A Streetcar Named Desire
93. Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire
The main character of this play, Blanche Du Bois, is a cultured Southern woman who goes to visit her sister Stella in New Orleans. Stella is married to Stanley Kowalski, a self-assured alpha male who uses brute force to get his way. As Blanche observes her sister’s home life, she is horrified by Stanley’s abusive behavior and “common” background; meanwhile, Stanley is suspicious of Blanche and enjoys tormenting her. In addition, Blanche herself is hiding a fragile mental state and a checkered past. Eventually, the tensions between these three characters reach an explosive and tragic climax.
Believe it or not, I haven’t seen this movie and I wasn’t familiar with the plot of the play before reading it. Overall, I thought it was a very interesting psychological study, and the main characters were absolutely vivid and realistic. A few of the cultural references (to songs and so forth) went over my head, and the stage directions were awkward to read at times, but I think that seeing the movie or a stage performance would make them clearer. Ultimately, this is a very gripping and thought-provoking play - I haven’t finished working out my reaction to it yet! I would definitely recommend it to people who are interested in American drama and/or brilliant character study.