Music Flashcards
Theme
What is the the significance of music in the play
music plays a significant role both as a mood setter and as a source of characterisation.
What is the significance of the blue piano
The blue piano is usually invoked in scenes of great passion; Williams states in the opening stage directions that it “expresses the spirit of the life” of Elysian Fields
What is the significance of the Varsouviana music
The Varsouviana is the polka tune to which Blanche and her husband, were dancing to. The polka and the moment it evokes represent Blanche’s loss of innocence. Blanche hears the Varsouviana whenever she panics and loses her grip on reality.
What is the significance of ‘it’s only a paper moon’
The song’s lyrics describe the way love turns the world into a “phony” fantasy. These lyrics sum up Blanche’s approach to life. She believes that her fibbing is only her means of enjoying a better way of life and is therefore essentially harmless.
