How does Tennessee Williams suggest that Blanche is being ‘torn away’ from her ‘chosen image’ within Scenes 7 and 8?
The playwright Tennessee Williams effectively suggests that Blanche is being ‘torn away’ away from her chosen image through the use of language, form, and structure, hence creating and building tragedy. Williams builds this climax of Blanche being ‘torn away’ from her chosen image within scenes 7 and 8, which I will be exploring, such as: the use of form, e.g- the main features of Arthur Miller’s ‘modern domestic tragedy’ and how Williams portrays this within scenes 7 and 8 in relation to Blanche. The fact that ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is a play is very effective in regards to portraying this idea of displacement, the reason being, the play is a dramatic genre. Therefore, Williams has tools such as Dramatic devices, such as: the use of musical instruments, dramatic irony, stage directions and so forth.
Tennessee Williams successfully illustrates this concept by means of the use of language and structure in many ways which I will be discussing, such as: the use of dramatic irony, which is created through the contrapuntal technique; secondly, introducing the audience to the tense relationship between Stanley and Blanche, and structuring the scene in such a way that the audience are made aware that Blanche’s chosen image is in jeopardy, via Stanley’s comment: “Things I already suspected. But now I got proof from the most reliable sources- which I have checked on!” This creates tragedy, as the mood of the scene is tense, and awkward, which is ironic because it is Blanche’s birthday.
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According to Arthur Miller, the main feature of modern domestic tragedy “derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world”. Interestingly, Blanches chosen image is the past, and this reflects the idea of the ‘past impinging on the present’, I believe this notion creates tragedy within the play, because as an audience we are aware of the fact that Blanche will not be able to maintain her chosen image, for two reasons: firstly she has an open enemy- Stanley: “I’ve got th’dope on your big sister Stella”, and secondly Blanches procrastinations, which is her refusal to accept reality.
Furthermore, Williams begins the scene by using the ‘stage directions’ as an effective tool to ‘loosen her chosen image’, as a result of introducing the audience to Blanche’s birthday, the setting reflects this happy occasion: ‘the portiere are open and a table is set for a birthday supper, with cake and flowers. Stella is completing the decorations as Stanley comes in”. This suggests that Williams is forcing Blanche’s age on her, since she does not want to face reality and this as a result ‘torn away’ her chosen image which is to be young. This is tragic because the main features of tragedy according to Aristotle is the notion that the Tragic hero suffers a misfortunes because of some error or weakness- a tragic flaw, I believe that Blanches tragic flaw is the fact that she is not able to face reality.
Moreover, Williams employs the dramatic device ‘stage directions’ to emphasise the concept that Blanche is out of reality: “Blanche is singing in the bathroom a saccharine popular ballad which is used contrapuntally with Stanley’s speech” , dramatic irony is effectively created through this contrapuntal technique, because the audience acknowledges of her ‘exposure’ before she does. The aspect that Blanche’s singing is used contrapuntally with Stanley’s speech is very effective. Contrapuntal can be defined as the contrast of two things happening simultaneously.
The Essay on Stays In Reality Stanley Blanche Drinking
The Play "A Streetcar Named Desire," written by Tennessee Williams, is about a woman named Blanche Duboise whose last hope of finding security becomes shattered by her malicious brother-in-law Stanley Kowalsky. This fictional play takes place in the late forties or early fifties in New Orleans, Louisiana. Blanche Duboise moves in with her sister Stella Kowalsky, and brother-in-law Stanley Kowalsky ...
Therefore, we can apply this definition of contrapuntal to the plans Stanley has, which are to convince Mitch to not marry Blanche. For example: Stanley asks Stella “Is company expected?” this creates the impression that Stanley has already convinced Mitch not marrying Blanche, and he wants to inform Stella: Stella replies to Stanley: “We asked Mitch to come over for cake and ice-cream”
