1 Bid 1) Terme Wilms, Whore I Lie New Yo: New iets 1978), $0. 1 Anon hos Pls 1 Willen Corton, 24. 3 \ FELICIA HARDISON LONDRE A streetcar running fifty years donging, fool laugiter “The thiywo-ent United States postage stamp commemorating Tennesse Wiliams, issued in 1996, features a portrait of Wiliams in a white linen stasis twilight sky and inthe Background, a etreete. The choice of ‘the aretear a the only element in the design tat can be specclly ted 0 ‘one of Willams’ plays tesiier tothe centrality of A Stestar Nomed ‘Desire in his damatic canon a well sia the American curl conscious tess. Whether not A Streetcar Named Dee is Tennessee Willian “bert” play o even his soe performed ply i is pobably the one most closely ientied with the damatit, and ii erin the one that has ‘lcd the moa crteal commentary. ‘When A Sweeter Named Deve premiered atthe Ethel Barrymore ‘Theater in New York on December 3, 1947, Tennesee Wiliam wat esserially known tthe pablc for one oer ply, The Class Menagerie, ‘which hd ended a s6x-pefoemance ron at New York’ Playhouse Thestet Fr nen mon eee Tie ga om and coming sae Cie ST “he Gas Menagerie id not papse tearopn or be Sagat deci oA Serer Named Des, wits lens to mapeale ‘SEF OF AGN HE, one revewerelled the produ a at “Teor dope motion nda “ats SE Rap, raped “an crc Se ir wok sn caapled Willan “Witton ak of Anetcae damn: A Shei Nome ese fe t5 pecans adc tee ay crew al ee aot svc leas Pn Now ek Dra is Ce Ard aed Se otalen fer ‘Deve the eb ieencs beween tae wo erly Broadway sca ty the bey rch la commen ore of Tey ‘ian poy (a Sete None Dee mig be rad | omen oh ces eat wel ual nasgue) Kuni lJ Tiny hind 6A Steed and thematic preoccupations Sac lent inde he poi cas the lian of daloge and simonphereinteapeied by comedy the epsislogial xalise of che Aaisistetians po apa OTE epee | "lements, pops sound effects, gestures, and inguin mots; and the fous ‘on characters who ae payeiclly wounded or otherwise marginalized by ‘Ateetea running ity years rinazeam soy: characters seeking lost par, or ecape fom the ‘Stags of Une 0 Teage Wank th has OFS Unconpehending ‘redo age ase Contac Wer specicppeaionsw A Sreeea ‘Nae Desre wi Bncps nthe ene bye aaa belo Tei tring tote sme sling seseblances between A Seciar ‘Name Das and Caton Hot Tov Roo, which pemirel sven yor Ines March ag, 1955. Blanche is ike Brick in wing tw deny the ree of ie, whch roa both characters of olen apo tsaeoon Eat loved someone who was probably bomancral and ho commited tude er hip psf help met ection. ja Bance carr 4 sens of pil for wha she si to Allan Gacy onthe dance Noo Beck noe that he wat ltr banging pth phone on his end Skippce Beh nto dn, rick diking antl he Bartek in is bead that tmaes hn peel ut av Ble fa Scene 9 remain ppd by he poles ane in er etd ut she ears the st alway spy afi hat Bence and Magge the Cat rgd themselves ay one sole people who hve beorthadened in the proses of sual ese} Rows ad Baldy ar eats nob ouch iad vulgarity tat ake them Compaling fg The bal conta fears ings of oth play andthe bathroom fnctons a lato rege for bork Blanche Sand tie. Both plays lnc intrapeedbihday fess, mad oth ‘tore retaphrily fom dete to dat ane by the bid he Kownlils bby and the promie of ew icin the body of Mags Cerny ths kinds of parallel could be found in los any sles ‘ay by ams, but ee instuctve to noe ten in A Seca Named Ds the play he eared as his bes, ad atom Hot Tit Roof sot areata work In the ity years sice A Setar Namad Dare made i ial impact cm the Aenean singe sew modes of lerary rican os well a ching Sle of thestkalpedacton hae alfleted oar undersncing ofthe pay swthout dining our appreciation of x beany and pow Soe of those evoring or akered viewpoint wll be dacused below Tes here iis impoctne place te playin itso conext ones importance ints own tne. Broaden ate post Wold War yea wat dominaed hy mal comedies and sevnals of weiks by Aistopancs, Shakespeare Chethoy, Shay Wile Syge seo whe the sappy af Dew ply fr short of tie prevarabundanes. Fe’ plait af he gnen and 1996s made he tion ie he eeceeyvion tote “These, though oped by the Aled power vicory oda ring fpr yonprs dot can hab of ingengaprecnontat ‘wee born ote rgyor Depression nd uae by he 1 nleshing of‘PELIciA wanpison Lonpnt per weapons Tele eneraineat expen cal loge be (an by th sand paclagag sod Sy ending fhe “wevae ay” in cinne he let acces orsign of 4 |e Nave Dave su sca e ath sald {fee ag singe et moat SS ‘Co aly gu at fg: pee St oh onl nd sel sre rdurtof are ey Te poles ges fees nd sister me co opine wend Benches mene er enorumers wi faye wll Reve Alte chance isis "hick ws casips po fst, Ser Need De st shed sins at ouside of ON worst ete mesa ly in ich eu ware th corte ofa [ep hrc sey pve ee een "The play might be farther credited with reinvigorating theatrical conven- {on by ley ee fag ace whch apne! he nal ao ‘om nd baton, wih ayingGepes of prac) andthe pbc ten of te sees Themes Root hat ingly anal de Sma afta ons ace eng mumbo Wat fleet Th einer and exes of the lant sting So Teinfoce the mingling of objecive salty and the subjective realy that ‘een though the epes of Blanche DuBoi\The skill incorporation of lesa eee fra nan esesally“relstie" ama isapoier ofthe SE wa tn a seem ao immediate and yet vo transcendent the vrsimiliad and poeue power ofthe dialogue, the compeling characters squared off ina nly fulnced strogale on which ae brought o beara the resource ofthese. 1198p, Philp Kolin asked» numberof American dramatist wate a paragraph of two onthe inpotance of A Sweetcar Named Desire” The ‘hie reponss include thee (dose of William Haupuman, Terrence ‘McNally, and Paul Zndel) tha eer tothe “mystery” ofthe play they evoke both the mystery of ereatiity that produces art of hit magnitude ld the mystery of ths particular work Of ac that alwaye olds moce Secrets and more ches n water how many times iis deere, analyed, fo incerpreted. Tis esay then is but one attempt, mach indebred to fe ‘adesof scholarly study and thestiealprodoction, o mise some of the ays inealeuable weal (the fe indication of the plays biliance lies in is tle, A Sector | Nmad Desire, which signal the importance of theatrical metaphor in the ‘work, In adton tbe mundane concteteness of sexta” andthe barat case | A retain ity years ration evoked in “dese” point to the many antinomies — thanatc, boli, and imagitic opposition ~ imbedded thoughout the ‘lay The te also ties the action toa specifi locale (he French Quaterin [New Orleans war actualy served by sucetare mamed "Desie™ and “Cemeteies), andi plants the notion of movement from one place to nother (the action might be summed up at Blanche emotion journey fom dsr to mades) Willams setled on the tile ony afer sabmiting the completed manuscrif to his agent Audeey Wood ia 2947. Fora lest ‘yo years he had been working through evision, the various draft led ‘The Pasion of « Moth, Go, Sid the Bird, Blanche’ Chari the Moon, ‘The Mth, The Primary Colors, Electric Avenue, and The Poker Night? ‘Audrey Wood ebjeced to the ile onthe manuscript she recive, becase to her The Per Night sounded lie "s Western action nove” Willams ‘ad apparel been holding the Streetcar le in eserve al long.” a her study ofthe manusrips, Vivienne Dickson found that Willams fad alo considered Garou epigraphs, ach of which pinpoints a theme ot Th ska Tow’ pos play nar vou nda eae ed emecrtnay cmpuyaionteaee gy gt see Rimceaerie die rvs ‘OG Rit whlch ape Blanche might be sid to ave entered “the broken wold” when her young husband Allan Grey died many years before the action of the play begin is was the brief “visionary company of love," the los of which and the dele to “tae trap Rehr ale any pert “The action of A Stectar Named Desire is divided into eleven scenes. “There are no act divisions, but the exginal production placed the cus tomary two intermissons afer Scenes 4 and 6, Thove bess ls ask the seasonal divisions ofthe play, a8 Scenes through 4 take pce on wo consecutive days in ealy Mays Scenes and 6 0n a hot Augot evening, ‘Scenes 7 though 10 on the afternoon and ight of Blanche’ bithday, September tsi and Scene 2 "some weeks lates” kind of October coda “The same thee groupings of senes may be deed in terme of theit ominane gare. According to Roxana Str, who played Blanche in two “erent productions, "the Sst four tznes are comedy then come two scenes of elegy, mod) Fomance; then five scenes of tapedy™™ Tn hisshal notebook! cor Bs Karn susared cachof he eleven ‘ceo in tems of what Bunche was, aks happen, bas Bappen 0 ie "Gans arclaton of Blanche’ shroghlin of aton shows that, he mmot rar of the ply he considered bert Bethe protagonist: The ‘potogons seadonaly the character who fae hota npr of {ols one who males things happen wile holding the imere™ and Shmpathy ofthe rede or acces, andthe one whose eral Sake (ea deemines the outcome of the action. According to Kazan's Scheme Blanche crs comes in Sere 9, we she kes ae espera li ul The sath dooms er ‘Feely coniered rameter sont csive the cs oely {alowed by the clin (Ue totonal high pon fo the SSUES) ad if the ory aE zi re STH cia of A Tamed Dre te sndobedly Salers pee Blanche, which esate ed of Sern ro. Ta some cies pinpieStaly econ {Soe his nape plays cand this wld dently Sly 1 the ply rotagonit Inder, very oem cece productions of the ‘ay tat Salyer the one who gots the suds’ sympathies. This feu the coe even in Kens prodtion, in which Marlon Brando “roberan porta of taney Kowal not ol had the audence rooting {Er hs vcr over Blanche, br syeokeed Brando to ovemight fame a "Tmsee Wilansinended a SSEEERT Sasllteween Blanche and Stal, to show hat bo are comsTer Es whose vans end tebe tnut be undeenood aura mie ORES" OGG UTR OPES THO OPPORTSTEsTevable show own by which on wins and he other les. Ad ye, Scene 2 it that {Be nominal sane, Sanley hs also los i thatthe atone he ‘le t= thse oh HEWES ad Hs bs Kend Mich = wll ever apn be quite he sme lla’ characters, though fen wrong fended re oot agen of eigen, bat icin of tei wn Hed ee he lowe t ‘Fl enl i foprieden hi the depiction of characters whose supertia| miscomm subeeranean tumult hat sends thi ies pining ot of cone Infact, A ‘Srstcr Named Deve is ofen compared tothe Russian writers The Acces unig fey years tefage, hat much in common with that of Nina Zaechnaya in Chekhov's ‘The Seapul (496. The endings of Chekhor's Uncle Vanya (189) and ‘irae Sisters (rgot) ate echoed in Banc’ line in Scene 11 of A Sercar [Named Desir: "Lie has got wo go oa. No mater what happens, youve got to beep going” (58. An important Chekhovan feature of Teoneice Wiliams drama including A Seetcar Named Desires the us of music | (often fom an offstage source) and sound effects to heighten or comment ‘upon a dramatic moment. When Blinche panic, foc example, we heat \catsciech in the aly or locomotive thanderng past. From the opening moment of Scene , the atmosphere is evoked by = tinny “bla piano being played in a barroom around the comes, Coles and sont also describe in the opening stage dcectons underscore the ‘poverty, decay, and quaint charm of this New Orlane eet named Elysian Fis. Is lively multvethnicgy is established by the two women, “one white and one colored,” chang and joking on the steps of the balding where Stanley and Sella Kowal oespy the ret evel at ‘An exchange of ten shor lines inodces Stanley and Sil hsting at ber good beeing in contrast to ie coasenss. Hi inital action, tossing her a package of meat, sets up his sociation with fod ad drink tat wll become apparen throughout the ply (alongwith other physical need) “They hive sately lee for the bowing alley when Blanche appear, ingongroualy delicate figure in white. Eunice, the lanldy who ves" ‘Sp a that becomes present in reo spect Blanche’ fist ine a reference tothe eters hat brought her hee, suggests + movement beyond physial needs to ioellable mates of the ‘pit “Tey tld me to take a stret-car named Desire and then rae to ‘one called Cemeteries and ie six Blocks and get off at Eyeian Fie” (246). We wile her progres from the sexual “dei” hat cause he lose her jb a schooeacher toa mere dete fr “ext Yo the bul of her hope for redempion, to er going mad, which might be seen as. 2 ‘rosing over to a “parade” beyond personal responsiblity (thus the llusion othe classical eee concept ofthe Elysian Fels). Left alon inthe downsaic fer await hr ster Sella, Blanche reveals in her actions both the nervous sain she ie struggling co ke contol and he duplcy Fling bereft the whiskey she fdr erab (tars pedo er tat wil tone summon prcsea e ‘drinking. Sella’ arsvl unleashes in Blanche a torent of manipulative and defensive remarks. The scene serves not oaly 28 exposition, bu ial ses ‘up the contesting characterisation of heaters. When Blanche eres the flat and the neighborhood in Ierary terms ("Only Me Edgar Allan Poe! coald doi usice, Stella cespone with a matter referenceto rn realy °No, honey, those are the L 8 N wack” (253). Blanche ‘laine her departure from school Defoe te end of sing tee asa leave tf absence oosavoned by nervous exhaustion; tis wil later be revealed 36 ‘le, Her vanity comes to the fore when se points ou Sella’ weigh ai, ‘nd that she hasnt pa onan ounce inthe ten years since Stella lft home | Thus the rat cee dey sketches some of Banche's character flaws, There Blache is dubious about the acrangemene fo er vst: he bedi (ike Blanche herself) “one of those callable things” (256) and the absence of any door berween the two rooms ofthe Hat sises «question of decency fod pechape metaphorically herald the illdefned boundaries in ee ‘oning struggles with Stanley ovr terior space. At the same ine dhe "rgency of her isence on saying Kee ("watt tobe near You, go 0 be swith somebody, con't be alone!” [57] announces ber baie motive need for rfage and dese for human contact. Hin Kazan found the spine oF Blanche’ charac in sim term: fo "nd prveeson," which inthe ‘tation of the old South "mat be though another person." “The opposition of Blanche and Stanley is foreshadowed even before they inet Sl refers to Stanley at" dfeent species” (258), but she cannot ecb the difeence and resorts to showing her his photograph. Tas Kind of litera will emeage as common to oth Seas and Stanley’ clock i contrast to Blanche’ facity wih allusion and metaphor. Athi oie we lar fom Stella ony that Staley was a Master Sergeant in he Engines! Corp that his cvillan job tae him "onthe oad a good del” td tha is extent rai ithe powerfal physical stracion be exerts on Sl, The later factor somehow triggers Blanche’ reseaunent; she begins ‘eproaching Stella for having lef ber withthe esponsibility for holding thing together at honé, 2 dead that culminates in the accusation, “Where ‘were you! In bed wth your Polack” (263). “The kernal of Blanche’ outburst isthe news that Bele Ree i ot. Belle Reve had eaer been mentioned by Eunice az “your home place, the planation... grea big plac with white columns” 249) s any student of elementary Breach secognies, the plantations name i incorcct the French noun réve(dceam) takes the masculine form of the adjective “eutfls thus it should bé Beeu Reve. Th logical asumpsion is that he plantation wat oily named Belle Rive (besa shor) and tha over the generations the name has been coropted as the family’s fortune “winded. What had een a oid shore now bat an evanescent dean of low splendor. Blanche becomes hysterical as she blames the loss of the ‘aotaton on the expense ofall ht sickness and dyin.” the long sexes of family deaths abe wat forced fo witness: “the srugle for beath and “Acstreetcar running fifty years Bleeding You die dream, but Inet Saul Sav” (263) Her ses on © sexing swcetbing that sates an ideal or 3 laion wil be echoed (I Sat Thaow!") in er sory Sen 6 the pla’ central sces"The thought will be siterated 38a theta! metaphor at the Begining of Scene 10 ‘when Blanche’ roman fntay is et short bya glimpe of herself in 3 Sand sor which se then sms. But the Brtal reais of death and dsc ince on herby thwe she loves have let he mark on ber even ‘efor ste meets her match in Stanley ‘Reduced fo ers by Blanche’ date, Stella rosie the Bathoe 10 ash ber face. This leaves Blache alone for er inal mestng with Stanley. Faced with surprise howe pues, he takes the station in hi side His woeds add up to nething more than cee fl vlc But othe Iigh-rang Blanche, hs comment ad gestures (holding up the hquoe bot, aking of his shi) must ce calclated oly Bate he ing ad alfectinn. Fis wellintentoned but clumsy atempt at sal tlk ("Yon ere maze once, wernt you?) rigger fin pla sai, the pla Fst ur of the music Blanche beasin er mind when she reminded of the one she mace a sixteen, Sene ends with be lise: “The boy = the boy sie, afraid Pm going tobe sick” (268 Scene the following evening, compries two sequence, both ety” one berveen Stella and Stanley, followed by one betwern Stanley and Blanche. When Staley comes home at six o'dock, Blanche isin the batheoon, “oakng in abr rub o gue her nerves" (26) The bathroom wil be Manche’ aba reat throughout the play and her constant backing woes purieron sta, While Blache we he too st place oneal, Staley annoyance expres in simple pyle rssh kidnys Tm worried about” (364). Leamig chat Bel Reve had tobe “seiiced or something.” Stanley tecomes concerned that tela must have been swindled out of her share of the props, “and when you're swindled under the Napoleonic code Tm swindled 6” (273). He roots trough Blanche’ tunk ooking for legal apes ad pling out clothes and eweley that oh present forone, ‘whereas Sela see them a8 mere costume picecs. His erode vcation of? ‘Blanche’ posession might be weighed agaist Blanche intrusion ito His) demestickingdom, where she wiht bqur and hogs th stcoom, but, itao pesges his viltion of her perton in Scene 1. Te social se) divine tha inform much of the action ate pithy acknowledged by © Stanley “The Kowaliis andthe DuBoses have ciferen notions” (27). Stell eres tothe porch, but Stanley waits inside for Blanche’ merge from the bathroom. Blinche isin a itatous mood and rfees to be bated by him, apr from » momentary Tr OT SArponeSon Ethie clamey handling of packet of loveless fom “a dead boy... my Young husband” (283-3). She gives Seaney the legal papers eying, “L {bikie wonderfully iting that Bele Reve sould fall be his bunch of ‘old paper in your bi, capable hand” (4). She repeats she iea to tll ‘when she rashes ott the porch upon learhing th Sell i going to have 4 baby: maybe he's what we need to mix with our blood ow that ‘weve lone Bile Reve” (28). Robert Bray, in his Marist reading of the lay, ses thi tanfer of paperdmerging of bloodlines ata ey concep in {he cretion of the sacl system from the old aprarian South, burdened by its past as represented by Blanche, to the postwar utbarindasteal ociesy fn which Stanley clase as gained leverage Stale’ linds begin 0 stcive for an evening of poker as Sta and Blanche lave for an eveing ‘ut Scene ends ona noe tat sugests Blanche hes won his ound, ‘Scene 3 sande out fom the others in several ways It has its own tle, “The Poker Night." Is petra atmosphere of “urd noctrsal belies, the raw clos of cldhood's specu” is ispced by "a pieture of Van Gogh of a billiard patior a night" (286), which Henry T.Schvey bas denied as All Night Caf (1888). Ione of few eneerble ces ina lay composed largely of two- or thee-characerfoquenes, And mot imporanty isthe scene in which Blanche and Staley rly bein to se ach other at 2 teat. The opening ine, spoken by one of the men atthe ‘Ga aD SevErET pointer: “Anything wild in his dal?” ‘Stanley ha ben losing at cade and display a volatile tab even tefoce Stella and Blache come in, Mitch ets hizelf apart fom the ober carépayers by his asry over his sick mother. The association with ‘icknesr and the dread of lonsines i is comment that Vl be alone when ‘he gore” (88) convey a sul thematic inkage wth Blanche co whom be is introduced by Stell: Blanche quickly senses shat Mitch is a prospective ‘conquest. When she changes out of ee des, she deliberately tad inthe light so the men can se ber through the portees. When Sela exis into the bathoom, Blanche cans onthe radio and ss in che (Blanche's ‘hie inthe noon?) aif conden of her power to auzac Mitch vo her. Fis, howeves itis Stanley who crosses ro the bedroom and twas off the radio, but "ops shor atthe sight of Blanche in che cha She returns his look without inching” (29), and he reruns othe poker tbl. Thus with ‘reat economy of means, by a simple dramatic gesture, Willams demon- sraes he staking oa oferty. Mitch son aver dare ue to chat with Blanche. He shows er the insrpion on her cigarette eae, given to him by 2 gl who knew she ‘was dying. Blanche homes in on hs valerie “Sick people have such dep, sincere atachments (298). She ass him ro cove the igh bulb with A-sueetcar running Sty years 2 paper hnzea she bough on Boutbon Set“ cant stan a naked light buy any more than T ean a rade remark or a vulgas action (goo). Het ‘equation ofthe naked bulb with vulgarity implir ix opposite the soft low of Sure light asthe refined senility by which she iden: here recalls ley in Scene 2 "I know I fb a good dea. Afoe alls woman’ shite ie Bey per cet illusion." (281). Blanche dsie for illsion in opposition to the bacsh eslies that | surround her is probably the play's most obvout thematic vale. Iti significa that Mich ithe one who both installs the pape lantern sad in| ‘Scene 9, moves it for these action define the period during which be Ses Blanch sahe wants him to see es, under the spell of am ilsion she ‘seats. A numberof ets have analyzed Blache in metatheatscl tx _ Haig et deh smi ooreouing et ning fake frs and costume jewelry, designing the lig ‘wll show ber to advantage. WAR WIRE at Fer Ting: she ears on the radio and “walas to the music with romantic ese (304). “The ealiogalvanizes Stanly into aggrenive action, though the actu source ofhis anger undoubted es deeper. ec in is own home, whee bis cock of the roost and host ofthe poke party thefts Blache as laced bot his wife an his bet rend nt her xt. She has appropriated his ado for ber kid of musi Ina drunken rage, he throws the rio out ‘ofthe window. “Drunk ~ drunk ~ animal ching, yoo!” (3), Stella eres, land this provokes him to azack her. While the men subdue Staley, Blanche leads Sella upstais to Ennic’s and Steves flat. The men put Stanley under the shower and leave barely, When be emerge, dipping” wet he ties telephoning uprais, but Eunice apparently hangs up on him. “hit above phone cll at Stanley's lowest point in is fortunes, when be i> scaly ndaced to sob, parallels the unvaccesflatempt to wlephon 4 resus tht Blanche wil make in Sen ro, at hr lowest pia. Staley stumbles outside and calls up to Sell, bot Eunice threatens to call he police: “Thop they do haul yu in and warmth Sr hose on you, meas. the last mel” (306). Her mention of a fe hose joapore the fie and 2 water imager tha pervades the ply. thorough examination ofthe tay imerelatd symbolic references to fi, heat and the color ted has ben ‘ublshedby Philip C. Kolin The fae hat Stanley and Blanche both have Assocation with fre and water is indicative ofthe complexity of chit ‘haracteraation and the fallacy of any aterpe to rede then to spl opposites Stanly howls "with heaven-spliting violence": “Sraus-Laouh!” Theramen of «clarinet wells up as Sella descends the sas, Sh and Stanley ome tepehee wih Tow animal mots” (307) and be caries be ino he asked interior This sequence is parley pomexfal inthe x95 fn ‘reson of A Strectar Nomad Desi, dzeted by Elia Kazan and featuring Brando, Kim Staley (Sella, and Kael Malden (Mirch) fom the Broadway ‘as (Vivien Leigh replaced Jia Tandy at Blache) Scene 3 ofthe ply ‘nds ina brief dnlogue Berween Blanche and Mirch, He has returned 19 trake ste that all well snd reassures ee thatthe incident was not Trica. Blanche’ lst line in Scene 5 noe only plant the( key word Snes" which wl eacface in er laine in she play, bu alo packs Inve af words the social context ofthe tes 25 well at he fapity and ening: “There so much ~ 19 much confsion in the word. Thank ‘you for bsng so Kind! need Kndoes now" (39) “The next mornin, Scene 4, Blanche descends the stais tothe Kowalski At where Stl elingconenedy in bed. Sella resists Blanche’ floes to demonize Staley. She accepts him 36 one who has “always smashed {hings” and, besides, only one tube was mathe” nthe adi (1-15)- Stelle pusvty x countered by the Frantic eis and rns of Blanche’ teach for solations eo what she perceives as Sella’ predicament. She decides to contact» former beau, a Texas cman named Shep Hunigh, | bor the iraonaiy of ees bina lene when oe rest compost 2 ‘Western Union metsage with an ejebeow pencil ona Kleenex. This scene ‘auoogly invites feminist ciicsns although Blanche regards Sela Fhsbund ara brutal editor her Bt imps so tun to another man at favor There i sbi irony inher clexive reversion to the Southern belles habits of thought - thats emetional dependence on 3 paiarchal system of mae protection forthe bells female ~ jst moments after she Ih said, 'm going to do something. Get Bald of myself and make myself A new et (323) Sella on the othe hand, maybe tapped in marriage 0 {man who makes meses fr bert cleanup, bu iis situation she as hoven for hexelf and one in which she chooses to remain. The rene Calminates in Blanche's tour de fore speech opposing Stanley's apelike behavior to the ine thing ofthe spt. The nos fa psig tan covers Sankey entrance into the outer oom where he ovesears Blanche's ‘water inageyeecar in i suggestion that she i going to “a Breman' bl (G92) and he claim that she bas been vite vo cuz the Caribbean on 8 yack. Stanley i oe taken in by her fceenving sine of + wpm fe Shep Hundigh, but be dae invite he to “bury the hatchet” 993) Tn a ‘buoyant moody with his baby onthe way and the prospect of Blanchet deparare within the week, he can be generous. But Blncke makes the ‘mistake of echoing the theme she had developed in Sene 3, whe Stanley ‘overheard ber ikening hi to an ape. Now foesed on recontracting selbimage ~ an ideal of womanhood iat 7 ‘sia atcactvenes, but “beary ofthe mind and riches of the spit. tnd tendemet of the hear” ~ she mentions “esting ny pets before seine” (96). And “swine” i the word Stanley heas. Like the “ape” Speech of Sane, this speech curs im into an adversary. He aunts Blanche for he “lies and conert and rick!” (598, Stale’ abuse of er sight ye remain onthe eral plane except that Blanche’ ensuing hysteria ‘tel proves him co pyicalaggreson ‘Asher ieatioal fear mounts the scene moves into ap-expresonisic spode; that is zealty becomes ditored by Blanche abjestive vison of i ‘Lari reflections and grotesque shadows appear on the wall around he, wile “the night i filed with inhuman voices like cis n a jungle" 399) Sgnifcandy tis during ber fale atempe to telephone for help tha he walls become transparent, thatthe sordid ile on the set am encounter beeween a drunkard and a prosiuce) can be seen simulancouty. AFImerior and exterior menace mingle in hex perception, 40 aso is the Altincion Hared between subjective and objcie reality. She latches ‘onto the telephone ater ine to ilson, but she cannot escape the reality of her enrapment in the small at with Staley. For Mary A ceo = while Blanche and Stanley symbolize for most ers SF UPREon of sprit and Aes, Corrigan see ale that "the confi between Blanche and Sanley is tn externalization of the conflict that goes on within Blanche berween Uhsion and realty At the end of Scene 20, her illsion of Shep "Hundigh tothe escue succumbs to che physical realty imposed on ber by Stanley when he rapes ber. From Stanley pla of view ti Blanche who provokes the attack fret, when she imagines atheeat where none bad existed, vctally plating the ‘ugeetion that be might interfere with” her (401), and then when she smashes abort in order to “twist the broken end in you face” (402). This is a challenge he cannot ignore. He etches her west 0 force ber tO ro the boule abd she sinks wo her knees ab she did afer Mitch et. (She vl lhe nes forthe hid ime jst before her final xia te ead of Scene 1, a smn in which Heney Scvey hs signaled a cluer of lipo references) With Blanche in her soled white sain gown and Stanley having changed into hi silk wedding paiamas, his picking her up and cazeying her to the bed takes on, according to Thoma P. Adler “the aur of S deecrated mariage ; Scene £8 taker place some wecks later Staley is winning tthe per ame in progress. Sel, packing Blanche’ things wile Blanche bathe, tells Eunice,“ coulda belive hee story and go on living with Stanley” (Gos): However, Sta expresses doubeaboat whether she as made the righ decision, which she as described to Blanche as making "arrange ‘ment for herr resin the country" (404-5). Blanche bas taken this co ‘pean that Shep Handigh i coming for her. When she dress, Blanche describes her jacket as “Della Robbia bls. The blu of th robe inthe old ‘Madonna pictures (409). Thicalla up an asociaion with her sgn, Virgo, wile the eligous connotation is reinforced bythe sound of cathedral tells, Eunice as brought er some grapes from the French Macket, which leads Blanche to apne that she wilde of eating an unwashed grape loweve the death abe fantasies x couched in images of purty, ai ‘oon sunlight, white, bli, sou and heaven, She also invokes her “Best lovee" and, by exesion, the young pure love she has been yearning to reeaprare, ‘Avery insttionaHlooking Doctor and Matron ring the bel, hich Eunice answers. lance aks if es the gentleman she hasbeen expecting from Dale, and Eunice implies tat ths sparing Sella rms having to le to her sister. The poker players rie a Blanche passe through ~ ‘excep for Mitch, who cannot bing himself look a ex. Ssing that the tan isnot Shep Huneigh, Blanche rane back into the bedroom. Her subjective perception of realy this moment is theatcalaed in the hd ‘efltion onthe wall, a distorted rendering ofthe polka music accom panied by jungle noses, and the echoing reverberation of he woe of the Matron who ha followed her in. Stanley moves in toward Blanche and taunts her crus, whe Sell une outside uring prayers for Blanche’ safe, Eoally Blaming herself “Oh, God, what have I done to my site?” (426). Saney tears off the paper lancer that had been put back on the light ball and Blanche “eis ou as the lantea was bersl” In symbolic terms, this may pinpoint Blanche’ deisvecetreat fom realy into her ‘world of ison. Despite her clinging tothe notion ofa rescue by Shep Hlomlegh, she has hither remned laid enough to react to Mitch pretence inthe outer room, to speculate about her own death (5 Big Daddy sys in Caton « Hot Tin Roof, “the human anal” is “tbe only living thing that conceives of deat, that knows what itis». "1 8759 and tobaveapparenily told Stella what Staoly did wo he After the eating] ‘of the-paper lamer, she doer not speak again wnt he decides to accept. the Doerr at her rescuer “Although most rites seem ro accept the premise tha Blanche goes mad | ie ie powuble to interpret the action otherwise, Jur ax the boundary terween illcion and zeal ha constantly Guctuated for Blanche, 20 eho line benten sanity and madoess 5 tenuous oae: Indeed,-«-dramarurgca analy that takes Blanche as the protagonist would logically place ber ‘isis uot in Scene 9, 8 Karan did (making hea pasive gare who is acted ‘upon inthe last ewo scenes), bu in Scene rr, when as the active agent of her own desing) she fnew to salage be igi inspite of everyching, and to be the lay she hat been acving to be. Blache i corect in perctving the Dortor a gentleman who knows how to weat aad with respect Prom cher, i i simple step to see him asthe protector upon ‘hom the Southern belle has been condoned tel (Other have Been puting this ands) on Blanche and her things tbroughot the play Whea Sealey handled Allan Greys eters in Scene 2, she exclaimed, "The ouch of your hands insults them!” (282) In Scene 6, Blanche gaily els Mich, “I said unhand me, si" (43) At the biethéay party, she responds o Sea's sympathetic gesture: "Oh keep you hands off ‘he Stella” (375) In Scene 9, her euprare with Mitch i precipitated by hit lacing hihands on her wae In Scene #2, the Matron “pinion er a."‘Bat when the Doctor sles and ses her a an indvidaal, Blanche exende ‘ner bands toward him. She old iam or er ei, athe ye: “Whocver youare=Thave always depended onthe Kindnesofseange™ (48) Stella ves out ar Blanche disappears around the come. Then Eunice brings Sela er baby, wrapped na ble Banke. tla bin to tb with total abandon, Stanley comes out tothe porch. He "keels beside her and his ings id the opening of er blouse,” asthe bls piano mosic wells ‘Ac the poker able, Steve speaks the curtain line: “Thi game i seveneard sud” (79). That lin, along with the musi and che “oly fly” vl grouping, seem to say that fe wll comin ae Stanley would ave it. Hloweve, it means that Sta will now bave to live with ilsion, a Blanche di. We know aluo that Sal and Mitch have been icevocsy changed by Blanche’ pasiage;pechaps they wild it in themes 10 ‘and up again the hegemony ofthe ape. “The ambiguity pf the ending became an iste in Kazans 1952 film vernon Te seeenlay wa subject to pressure from the Legon of Decency 15 well as fom its own producer, Warner Broches, and tis resulted in umber of eats and changes According to Mautice Yacowa, Willams tnd Kazan won the cae for keping the rape sene on condition that “the | apis would not go unpunished Thos the lm ended with the impression "thar Sela would take ber baby and leave Stanly In 1994 anew print of the film was tlased wih restored footage atthe end suggenting that Stella retreat to Banc’ flit may be only teriporary. Another treatment of the ending i dicate in Jane Schlueter analyst ofthe 198q television fm version dicted by Joba Erman” R. Barton Peer’ ety in thie volume explore in further deta he la ending "Among the many accounts ofthe orginal Broadway production, two ate ‘parizlaly will, Brenda Marphy' book Tavnesce Willams nd Elis Keun: A Collaboration the Theatre and Susan Spector’ atte in ‘Moders Drama (December 1985), “Alternative Vision of Blanche DuBois: ‘Uta Hagen and Jessica Tandy in A Strertor Namad Desie” The play's ‘perennial populaiy has ld to New York revivals in 2056, 1973, and 1993. The later production became the basis for a the-hour CBS television broadcast on October 29,1995, wth Jenica Lange and Alec Baldwin recreating the oes of Blanche aod Staley ie seems fring in concuson to give the lst word to thse who are pariclarly euipped o appreciate the art and the cat ofthis play thai {0 those who themselves write plays. Philip Koi 1989 “Playwright Forum” on A Siretear Named Desires an exelent allio of commen: tare from which superativs may be drawn. Horton Foote, who sw the ign production, asses “The theatre, tomy mind, wae ven new lie ‘A seectear running ity years wen the play was produced that fst time, and though we have carey lived up tc hat kindof exellenc, i cetinly remain there for all of us © strive foe" (x82). "There ae very few neal perfect play,” writes Robert E Lee. "Sretcarisone of them (x8). Cling it a perfect organi entity earls fi, soaring,” Dennis J. Reardon declares: “The search forthe (Great Ansrican Play can stop with A Siretcar Named Desire. I the enue anil know tis tobe tue because even afer all hee yes the ‘hing sil takes my bresth away” (193). Alfred Uy: “belie that A Sectcar Named Desire contain the Snest logue ever writen for an “America play” (200). Wendy Wasserstein: “Sella and Blanche are among the best writen women characters in any dramati erature” (zor) Pal “indek: "Setar for me will always be a poetic rata hing lesson in how a singe brave playriht le is demons and angels dance with every ‘ounce ofa he could know" (20). Megan Tery “What [love best shout the play isthe poe. Noc the words, but the motion he way the ‘lay mors, sweeps in and out of time and forward nto our consioumest forever Shaszar was 3 necsnary addon tothe national cnscousaess, emoionaly,economialy and politcal. Svea sa feminist play ‘Also it her the prope ofthe great classic of alltime” (299). And according to Garson Kania, “Tennesce Willams was the best, and A ‘Streetcar Named Dee was his bes (286). Notes 1 Riche Was, Je, “Seca Named Deis Shing Drama” Naw York ost {Deenter 4367) in Now Yrk There Giter Rew (se7h 43. 1 Ward Morchowne, “New it Named Dei” The Sen (Decembe 947) ie New Yr Tate Crier Revie 8 (1947) 350. 3 Lois Keceaberget “A sharp Souther Drama By Tense Willan PM (Decenter 1947) in New Yrk Thar Cite’ Revoa 81947) 380 4 HaroldGurman“Seencar™ The Collected Works f Harold Cran ih Aly pblihed im Tomar Febeecy 1948; New Yoke Applause Tete Book 94) 38 5 CWE Bisby, Moder American Drm, 1945-1990 (Cube Unversity Pras ah 5. 6 Thomas Petewst “Spatial Order and Meaning inthe Theat: The Case of “Teanesee Wiliams” Asaph: Sede That, 10 (Tel sive, 9pdhis75- {7 Philp © Kalin “A Sreccar Named Das: A Paycight? Ferm” Michigan ‘Quay Revi 9 (ping 190), 13-20. 1 Some thre re hd aur chemacal in tems ofthe oposion bere Stanley and Bunce in Thomae Pde, "A Star Nemed Desie™ The ‘Moth and he Lanter latn: Taye Palsher, 990323329 Vine Dion, “A Setar Named Dass Deiapent Though the Manueripy” Jae Tharp (ed) Temenee Willams A Tbe, acne Universe Prasol Miso 97751557. 10 Ady Wood, wth Max Wik, Represented by Auery Wood (Gardn Cay, NvsDosbleny 198th 130-52) 2 Dison "A Satan 137-58 1 Roxana Sar, “The Soathrnnon DESIRE," Teanree Wiliams Newt Bea (alagrah 5. 03 Ela Kazan, “Notbok for A Scar Named Desir” Tay Cale and Wks ‘eich Choy, eke) Dicom Directing dante Bob Meri, 9633679. 1 Thy 366 15 Thy 366, 16 Rober Bay “A Setar Named Desir The Pls and Hil Sabet” Pip ©: Kai (od) Cofoming Tene Will “A Stectcr Named Desire sy Ce! Phralin (espn, CT: Geeawood Pres 3995, | ay Haney Seve, *Madono tthe Poker Nigh: Pictorial Ent in Tene “Willan A Setar Nomad Desa" Hacld Ble (ol) Temes Wi ans A Sitar Named Dee Moder otal nterpeation (New Yorks (Chala Hous Puhr 988 og 1 Philp C. Koln, "Redon A Sever Named Desir” Notes on Com pray Ltr (eptember 1989), 6-% 19 Stay Sauron 22 Se “Southernmost” 6 1 Mary A Cogn, "Reali ad Thai in A Setar Named Des” Moders Dramas Deemer 1976) 39 233 Schwey,"Madoon,” 107-9. 24 Aes Sata Nomad Deir 25 Some of hae pint the fl ae dcused by Linde Consarao Cah, The ‘Aral Rroung of A Speer Named Dest” itty Quart spahre77. 26 Mawie Yacowag, Temasee Willams and im (Sew Yorks Une £977) 27 Jone Sela “itasng an Koes John Eemans Remake of Teanence ‘Wilame's ASreter Named Desig” Modem Drama 28 Mach 2985), 6 biLiocRaPHy ‘Aa Thomas “A Setar Named Dee The Moth nd the Later Boson, “eae Pls (Twayoe' Mark Sate 8,4) 990 lou Harold (dj. Teenenee Willams "A Seta Named Dt”, New "Ye Cheles Hor 988. A streetcar running fifty years eee a oer ar Dnt Be cee eee CRN TRE a er a ut setae et aie a RI au noe pr cen mS RIOT ppaan paces ae Re rte see ea rs ew, earn pe Derg opin ae fen Ba is ee pe We roe Boe STE cnet eens i - i ere ee es veer Sees erence Ss ag ia a rena eeeenT ee a Margy, Bends, Teese Willis and Ela Kazan: A Collaboration i the "Taare Cambeg Ulery Press 39 Nerden ete “Le Jeu ds stops dane Un Tramway amd ds” Eades ‘snus (Apel 1979) 30-6. wt Tons ETc Pasng of he Old South: A Setar Named Desi ‘Gages in Myth and Moder Aaron Dron Deo Warne Sa airy ress 969 Poslwais Thamar “Sais Order and Messing ia the Thee: The Cate of "Ronse Wilame” Aspe Stasi tbe Ths, 103994 Td A Universo 43-73 ‘Rida Jeu 7A Setar Named Desire ~ Nise Decent,” Moder ‘Drama brary 2969 48-90: ‘lef "nating an Jb ears Reale of Temes Willams A ‘Svea Named Desir” Modem Dre 28 (Math 198513947 specs Sut “Altatine Vise Blache Dabo agen andes Ty ie Sei Named Deir” Madern Drama 3 (Dee be 989 545-2. Sova Roxana. "The Sutera DESIRE” Tnnesee Wilt Newle = (Ea x9) 375s Spee s980 3. “Toupee (ed) Tennesse Willams A Tribute. acon: Univesy Press of Mish 77 ‘ila, Teme. The Theatre of Tenmsee Wills, Bale of Angel, The ‘Gat Manager Setar Named Des. New Yorks New Dons 197