Context Flashcards
(16 cards)
PLAYWRIGHT BACKGROUND:
Who wrote A Streetcar Named Desire and when was it first performed?
Tennessee Williams; first performed in 1947.
PLAYWRIGHT BACKGROUND:
What aspects of Tennessee Williams’ life influenced the play?
His experience with mental illness in his family (his sister Rose), his homosexuality, and his feeling of being an outsider.
POST WAR AMERICA:
What was American society like after WWII?
A time of rapid change — returning soldiers, rise of consumerism, gender role shifts, and tensions between traditional and modern values.
POST WAR AMERICA:
How does Streetcar reflect post-war societal tensions?
Through the clash between Stanley (new America — working class, raw, modern) and Blanche (old South — genteel, declining aristocracy).
DECLINE OF OLD SOUTH:
How is the decline of the Old South represented in the play?
Blanche symbolizes the decaying aristocracy and lost gentility of the antebellum South.
DECLINE OF OLD SOUTH:
What historical event contributed to the decline of the Southern aristocracy?
The Civil War and Reconstruction, which economically and socially dismantled plantation-based wealth.
GENDER ROLES & MASCULINITY:
What does Stanley represent in terms of masculinity?
Assertive, aggressive masculinity — the rise of the dominant, working-class male.
GENDER ROLES & MASCULINITY:
How are women portrayed in post-war America in the play?
As caught between tradition and modernity — Blanche clings to outdated ideals, while Stella adapts by submitting to Stanley.
MENTAL HEALTH:
How does Streetcar explore mental illness?
Through Blanche’s psychological decline, reflecting Williams’ own experiences with his sister and perceptions of mental instability.
MENTAL HEALTH:
What was society’s view of mental illness in the 1940s?
Mental illness was heavily stigmatized and often dealt with through institutionalization, as seen at the end of the play.
SETTING - NEW ORLEANS:
Why is New Orleans important as the setting?
It represents a melting pot of cultures, sexuality, and social classes — vibrant but also chaotic, contrasting with Blanche’s refined ideals.
SETTING - NEW ORLEANS:
How does the setting reflect themes in the play?
It emphasizes the conflict between illusion and reality, old and new values, and freedom versus repression.
SEXUALITY & CENSORSHIP:
How is sexuality treated in Streetcar?
Openly yet problematically — desire is central, but homosexuality is coded and subject to censorship (Blanche’s husband’s suicide).
SEXUALITY & CENSORSHIP:
What were the restrictions of the Hays Code on stage/screen adaptations?
Banned open references to homosexuality and required moral “justice,” leading to changes in film versions of the play.
CULTURE & LITERARY INFLUENCES:
What dramatic tradition influenced Streetcar?
American realism and naturalism — gritty, character-driven drama focused on social issues and inner conflict.
CULTURE & LITERARY INFLUENCES:
What role does tragedy play in Streetcar?
It echoes classical tragedy — Blanche is a flawed protagonist whose downfall is both personal and societal.
