SND - Theme of Violence vs Cruelty Flashcards
How to write the introduction?
‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is a play written by Tennessee Williams. It involves our protagonist Blanche, who visits her sister Stella and her new brother-in-law Stanley in New Orleans over the summer period. Throughout the play, the theme of violence versus control is explored through one of the central characters Stanley, who is deemed a hostile and cruel individual which the audience can see through the use of language, stage directions and word choice.
Stage directions Stanley is ‘carrying a red-stained package’
‘red’ - word choice - connotations of blood, anger, violence and aggression, hints at Stanley’s personality.
foreshadows about what might happen in the rest of the play and what Stanley’s hostile and dangerous nature will contribute to it.
Stage directions Stanley ‘heaves the package’ at Stella
‘heave’ - word choice - suggests Stanley has used all his strength in throwing the package at his wife, confirms that he can be a violent individual.
Shocks the audience that Stanley could do this to his wife.
creates unsettling nature from the beginning of play as Stanley is a careless man who does not think twice about the consequences of his actions and how this will affect other characters in the rest of the play.
Stella: ‘Drunk-Drunk animal thing you!’
Stage directions Stanley ‘charges after Stella’
‘animal’ - word choice - suggests that it is a normal occurrence for Stanley to act inhuman and rude seeing as Stella can recognise him acting this way and can say it in-front of his friends.
The stage direction of Stanley’s hostile response confirms how wild he can be, especially to his wife Stella, who he should love and protect.
Stage direction of (sound of a blow) and then (Stella cries out)
Suggests that Stanley had gotten physical with Stella to frighten her and put her in her place as being his wife and that she must never disobey him.
Highlights that Stanley does not care who the person is, whether it is his wife or friend, he will become violent towards the person to show that he is at the top and that it should be unthinkable of disrespecting him.
Stanley: ‘ Ticket! Back to Laurel! On the Greyhound! Tuesday!’
(Blanche tries to smile. Then she tries to laugh.. she clutches her throat and then runs into the bathroom. coughing, gagging sounds are heard)
The language use of repeated exclamation marks emphasises that he is making a mockery of Blanche with her ‘present’ highlighting how she is not welcomed into the Family and that her stay is overdue.
Stanley knows that Blanche only has Stella left, as she has been shunned out of Laurel due to her promiscuous past - shows how cold hearted Stanley is as he finds this situation almost humorous, knowing that by getting rid of Blanche, he can finally have Stella back and go back to ‘normality’
stage directions show that Blanche feels physically ill by this - being alone and not being able to be with Stella
-> highlights how malicious Stanley is towards Blanche
Emphasises on theme of cruelty as Stanley is not physically harming Blanche, he is emotionally harming her by forcing her out of her sisters life.
Stanley is ‘grinning amiably’
Stanley: ‘ there isn’t a goddamn thing but imagination’
Stage direction - Blanche (she moans. the bottle top drops. he picks up her inert figure and carries her to bed)
Stanley is acting happy to deceive Blanche, leading her to tell him all about her ‘admirer’ - Stanley knows there is nobody
Stanley snaps at Blanche - audience is aware of how Stanley is, but by his actions of snapping at Blanche in her most vulnerable state emphasises how sadistic of a character he is
Stanley begins to act out his plan for Blanche
‘inert’ - word choice - suggest unable to move/stuck and highlights that Stanley has got Blanche under his control and making her fearful of him
Stanley knew nobody would believe what he did to Blanche because of her delusional state, which confirms how cruel Stanley is
