Scene 11

The Grand Finale!

Links to Scene 3:

• Stanley was losing to Mitch in scene 3, but now he’s winning
  • Blanche is leaving, he’s master of the house now
• Blanche bathing —> in the past, to cleanse herself of her past sins but now maybe to cleanse herself of Stanley
• Non-fluency features in Mitch’s speech: from his guilt or from drunkenness
• ‘What’s the matter with him?’ Stanley still emotionally stunted, no empathy at all
• Eunice: ‘I always did say that men…’ — at this stage, the women are sympathizing with Blanche but the men are still playing poker.
  • Where were the women before? While Blanche was slipping into insanity?
• ‘Don’t stand up. I’m only passing through.’ — this time she really means it, change in character. She no longer wants to be looked at
  • All the men are standing up, but Mitch doesn’t. Reverse of what happens in Scene 3
• Scene 2: the blind leading the blind, reference with Stella

General Notes:

• ‘I couldn’t believe her story and go on living with Stanley.’
  • Like she just doesn’t want to believe it because can’t bear living without Stanley. Kind of selfish
  • ‘Life has to go on’ — no choice for women in 1920s + baby! Stella is now living in her fantasy. Irony because Blanche was living in fantasy, but Stella has to resort to this to go on living
  • Maybe it’s something normal for this quarter?
  • Only recently was rape recognised/becoming a concern that a man can rape his wife.
• ‘I’m anxious to leave this place. This place is like a trap.’
  • Sees the trap now, reminder of wt happened in previous scenes
• Stella allowing her to live in the fantasy because of the brutal reality of mental hospital
  • Or she feels guilty. Emphasizes that Stella believes her but can’t accept it.
• Mitch lowers his head, Stanley rising up
  • Stanley: no remorse over his bad actions, can quickly stand up to challenge the victim. Proud. Reminding Blanche that he’s still there
  • Mitch: as if he’s the one who actually raped her, has his head down. Shows his guilt.
• Cathedral bells: build tension, foreshadowing, rings with death. But could also mark two things — Blanche rings with death, Stanley celebratory.
  • Fantasy vs Reality: Blanche
• Unwashed grape: shows her vulnerability, and how she’s been tainted. With doctors and matron too
• ‘Cynical detachment’
  • Linking to William’s sister who went through lobotomy. Shows how they don’t understand the illness
• The sea… escaping fantasy. Her story has link b/w death and desire, foreshadowing. Downfall.
  • Even in death she sees herself as being in water. Link to heroic figures being sent off, sign of rebirth and cleansing
  • Reality cuts in straight away with the doctor and matron
  • Blanche can predict that things aren’t right now
• Music:
  • Drums
  • Varsouviana
• Stanley involved in capturing her again p.104 ‘as if to block her way’
  • Stanley shuffling cards — he’s dealing the cards/fate, the puppet master
  • ‘Stanley ripping off the lantern’: last straw, violates her again. Still mocking her
  • Stella focusing on herself while Blanche is being treated like a wild animal
• Descriptions of matron, doctor etc.
• Madre de dios!… etc
  • This is bad, very very bad!
  • Even the poker players is saying it’s bad, so shows the severity of the situation.
• Mitch saying I’ll kill you etc.
• ENDING
  • ‘I have always depended on the kindness of strangers’ — links to her past?
    • Doctor smiling at her, wrapped up in her fantasy. Her hamartia, not finding definition for ‘kindness’, depends on others for support.
  • Doctor smiling at her — deception,
    • Link to context: maybe Williams projecting how he wished his sister would be treated
  • Stella’s reaction use quote la
    • The baby being handed: a reminder why Stella stays with Stanley
    • ‘Luxuriously sobbing’ — her catharsis. Stella surrendering to her tears basically
    • Baby kept away while Blanche was inside
  • Stanley opening her blouse
    • Emphasises how their relationship is built on desire etc.
  • Pale blue blanket (p.79) two blue candles, blue piano.
  • This game is seven-card stud
    • Metaphor for life. Life is just a game, it goes on — Stanley may have won but life is still going on.
    • Don’t show all your cards. ‘Keeping your cards close to your chest.’
    • It’s a male-dominated word?

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