Themes Flashcards
(10 cards)
How is desire presented in A Streetcar Named Desire?
Desire drives the characters - Blanche’s downfall begins with desire (“A streetcar named desire”) and Stanley and Stella’s physical attraction keeps them together. It’s shown as powerful, destructive, and central to identity.
How does the themes of power and control appear in the play?
Power is shown through gender, class and physical dominance. Stanley asserts control through aggression. Blanche uses manipulation and fantasy to retain a sense of power but ultimately loses.
How is the conflict between illusion and reality shown?
Blanche lives in illusion - about her past, age and future. Stanley’s brutal realism exposes her lies. The play explores whether illusion is necessary for survival in a harsh world.
How is masculinity explored in the play?
Stanley embodies aggressive, working-class, toxic masculinity - dominant and physical. The play critiques toxic masculinity through his violence and need to assert authority over women.
What does the play suggest about women and femininity?
Blanche and Stella reflect restricted roles - Stella defends on Stanley, while Blanche is punished for sexual independence. The play shows how women are trapped by societal expectations.
How is mental instability/madness portrayed?
Blanche’s fragile mental state worsens as she loses control. The theme explores how trauma, isolation and repression lead to breakdown, and how society fails to support the mentally ill.
What role does violence play in the play?
Stanley’s physical and emotional cruelty is central. The play shows domestic violence as normalised and accepted by characters like Stella, highlighting a brutal reality beneath surface relationships.
How is class conflict shown?
Blanche’s fading Southern aristocracy clashes with Stanleys proud working-class identity. The tension drives much of the drama, reflecting broader post-war social shifts.
How is sexuality presented in Streetcar?
Sexuality is powerful and dangerous. Blanche is condemned for hers, while Stanley uses his to dominate. The play critiques how society judges women’s sexuality more harshly than men’s.
How is loneliness a key theme in the play?
Blanche is profoundly isolated - emotionally and physically. Her desparation for companionship leads to destructive choices, emphasising the human need for connection.
