Streetcar Named Desire assessment of the past
“Man… cannot learn to forget, but hangs on the past: however far or fast he runs that chain run with him” in light of Nietzsche’s opinion, compare and contrast the presentation of the past as a limiting factor to the identities of the female protagonists in A Streetcar Named Desire and Top Girls.
The Southern Belle protagonist, Blanche Dubois, by the playwright Tennessee Williams is deeply haunted by her past, which is limiting her identity in the present and in order to cope; the protagonist creates fantasy. Blanche’s past is being presented here as the chain she finds difficult to forget, indeed difficult to avoid too. Blanche is unaware of the society she is in now- the cosmopolitan New Orleans, and here is a shift in society from the 1920s Southern Belle ideologies, into the progressive 40s America. This is presented as the future, however the protagonist cannot embrace this, so consequently the past imposes upon her present. And this is what leads to Blanche’s imbalance, and perhaps difficulty in terms of communication and understanding by the other characters.
The playwright enlightens the audience of the character’s past to shape understanding of her actions in the present. Through Stanley, we understand that Blanche had to leave her hometown after the death of her husband, her complained about promiscuous behavior in her workplace [school] with her students, and the loss of her plantation [Belle Reve] which essentially was the capital of her wealth and status, have all collapsed leaving Blanche of nothing but to seek asylum in her sister’s world. This is all quite degrading for Blanche, it creates a shift in her habitat and aristocratic lifestyle, however in light of Nietzsche’s opinion, the protagonist indeed isn’t learning to forget, and sadly, isn’t learning to avoid either. This is evident when Stanley says to Blanche in scene 2, “If I didn’t know you were my sister’s wife I’d get ideas about you”. Relating to Nietzsche, chains have indeed been
The Southern Belle protagonist, Blanche Dubois, by the playwright Tennessee Williams is deeply haunted by her past, which is limiting her identity in the present and in order to cope; the protagonist creates fantasy. Blanche’s past is being presented here as the chain she finds difficult to forget, indeed difficult to avoid too. Blanche is unaware of the society she is in now- the cosmopolitan New Orleans, and here is a shift in society from the 1920s Southern Belle ideologies, into the progressive 40s America. This is presented as the future, however the protagonist cannot embrace this, so consequently the past imposes upon her present. And this is what leads to Blanche’s imbalance, and perhaps difficulty in terms of communication and understanding by the other characters.
The playwright enlightens the audience of the character’s past to shape understanding of her actions in the present. Through Stanley, we understand that Blanche had to leave her hometown after the death of her husband, her complained about promiscuous behavior in her workplace [school] with her students, and the loss of her plantation [Belle Reve] which essentially was the capital of her wealth and status, have all collapsed leaving Blanche of nothing but to seek asylum in her sister’s world. This is all quite degrading for Blanche, it creates a shift in her habitat and aristocratic lifestyle, however in light of Nietzsche’s opinion, the protagonist indeed isn’t learning to forget, and sadly, isn’t learning to avoid either. This is evident when Stanley says to Blanche in scene 2, “If I didn’t know you were my sister’s wife I’d get ideas about you”. Relating to Nietzsche, chains have indeed been