Streetcar context Flashcards
(23 cards)
How is Streetcar a typical tragic drama?
It adheres to the three unities of time, place and action adapted from the Aristotelian rules for a classic Greek tragedy. This is because the action takes place over a set period of time (around 6 months), within a single setting (the apartment) and concerns a single plotline (the rising tension between Blanche and Stanley).
How is Streetcar a modern domestic tragedy?
The tragic hero has an elevated status, but it isn’t as high as royalty or nobility, and rather than looking at wider society, it focuses inwards on the psychology of the characters
What is the genre of the Southern Gothic?
This was a popular literary genre that began in the early 19th century in response to the loss and destruction of the Civil War
How does Streetcar fit into the Southern Gothic genre?
The lyrical writing style, a protagonist overwhelmed by torrid longing and psychological disintegration.
What did Reigh say about the Old South?
“Like Williams, fellow Southern writers such as Lillian Hellman, Edgar Allen Poe and William Faulkner depicted the Old South as defeated as much by its own corruption as by the threat of a newly emerging society”
How was the play received?
The play received a variety of responses when it first appeared on Broadway. Some audiences rejected the bold portrayal of sexuality, morality and desire, but some admired the crude realism of Williams’ work. After the first Broadway staged show, there was reportedly an applause that lasted for 30 minutes, showing its popularity
What did Robert J. say about Williams and his work?
He called Williams an “ultra-realist” who was blunt in his ideas and focused on basic human needs and behaviours
How did the audience respond to Stanley?
Some contemporary audiences viewed Stanley as the victim of Blanche’s madness and attack on his masculinity. The rape scene has been justified as event initiated by Blanche through her flirting and exhibitionism. Some contemporary audiences were reported to have cheered during the rape scene.
How much of the play is truthful?
It could be labelled as semi-biographical, as many of the characters are built around his real-life relationships. Williams’ father was a working-class salesman and an alcoholic, his mother was a Southern belle, this mirrors the relationship between Stanley and Blanche. Williams was gay and struggled with loneliness and depression, perhaps mirroring Allan Grey
What is the American Dream?
The American Dream is an utopian ideal that bypasses the pre-existing social class barriers and involves freedom, independence and equality of independence for all. It centres around the idea that everybody, no matter their background, has equal access to opportunities, as long as they are willing to work for it. The play portrays the American Dream as an elusive and destructive force. The characters’ pursuit of success and happiness often leads to disillusionment and tragedy, highlighting the disparity between their dreams and reality.
What do Stanley and Blanche represent?
Stanley symbolises the American Dream as he is an immigrant who, through hard work and determination, aims to achieve a comfortable life. This provides an explanation as to why Stanley detests Blanche, as she represents the stagnant and materialistic portion of society that holds class and racial prejudice.
What impact did the Civil War have?
The Civil War ended in 1865 with the victory of the Northern states. A consequence of this was the alienation of the South as they gained a reputation of racism and poverty. During the Civil War, the Southern states were against the abolishment of slavery as their plantations and main source of income were built upon slave labour. Blanche and Stella’s home, Belle Reve, was a plantation, meaning that their wealth and status was the product of slave labour.
Why does the play focus on the Civil War rather than WWII?
The play was written in 1947, but rather than focussing on the more recent WWII, it places a weightier emphasis on the Civil War. This can be seen as themes and elements of the play can be traced back to social and cultural changes that occurred during the aftermath of the Civil War. Blanche symbolises the Southern aristocracy and her inability to reconcile with her tragic past and adapt to the changing world represents the broader struggle of the South to reconcile its identity and history after the war. Arguably, the play focuses more on the Civil War because the social change and divide that occurred was transformative to America and the internal nature of a Civil War lends itself to the domestic tragedy genre.
How did WWII impact the status of working class men?
The events of WWII enabled American heroism to develop and a spotlight was shone on working-class men, such as Stanley. When these men rejoined the peacetime workforce, they were seen as bearers of American hard-working spirit. This new reputation could explain why Stanley feels a sense of superiority and why he is so opposed to Blanche’s arrival as she threatens this position by favouring the past over this new order.
How were women impacted by WWII?
During WWII, the percentage of women in the national workforce rose from 27% to 37%. However, after the war ended, women were pushed back into domestic roles. This provides an explanation as to why Stella chose Stanley over Blanche towards the end of the play. It was an act of self-preservation, as she needed Stanley to provide for her
How do contemporary gender norms impact the characters?
Blanche can be considered to exhibit more masculine traits in both her explicit sexuality and her arrogance, whereas Mitch and Allan both showcase more sensitive and feminine traits. Throughout the play, it becomes apparent that contemporary societal gender norms negatively impact the main characters, driving them towards either mental (Blanche) or moral (Mitch) decay or death (Allan).
What did Albert Wertheim say about Stella and Stanley’s future?
He considered their son a representation of a Kowalski future, rather than a Dubois one
How did immigration impact society?
In the late 19th-20th century, new immigrants from Italy, Ireland, Poland, Greece, Hungary and the Slavic countries created a new racial middle ground as they were considered not fully white.
What was the reputation of New Orleans?
New Orleans was considered to be a melting pot, where people of different backgrounds were welcome. This means that Blanche arrived as an outsider, bringing her traditional notions of superiority that threatened the new way of living. Whilst all of the main characters are white, Williams uses background characters such as ‘The Woman’ and ‘Mexican Woman’ as well as jazz music to create an atmosphere of diversity and ‘otherness’.
How was morality determined?
Puritan and Christian principles contributed to American culture and beliefs. The prejudice against homosexuality and ideas about sexual immorality stem from Christian principles, as well as the idea that a wife must submit to her husband.
How do Freudian principles apply to the characters?
Stanley represents the id, as he indulges animalistic pleasures and is driven by primitive desires. Blanche could be considered the superego as she struggles with principles of morality and social norms and Stella represents the ego, as she is a realist and acts pragmatically.
How can the play be viewed from a feminist lens?
From a feminist lens, the play is a critique of the expectations of patriarchal society. This is also shown through Williams’ subversion of twisted contemporary masculinity and femininity. Feminist critics may see Blanche as the victim of an oppressive patriarchal ideology.
How could the play be viewed from a Marxist lens?
Through a Marxist lens, Stanley could symbolise the reigning champion of the working class as he represented the ideal of the American dream. His role as a Marxist hero is exemplified as he defeats the old aristocratic ways by removing Blanche (the symbol of the bourgeois) and moving on with his wife and newborn son (symbolic of the hope in his future).
