In Scene 1, we focused on the theme of ‘Strangers’ and how Blanche, arriving in New Orleans, was ‘a stranger in a strange land.’
Notes:
- Scene opens with elaborate description of Elysian Fields, two-storey flat in New Orleans
- Elysian Fields —> resting place of Greek heroes in Ancient Greek mythology
- Stanley & Stella: bottom floor, Eunice & Steve top floor. Perhaps shows that their relationship will develop to become like Eunice and Steve’s.
- Audience introduced to the ‘cosmopolitan’ city as well as the music of the ‘blue piano’
- Introduced symbolically to the characteristics of Stanley: “Caveman”
- Enters with bold colors (bowling jacket), work clothes, carrying meat from the butcher’s
- Bellows to Stella, throws package at her, which she catches breathlessly
- Sex connotations
- Audience’s first impression is that he is a crude, uncouth man
- Williams often dress his most degenerate characters in white — symbol of purity that can easily be tainted. Shows his view of them being precious, fragile things?
- e.g. Chance Wayne — Sweet Bird in youth. Sebastian — Suddenly, Last Summer
- Blanche saying she took a “Streetcar named Desire, one called Cemeteries and arrive at Elysian Fields…”
- Major foreshadowing; implying desire might lead her to her death/grave, but she will die as a (perhaps unsung, but nevertheless) heroine
- Foreshadowing of Blanche’s past showing lack of control that may lead to one’s downfall
- Blanche & Stella’s first meeting reveals Blanche’s unstable mind/state
- Blanche DuBois: White (of the) Woods
- Stella DuBois: Star (of the) Woods
- ‘Turn that over-light off!’ — reference to Blanche’s fear from the light, avoiding it. Unlike a moth, but in this case it’s to show her fear.
- Light might represent her past/the too-bright, overwhelming reality. Instead she prefers the dim, illusionary/fantasy world of her own
- Alcohol: symbol of escape, relies on it to calm herself down. Intoxication
A Levels Revision 