Major-Themes--A-Streetcar-Named-Desire

MajorThemes-AStreetcarNamedDesireFantasy/IllusionBlanchedwellsinillusion;fantasyisherprimarymeansofself-defense,bothagainstoutsidethreatsandagainstherowndemons.Butherdeceitscarrynotraceofmalice,butrathertheycomefromherweaknessandinabilitytoconfrontthetruthhead-on.Sheisaquixoticfigure,seeingtheworldnotasitisbutasitoughttobe.Fantasyhasaliberatingmagicthatprotectsherfromthetragediesshehashadtoendure.Throughouttheplay,Blanche'sdependenceonillusioniscontrastedwithStanley'ssteadfastrealism,andintheenditisStanleyandhisworldviewthatwin.Tosurvive,Stellamustalsoresorttoakindofillusion,forcingherselftobelievethatBlanche'saccusationsagainstStanleyarefalsesothatshecancontinuelivingwithherhusband.TheOldSouthandtheNewSouthStellaandBlanchecomefromaworldthatisrapidlydying.BelleReve,theirfamily'sancestralplantation,hasbeenlost,andthetwosistersarethelastlivingmembersoftheirfamilyand,symbolically,oftheiroldworldofcavaliersandcottonfields.TheirstrainofOldSouthwasnotconqueredbythemarchofGeneralSherman'sarmy,butbythesteadymarchoftime,andasBlanche'sbeautyfadeswithagesotoodothesevestigesofthatcivilizationgonewiththewind.Blancheattemptstostaybackinthepastbutitisimpossible,andStellaonlysurvivesbymixingherDuBoisbloodwiththecommonstockoftheKowalskis;theoldSouthcanonlyliveoninadiluted,bastardizedform.CrueltyTheonlyunforgivablecrime,accordingtoBlanche,isdeliberatecruelty.ThissinisStanley'sspecialty.HisfinalassaultagainstBlancheisamercilessattackagainstanalready-beatenfoe.Blanche,ontheotherhand,isdishonestbutsheneverliesoutofmalice.Hercrueltyisunintentional;often,sheliesinavainormisguidedefforttoplease.Throughouttheplay,weseethefullrangeofcruelty,fromBlanche'swell-intentioneddeceitstoStellaself-deceivingtreacherytoStanley'sdeliberateanduncheckedmalice.InWilliams'plays,therearemanywaystohurtsomeone.Andsomeareworsethanothers.ThePrimitiveandthePrimalBlancheoftenspeaksofStanleyasape-likeandprimitive.Stanleyrepresentsaveryunrefinedmanhood,aRomanticideaofmanuntouchedbycivilizationanditseffeminizinginfluences.Hisappealisclear:Stellacannotresisthim,andevenBlanche,thoughrepulsed,isonsomeleveldrawntohim.Stanley'sunrefinednaturealsoincludesaterrifyingamorality.Theserviceofhisdesireiscentraltowhoheis;hehasnoqualmsaboutdrivinghissister-in-lawtomadness,orrapingher.InFreudianterms,Stanleyispureid,whileBlancherepresentsthesuper-egoandStellatheego–butthebalancingbetweentheidandsuper-egoisnotfoundonlyinStella'smediation,butinthetensionbetweentheseforceswithinBlancheherself.ShefindsStanley'sprimitivismsothreateningpreciselybecauseitissomethingshesees,andhides,withinher.DesireCloselyrelatedtothethemeabove,desireisthecentralthemeoftheplay.Blancheseekstodenyit,althoughwelearnlaterintheplaythatdesireisoneofherdrivingmotivations;herdesireshavecausedhertobedrivenoutoftown.Physicaldesire,andnotintellectualorspiritualintimacy,istheheartofStella'sandStanley'srelationship,butWilliamsmakesitclearthatthisdoesnotmaketheirbondanyweaker.DesireisalsoBlanche'sundoing,becauseshecannotfindahealthywayofdealingwithhernaturalurges-sheisalwayseithertryingtosuppressthemorpursuingthemwithabandon.LonelinessThecompanionthemetodesireisloneliness,andbetweenthesetwoextremes,Blancheislost.Shedesperatelyseekscompanionshipandprotectioninthearmsofstrangers.Andshehasneverrecoveredfromhertragicandconsumingloveforherfirsthusband.Blancheisinneedofadefender.ButinNewOrleans,shewillfindinsteadthepredatoryandmercilessStanley.DesirevsCemeteries/RomancevsRealismThefundamentaltensionoftheplayisthisplaybetweentheromanticandtherealistic,playedoutinparallelinthepairingoflustanddeath.BlanchetakesthestreetcarsnamedDesireandCemeteries,andliketheFrench'slapetitemort,thosecarsandthethemestheysymbolizeruntogethertoBlanche'sfinaldestination.Thisdichotomyispresentinnearlyeveryelementoftheplay,fromthepairedcharacterizationsofBlanchetheromanticandStanleytherealist,tohowallofBlanche'sprevioussexualencountersaretangledupwithdeath,totheactualnamesofthestreetcars.