A Streetcar Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire is a remarkable play set in the vibrant city of New Orleans. It belongs to the genre of social realism and can be regarded as a modern tragedy. The story revolves around two main protagonists, Blanche and Stanley, who are embroiled in a complex domestic conflict. Stanley is the husband of Blanche's sister Stella. The play is set in the post-Great Depression era,描绘了新美国社会中社会阶层的冲突. After the Great Depression wiped out previous segregation, different classes were forced to merge and live side by side. Stanley, a Polish self-made man from the working class, stands in sharp contrast to Blanche, a descendant of landowners in the Old South. Their social incompatibilities magnify the tension between them.

The psychological dichotomy between Blanche and Stella further intensifies the drama. Blanche is a典型的不成熟、受伤的女性原型. She struggles to cope with reality and truth, resorting to illusion, lies, and manipulation of seduction to achieve her goal of marriage. Her idealized view of marriage stems from her need for a man to shield and save her from the harsh reality of losing her husband. Emotionally dependent and with immature emotional regulation, Blanche often has hysterical overreactions. She is also unable to process her grief and properly mourn the death of her husband. Her sexuality is unconscious and ambivalent, manifested in extremes of chastity and sexual repression on one hand, and promiscuity with younger men on the other. This reflects her fixation on the tragedy of her husband's death. In her attempts to escape through sexuality, she loses her family fortune, destroys her reputation, and forfeits her chance at a respectful life.

Stanley, on the other hand, represents the archetypal immature masculine. He may seem confident, but in reality, he is arrogant and tyrannical. Unconsciously, he views Blanche as a threat to his power structure. Stanley is judgmental, projective, and shames and belittles Blanche with what he calls "truth." In his "quest for absolute truth," he is as deceitful as Blanche, using the truth as a weapon of intimidation to assert control. He does not hesitate to use physical force on women, lacking the capacity to regulate his emotions and instead acting out in a neurotic and violent manner. There is something animalistic about him and his sexuality, which Blanche once described as "brutal desire." Stanley uses not only his phallic power as a weapon to dominate and suppress the feminine in both Stella and Blanche. His sexuality, perhaps not as unconscious as Blanche's, is equally destructive. While Blanche uses sexuality to escape reality, Stanley uses it to bend reality to his will. His ultimate quest, which he succeeds in (through rape), is to destroy Blanche and cause her downfall. His motivation is an unconscious hatred towards the feminine and everything Blanche symbolically represents.

Both Stanley and Blanche are driven by desires that lead to destruction. Trapped in a cycle of violence and lust, they are corrupted, immature, toxic, wounded, and深陷内心的混乱和疯狂之中. The real inequality becomes evident in how society and their environment treat them differently. Blanche's flaws and madness make her unmarriable. She is stripped of her worth and dignity, her reputation and sanity are destroyed. She ends up isolated and abandoned, even by her sister. In the culmination of her pain after rape, she is institutionalized and stigmatized as unstable and mentally ill. In contrast, Stanley's pathology goes unnoticed by society. He remains well-integrated, respected, and loved in the community, despite beating and raping women. His reputation and dignity are intact, and he continues his life as a married man with a child. The rights of being a partner in marriage and having children are not taken away from him as they are from Blanche. He is not institutionalized, and no one perceives him as mad or mentally unstable. This reinforces Foucault's assertion that mental illness and "madness" are socially constructed.

The lack of sexual repression and free expression of desire that is acceptable in Stanley is punished extremely in Blanche. This reveals the hypocrisy and gender discrepancy in society, as well as the distorted and unjust views on male and female sexuality. Society often tailors these views to control women and suppress their free expression of sexuality on a collective scale. Men are often allowed to be unapologetically sexual, while women rarely have this luxury without losing their value and dignity. Blanche and Stanley can both be easily diagnosed with personality disorders, and they both exhibit deep psychological pathology. However, one of them will be stigmatized by society, while the other will be accepted as normal and even praised for his strong masculinity. This is how gender inequality operates, often hidden in the shadows of our reaction patterns, sometimes without our even being aware of it.

I was truly amazed when I revisited A Streetcar Named Desire recently, having first read it about a decade ago. The play combines lyrical language and fascinating characters in a wonderful way.

Blanche DuBois arrives at her sister Stella's home in a poor part of New Orleans, where Stella lives with her husband Stanley Kowalski. Blanche has lost both her job and the family estate, Belle Reve. There is a family curse that seems to have passed down to her, as she says, "our improvident grandfathers and father and uncles and brothers exchanged the land for their epic fornications." Blanche is a cultured woman who lives in a world of lies and fantasy. She tries to wash away her guilt over her husband's suicide with long baths and numbs her mind with alcohol. In a time when women were highly dependent on men for support, Blanche has reached a dead end and is desperate for love, yet she won't let men see her in a bright light that would reveal her age.

Stanley, on the other hand, is a passionate, realistic, and common man. He enjoys women, bowling, alcohol, and a night of poker with his friends. However, he can also be abusive to Stella when he gets upset. He sees Blanche as a threat to his home life and tries to break her by uncovering her past.

Stella is caught in the middle of Blanche and Stanley. She is worried about her sister's mental state, but she also has a great passion for Stanley. Blanche compares Stanley to an animal, saying, "Thousands and thousands of years have passed him right by, and there he is--Stanley Kowalski--survivor of the stone age." Before Blanche moved in, Stella was happy with Stanley, and she is now pregnant with his child.

As the play progresses, Tennessee Williams does a remarkable job of juxtaposing the fantasy world of Blanche with the harsh reality of Stanley and Stella's life. The play is violent, sensual, and ultimately heartbreaking.

Several movies have been made based on this play, with Marlon Brando starring in a famous version. The recent Woody Allen movie, "Blue Jasmine," also takes themes from A Streetcar Named Desire. Cate Blanchette gives a terrific performance as Jasmine.

A Streetcar Named Desire is truly one of my all-time favorite plays. My experience of listening to the Audible production was nothing short of intense and极其 rewarding. It's a play that sears the soul and devastates the heart, with magnificent performances that bring the story to life in the most vivid way. In an interview, the director Robert O’Hara reveals that he went “full tilt boogie” with the characters. He didn't hold back on展现 the abuse, sex, alcoholism, madness, and darkness that are so integral to the play. It's all out there, raw and unfiltered. And that's what makes this play an American masterpiece. It delves deep into the human psyche, exploring the themes of desire, illusion, and the destructive power of passion. It's a play that will stay with you long after you've finished listening, making you think about the complex and often troubled nature of human relationships.

I guess I was a rather strange kid. When I was a teenager, I would watch a particular movie over and over again. It was almost an obsession for me.

My dad, on the other hand, was completely baffled. He would often look at me and ask, "What does she see in this??" He just couldn't understand my fascination with that movie.

Maybe it was the story that spoke to me on a deeper level. Or perhaps it was the characters and their struggles that I could relate to. Whatever the reason, that movie held a special place in my heart during my teenage years.

Even now, when I think back on it, I can still remember the excitement and joy I felt every time I watched it. It was a part of my成长过程 that I will always cherish.

In the 21st century, for a reader who may have read or seen many powerful plays and performances, this one might not seem very exciting or engaging at first glance.

However, I thought it had some very well-written and excellent dialogues.

And now I understand why a certain famous person recommended reading the tense plays of William to beginner writers.

The dialogues in this play are not only vivid but also full of deep emotions and complex relationships.

They can truly touch the hearts of the readers and make them think about various aspects of life.

Maybe this is the charm of William's works, which can still attract readers and inspire them after so many years.

It also shows that good writing is timeless and can always find its way to connect with the audience.

For beginner writers, reading his plays can be a great learning experience, helping them to improve their writing skills and understand the essence of good drama.

So, although this play may not be the most flashy or spectacular one, it definitely has its own value and significance.

A mental breakdown is a gradual process that occurs slowly over a significant period. However, in this play, it was like a sudden smack in the mouth, coming without any real warning. This strikes me as a bit odd.

Of course, something can set us off, but we don't usually go from perfectly calm and collected to meltdown mode in an instant. Blanche is clearly delusional, convincing herself of a non-existent life. This is her armor, a shell to protect herself from the reality of her life. She pretends to be of a higher class with a perfect life, but it's not true.

No one else is aware of this. Her persona convinces most and keeps the rest away. In this, she's not insane or unhinged; she's just damaged and on guard. Life has brought her down. So, at the end of the play, when she's supposedly raped, she loses it.

The sexual chemistry was there from the first scene when she met Stanley. She was drawn to his animalism and domineering masculinity, clearly desiring him even if she would never admit it. So, when he makes a move, she doesn't resist convincingly; she almost wants it to happen. I find it hard to conclude that it's rape. It happens offstage, and we only know the aftermath. The crime is implied, not directly explicit.

"We've had this date with each other from the beginning."

I may be going against the grain, but considering Blanche's history, the rape can be doubted. She escaped her first marriage when her husband killed himself, which also seems可疑. We only have Blanche's side of the story, and I think it's far from the truth. I think the rape could be her way out of another situation, a way for her to have an exit point.

Indeed, the poised and delusional Blanche couldn't just walk out; she couldn't accept that her sister didn't like her and that she was a manipulator. No, that's not Blanche. She has to go out with a bang. I think the whole insanity thing was an act or that she deluded herself into thinking it was real. I'm again arguing against the tide, but I'm almost convinced. I can't accept that she could be driven to complete madness like that. Not that I'm undermining the horror of rape, but in this situation, I don't think it's a valid trigger for insanity.

It's an interesting play that made me think, but I'm not sure if the ending everyone thinks happened actually did.

A Streetcar Named Desire is indeed one of the most highly regarded plays of the twentieth century and stands as the most popular work of Tennessee Williams.

It is a truly remarkable drama that delves deep into the themes of mental health and abusive relationships.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a performance by The National Ballet of Canada of an adaptation of this play. I was completely mesmerized by the beauty and artistry of the ballet, yet at the same time, I was deeply disturbed by its graphic and violent sexual content.

I have watched the movie adaptation of this play several times, but I don't recall those particular scenes or some parts of the storyline. This led me to decide to read the play for the very first time.

To my great surprise and delight, I really enjoyed reading it, especially the dialogues. They were so rich and powerful, bringing the characters to life in a vivid and engaging way.

However, as I was reading, I couldn't help but play the movie in my head. This might have influenced my opinion to some extent, as the movie is one of my all-time favourites.

Nonetheless, I have to admit that this play is truly outstanding.

It is important to note that the ending in the movie is slightly different from the play, which adds an interesting layer of complexity to the overall story.

PS. Original review posted on March 21, 2022 and edited on February 10, 2023.

This year, after reading "Oleanna" by David Mamet and "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller, the third classic theatrical work I read was "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams. And this one, in turn, seemed very good, special, engaging, and interesting from beginning to end. Of course, it is also my first encounter with the work of this great playwright Tennessee Williams.

Stanley Kowalski, a brutish Pole, a second-generation immigrant, and his wife Stella, who comes from a decayed wealthy southern family, live in Elysian Fields, a shabby riverside community in New Orleans. Stella's sister Blanche DuBois, a fragile, pretentious, and delusional beauty, agrees to come and seek refuge in the couple's home, where she begins to drown her problems in alcohol and constantly talk about the glorious past of her family.

This is what the synopsis says, and one doesn't need to know anything more before starting to read the book. It is a work that touches on quite serious and significant social issues, such as domestic violence, the prototype of the dynamic and powerful man, class status and origin, etc., which surely left a certain impression on American society at that time. Even now, the issues touched on in this work are still relevant. The dialogues are very realistic and human, the characters are full of passions - both positive and negative - and the whole setting is simple yet functional.
In general, this is a theatrical work that rightfully has the reputation that follows it and is considered one of the best American theatrical works of all time. Now that I see it, and it, in turn, won the Pulitzer Prize (1948), just like the other two theatrical works I read this year. Ha, I swear to you, I didn't aim for something like that! I will soon watch the classic 1951同名电影directed by Elia Kazan as well.