1. Blanche and Stella’s sisterly relationship and its volatility
- “You left! I stayed and struggled” use of exclamative highlights Blanche’s
hysteria. Sibilance used to emphasise Blanche’s seething envy and resentment
towards her sister leaving. Blanche had to stay and take the struggle but Stella
escaped. Blanche is forever scarred from it.
- “All the burden” “on my shoulders” Blanche goes on a long dramatic monologue
where Stella chooses not to listen because she’s being too “morbid.” This shows
how whilst Blanche faced the hardship, Stella could once again just walk away.
- Stella describes Blanche as having a “superior attitude” which suggests that
Blanche believes herself better because of her status and what she has faced.
Blanche endured the “loss” of Belle Reve clinging on to the Antebellum South
and her status as a Southern Belle.whereas, Stella tarnished her status by
marrying a “polack” Blanche thinks she has “forgotten” her roots and “superior
upbringing". Blanche’s eventual downfall shows Williams thinks this is absurd and
clinging on to the past means you will fall with it.
2. Toxic and unhealthy marriage of Stella and Stanley
- Stanley is violent and abuses Stella but she continues to stay
- She is pregnant so maybe that’s keeping her here but she seems to want to stay.
“I’m not in anything I want to get out of”
- Blanche assumes Stella hates her life
- She is “thrilled by it” when Stanley throws a lightbulb on their wedding night. This
violence is unusual and not something to be thrilled by
- Makes the audience uncomfortable
- Could link to how women couldn’t have financial independency in this time period
- Stella was given “ten pounds” by Stanley and she was very happy with it willing
to share it with Blanche
- This shows how she can’t escape because she needs his money
3. Stella’s baby replacing Blanche
- Loss of the old south
- Blanche suffers a mental collapse taken to a mental institution like Williams’
sister.
- Eunice “places the child in her arms” when Blanche is being taken away. Shows
how Blanche’s presence in Stella’s life is being replaced.
- Baby represents vitality of the new world
- Domesticity and motherhood as a shield for women in postwar america
- “You left! I stayed and struggled” use of exclamative highlights Blanche’s
hysteria. Sibilance used to emphasise Blanche’s seething envy and resentment
towards her sister leaving. Blanche had to stay and take the struggle but Stella
escaped. Blanche is forever scarred from it.
- “All the burden” “on my shoulders” Blanche goes on a long dramatic monologue
where Stella chooses not to listen because she’s being too “morbid.” This shows
how whilst Blanche faced the hardship, Stella could once again just walk away.
- Stella describes Blanche as having a “superior attitude” which suggests that
Blanche believes herself better because of her status and what she has faced.
Blanche endured the “loss” of Belle Reve clinging on to the Antebellum South
and her status as a Southern Belle.whereas, Stella tarnished her status by
marrying a “polack” Blanche thinks she has “forgotten” her roots and “superior
upbringing". Blanche’s eventual downfall shows Williams thinks this is absurd and
clinging on to the past means you will fall with it.
2. Toxic and unhealthy marriage of Stella and Stanley
- Stanley is violent and abuses Stella but she continues to stay
- She is pregnant so maybe that’s keeping her here but she seems to want to stay.
“I’m not in anything I want to get out of”
- Blanche assumes Stella hates her life
- She is “thrilled by it” when Stanley throws a lightbulb on their wedding night. This
violence is unusual and not something to be thrilled by
- Makes the audience uncomfortable
- Could link to how women couldn’t have financial independency in this time period
- Stella was given “ten pounds” by Stanley and she was very happy with it willing
to share it with Blanche
- This shows how she can’t escape because she needs his money
3. Stella’s baby replacing Blanche
- Loss of the old south
- Blanche suffers a mental collapse taken to a mental institution like Williams’
sister.
- Eunice “places the child in her arms” when Blanche is being taken away. Shows
how Blanche’s presence in Stella’s life is being replaced.
- Baby represents vitality of the new world
- Domesticity and motherhood as a shield for women in postwar america
