"A Streetcar Named Desire"

"A Streetcar Named Desire"

The drama is basically about a married couple -Stella and Stanley Kowalski- who are visited by Stella's older sister, Blanche. The drama shows the caustic feelings of these people putting Blance DuBois in the center. The drama tells the story of the pathetic mental and emotional demise of a determined, yet fragile, repressed and delicate Southern lady born to a once-wealthy family of Mississippi planters.3 No doubt that the character of Blanche is the most complex one in the drama. She is truly a tragic heroine.

First she is introduced as a symbol of innocence and chastity.4 She is aristocratic and intelligent, and sensitive and fragile at the same time, also beautiful and this delicate beauty has a moth-like appearance. But these positive characteristics are overshadowed by the fact that Blanche arrives to Elysian Fields, which is a poor section of New Orleans, on two streetcars, Desire and Cemeteries. These misterious expressions, which can be considered to be the main symbols of the play, suggest that something is is not clear around Blanhe or that something wrong will happen towards the end. Elysian Fields symbolizes paradise beyond death from ancient lore,3 Desire expresses Blanche's desire to be loved and Cemeteries represents her fear of death.4

Blanche represents a deep-seated attachment to the past.5 Her life is a lesson how tragic events events in the past can ruin a person's future. Her husband's death affects her the most.

Blanche was only a young girl without any experience when she got married. She married Allan Grey, who was only sixteen. Their marriage started well, but later the young wife found out that Allan was homosexual.

"I didn't know anything except I loved him unendurably but without being able to help him or help myself. Then I found out. In the worst of all possible ways. By coming, suddenly into a room that I thought was empty ,which wasn't empty, but...

View Full Essay

  • Submitted by: gingerspam
  • Date Submitted: 07/01/2008 12:46 PM
  • Category: Book Reports
  • Words: 1154
  • Pages: 5
  • Views: 266
  • Popularity Rank: 1150

View Full Essay

Want More?

Thousands of students trust PeerPapers.com for help with their writing. Shouldn't you?

Join Now