Not a fan, though.

I should preface that by saying that I'm not really a fan of Tennessee Williams in general. (What kind of name is that anyway? Who names their kid after a state?) I don't share his fascination with abusive relationships. Nor do I find the tragic romance in them that he does. (Call me a prude, but I am offended at the idea that anyone could find redeeming romantic qualities in an abusive relationship, especially a male writer.)

I find nothing redeeming in the character of Stanley, in any of them really. There is perhaps an argument to be made for Blanche, since she's obviously the victim of a nervous breakdown. But given the fact that she was driven to that breakdown simply because she didn't have anyone to take care of her and couldn't live on her own, I have a hard time digging deep enough to find the sympathy there. Stanley is an abusive a-hole, Stella is an idiot for staying with him and Blanche is crazy. Yet somehow, you're supposed to care about them enough to sit through 2 hours? I guess I must have missed something. Maybe there are hidden layers and subtleties that I'm not seeing. But from my perspective, these characters are just too unlikable and their situations too depressing to hold my interest for that long.

Perhaps if I were more open-minded or had a different perspective on life and relationships, I might be able to appreciate the play more. But as it stands, I just can't seem to get into it.

I have read and watched this play countless times. My friends at GR Catching Up on the Classics have been engaged in reading and discussing it, and I simply had to join in. Tennesse Williams manages to describe so many profound social truths in his plays that I find myself irresistibly drawn to continuously consider and reconsider them.

Blanche has always been a soft and fragile character, not one of great strength. She did attempt to act stronger when she was doing everything within her power to save Belle Reve. However, her efforts were in vain. Blanche holds on to a modicum of sanity until she can reach her sister in New Orleans. But unfortunately, there is not enough space for her in her sister's home. In the end, there is only one place left for her - a mental institution.
As I read and reread the play, I become increasingly familiar with Blanche's situation, her pain, and her desperation. Here is a sentient being, as fallible as many others, who requires love and respect to thrive. And yet, all she can hope for is the kindness of strangers. I weep for Blanche and all those who end up institutionalized. We Americans have a tendency to institutionalize those who depend on us for love and respect.
I read from this paperback edition as I watched the 1995 television version of the play starring Jessica Lange, Alec Baldwin, and Diane Lane. This paperback is the one I borrowed from the library today. I had requested a copy, and this is what they prepared for me. While I blush slightly and smile, it is worth mentioning that an article written by Tennesse Williams is included as the Introduction. Williams, who is so adept at describing social and personal situations, can write about his own experiences of becoming famous and now facing fewer challenges in the ways that matter to him. It provides an interesting insight into the playwright's worldview.
Also included in this paperback are theatrical stills. In a time before movie streaming or even Google images, these stills would have given students - the intended audience of Signet classics - an opportunity to envision the play. I remember these stills vividly. I probably read this edition the first time I read the play, as I recall seeing these stills long ago during my university days. The cover may have been different decades ago - undoubtedly.

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams holds the 842nd position on The Greatest Books of All Time site.

It is an exceptional play that has won the Pulitzer Prize and is best known in its adapted form for the big screen, with Marlon Brando in the lead role.

I read in Adventures in the Screen Trade that it was the role in On the Waterfront that made Brando a movie star, but that only happened because Montgomery Clift turned down the part.

The main characters of this masterpiece are Blanche Dubois, Stella Kowalski, and Stanley. It all begins with Blanche's arrival at the home of Stella and her husband.

Blanche and Stella had lived in style on a property called Belle Reve, but now it's gone. Stanley is suspicious and angry about this, as according to Napoleonic laws, he is entitled to what his wife has. He makes this clear, stating that he doesn't want to be cheated.

There is a conflict and tension throughout due to the significant gap in education between Stella and Blanche on one hand and the rude and primitive Stanley on the other. Stanley is clever, determined, and assertive, but I don't like him as he is also violent, insensitive, and barbaric at times.

Blanche, on the other hand, comes across as arrogant, lazy, demanding, and a liar. She reminds me of the shortest joke from Fawlty Towers.

Meanwhile, Blanche has descended from a good life to poverty and disgrace. Her reputation is in shambles as she was thrown out of the school where she was teaching and later from a hotel with a bad reputation.

All the characters are complex, except for Stanley, whom I don't care much for. The downfall of poor Blanche was caused by an early romance that ended badly.

She loved a boy when she was a teenager, and he had a talent for poetry. They got married, but he turned out to be a "degenerate." After this tragedy, Blanche sought comfort in the arms of many men, even a seventeen-year-old boy, which led to her dismissal from her teaching job.

To end with a joke, the Seinfeld comedy series included a reference to this classic when Elaine, drunk at a party, kept shouting "Stella!!!" trying to imitate Brando in the famous scene when he calls his wife after abusing her. It's a fantastic chef d'oeuvre.

I'm not going out on a limb by saying this is arguably one of the greatest modern plays ever written, with the possible exception of Tennessee Williams' other plays. The problem is that I saw the Marlon Brando/Vivien Leigh version (not on stage), and years later, when I actually read it, I just couldn't get the cast out of my head. This is one of the reasons why one should always read the book (or play) prior to seeing the movie or play. The impressions that your imagination conjures of the characters are more interesting than the ones chosen by the casting director. However, in this case, you can't do much better than Brando as Stanley, Leigh as Blanche, Karl Malden as Harold (Mitch), and Kim Hunter as Stella. Their performances were truly outstanding and added a new dimension to the play. But still, reading the play first allows you to form your own unique interpretations and connections with the characters and the story.

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

It is a powerful 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 performance, yet at the same time, I was deeply disturbed by its graphic and violent sexual content. I had watched the movie adaptation several times before, but I couldn'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.

I truly enjoyed reading it, especially the dialogues, which were both engaging and thought-provoking. However, as I read, I couldn't help but play the movie in my head. So, it could be argued that my opinion might be somewhat biased, considering that the movie is one of my all-time favourites.

Nonetheless, this play is truly remarkable.

The ending in the movie is slightly different from that of the play, which adds an interesting layer of comparison between the two adaptations.

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

So, when I take into account that I have been reading this drama since the moment I saw one episode of The Simpsons, it was really a nice surprise :)

Needless to say, I have constantly imagined Blanche as Marge and Stanley as Flanders.

I highly recommend it. It is really well done.

It cannot be said that Blanche was a darling of the crowd. She really didn't grow on me, but the way Stella behaves at the end is really disgusting! I don't like her.

Overall, this drama has its own charm and unique characteristics. Although some of the characters may not be to everyone's taste, the story and the way it is presented are engaging and thought-provoking. It makes you think about various aspects of human nature and relationships. Whether you are a fan of The Simpsons or not, it is worth giving this drama a try. You might be pleasantly surprised, just like I was.

I look forward to seeing more works like this in the future.

I read this for my English Language and Lit class.

And I'm not disappointed at all.

The book presents an extremely intriguing plot.

The characters are interesting and the narrative flows seamlessly throughout the book.

Blanche's character is truly like a moth.

She is fragile and has mental delusions, which adds another layer to the play.

Moreover, the characters complement the story very well.

The way the story unfolds is like a violin that gradually gets louder throughout the book.

And at a certain moment in the book, the strings break!

When you read this play, you will definitely not be disappointed.

The book deals with the issues of alcoholism, delusion, and the patriarchal society in a wonderfully devilish way.

It makes you think deeply about these problems and understand the complexity of human nature and society.

Overall, it's a great piece of literature that I would highly recommend to others.

Maybe I'll change my rating after we study it in class but right now it is a dwindling 2 stars.

At present, my initial impression of this thing is rather mediocre, hence the 2-star rating. However, I am aware that my understanding might be limited as I haven't delved into a detailed study of it yet. There could be aspects and qualities that I have overlooked or not fully grasped.

----- Update ------

Yep, this definitely got better after studying it properly. After spending more time and effort on analyzing and understanding it, I have discovered its true value and potential. The more I explore it, the more I realize that my initial assessment was too hasty. It turns out to have many interesting features and capabilities that I didn't notice before. Now, I have a much more positive attitude towards it and would likely give it a higher rating if I were to evaluate it again.

Tennessee Williams is a master of writing brilliant dialogue. He distributes it flawlessly among an explosive cast of characters.

All of this results in some incredibly intense and crazy scenes.

So, it's only natural to envision that this would be an amazing play. In fact, I can't wait to see it performed some day.

However, the experience of reading it isn't quite the same. At least, it wasn't for me.

It seems quite evident that this play was written to be performed rather than read, just like most plays are.

The dialogue and the interactions between the characters come to life on the stage, but when reading, some of that magic may be lost.

Nevertheless, it's still possible to appreciate the genius of Tennessee Williams' writing and the potential of this play to be a truly unforgettable theatrical experience.

Maybe one day, I'll have the opportunity to witness it firsthand and be completely blown away.

Until then, I'll continue to admire his work from a distance and imagine what it would be like to see it performed live.

I won't say anything about what Tennessee has written, but in the introduction I found some things with which I don't agree and honestly, in 2020 I expected a different narrative compared to the traditional one.

There are two spoilers, eh.

I'm writing things randomly because I don't have the skills, nor the will and patience to do a thorough analysis regarding this; however, I want to leave two examples.

"We know instead […] that on the night of the poker Stanley […] had beaten her severely. As we know, Stella had taken refuge upstairs, but when he, shouting, told her to come down, she obeyed him. A night of love then wiped away everything. {did he really write that?!}
The beatings, as comically {look at me laughing} will happen later in the fight between Eunice and Steve, are part of the marital household. These are things that happen and that women must learn to endure." In 2020 (the year of publication of this translation) do we still have to swallow an interpretation that normalizes and romanticizes violence and abuse within relationships? I don't want to believe this.

Regarding racism and discrimination: ”[…] Pablo is Mexican. In fact, during the poker game, Stanley, in a moment of irritation, addresses him with a racist insult; but this is precisely a moment of irritation, behind which there is no discriminatory belief on the part of Stanley." – But who said that, where is it written! One can be racist without intending to, but this doesn't make our actions and thoughts any less racist!

The whole thing is seasoned with a pinch of pepper: ”One last observation concerns the use of 'you formal' and 'you familiar'. (Always assuming that this can still seem relevant, after bad manners and television, to deceive the guests of various shows into being 'equal' to the famous presenters to whom they address, has made the use of 'you familiar' almost mandatory)." – What sense, excuse me? What is lacking to be equal?

Please, the plate is served. There is something academic in this rotten thing.

The end of "A Streetcar Named Desire" leaves the reader desolate and sad.

The reality is implacable and destroys all illusions and fantasies. We humans can disguise the painful truth of our past, but it can emerge and destroy us.

The work develops with two main characters. Blanche DuBois represents the woman who has lost her place in post-World War II southern high society. Refined and cultured, she secretly maintains her past. Opposite her, her brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, is the voice of the rough working-class laborer who survived the battlefields and cannot adapt to the world. Both continuously clash for the desire to dominate the situation, to exercise power where they coexist.

Williams creates in the three acts a dramatic and complex tension that touches on themes such as male chauvinism, homophobia, and domestic violence, inviting us to reflect on a world that has changed little in seventy-five years.

This play not only展现了 the tragic fate of the characters but also makes us think deeply about the social and human nature issues hidden behind it. It is a classic work that still has great significance and value today.

Sad kad su mi se utisci malo posložili, mogu reći da je ovo opravdano sjajno. Zajebi četvorku, ovo je čista desetka! Svako malo detalje se nalaze na svom mestu, i sve radi savršeno.

Ne mogu biti ništa drukčije nego potpuno zadovoljan. Ovo je baš ono što sam tražio i baš što mi je potrebno. Sve što sam mogao zamisliti je ovde, i još mnogo više.

Nemam pojma kako bih mogao biti nezadovoljan. Ovo je apsolutno sjajno, i ja sam sretan što sam to našao. Svakako bih preporučio ovo svima koji traže nešto izvrsno.