch decides that she is not a
person that he can consider making his wife. Her tries to rape
her but her cries frighten him away.
This scene is key to Blanche’s descent into madness. Blanche is
trying to silence the polka music with her drinking but also wants to
hide her alcoholism from Mitch. She finally admits the truth to Mitch,
that she did have ‘many intimacies with strangers’ and the audience
are somewhat shocked by the extent of her indiscretions. Williams
symbolizes this stripping back of Blanche’s pretences through the
tearing of the paper lantern, leaving Blanche laid bare and Mitch not
knowing how to handle this truth, tries to rape her. The audience now
get a better sense of Blanche’s true character, ‘I tell what ought to be
the truth’. She wants to give people the reality that will please them
the most and escapes the ugliness of the truth (just as a Southern
Belle would). This will become even more apparent in the next few
scenes as she struggles further with what is reality.
The music again plays an important part as we hear the polka over
and over as Blanche tries to silence it with alcohol. The shot that
always ends this painful reminder of her husband’s suicide only
comes after Mitch’s attempt to rape her.
Scene 10
Blanche is dressed up and struggling to cope with any kind of
reality when Stanley comes home to find her. He laughs at her
which upsets her greatly, Stanley, seeing this as an opportunity
to finally dominate her, rapes her.
This is the dramatic climax of the play and we enter this scene with a
sense of impending doom for Blanche. The description given to her at
the start creates a sordid image where everything is damaged much
like Blanche herself. The audience can see that Blanche is
descending into madness as her talks of her admirers. Her breaking
of the mirror is significant as it marks the start of the bad luck that she
is about to feel the wrath of.
Despite an initial friendly gesture from Stanley, he soon misinterprets
Blanche when she says ‘casting my pearls before swine, and turns on
her. Blanche is clearly terrified of him and the stage directions of what
is going on in, and outside, the apartment help to add to this
menacing atmosphere. (as does the music and the locomotive)
Stanley’s entrance in his gaudy wedding night pajamas hint at the
events that are about to follow. Blanche’s terror only serves to arouse
Stanley and the audience sense that there is an inevitability for what
is about to happen, Stanley echoes this when he says ‘we have had
this date with each other from the beginning.’
Scene 11
It is a few weeks after the rape and Stella is seen packing
Blanche’s belongings whilst the men are playing poker. Blanche
seems to think that she is going on a cruise with a mystery
admirer when it is clear that Stella has agreed to her being
committed to a mental asylum. The doctor and nurse arrive to
take Blanche away and Stella comforts her by making love to
her.
This scene opens with a more subdued mood after the dramatic
events of the previous scene. The men’s poker game contrasts to
that of the earlier scene where it was quite boisterous. When Stanley
rips off the paper lantern again Blanche becomes distressed as it
reminds her of the rape. Blanche also tells of a daydream where she
should die on a cruise from eating an unwashed grape which
highlights her need for cleanliness, especially after Stanley’s actions.
When Blanche finally faces up to the reality of what is happening as
the audience learn of the truth; that Blanche is to be committed to an
asylum. Blanche seems a changed character; she lacks vanity and
behaves in a quiet and dignified way. She becomes the focus of the
scene for the audience.
The final act of Stanley comforting Stella by making love to her is
perhaps the most ironic as he has managed to control both sisters
through sexual dominance and in many ways Stella has become as
much as a victim as Blanche.