A Streetcar Named Desire Analytical Essay
Streetcar Named Desire Essay
In A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams, Blanche DuBois, a seemingly extravagant and sensual woman, visits her sister and brother-in-law after losing her family fortune and estate, only to find despair, heartbreak, and violence. She hoped to start a new life, one in which she could have found a wealthy gentleman to marry and live happily with. Blanche instead finds herself as a heartbroken, penniless victim of rape. She struggles to stay strong, to no avail, and is pushed into insanity as a result of rape as well as her disastrous relationships with the men in her life. Throughout the course of the play, Blanche is haunted by her tragic past life with her ex-husband, consequently causing her to go subtly mad. Prior to arriving in Elysian Fields, Blanche was happily married to a handsome young man by the name of Allen. However, her life took a turn for the worse when she discovered her husband in bed with another man. Her husband later ended up committing suicide. From that moment on, Blanche struggles to find happiness in her crumbling life. Memories of the night continue to haunt her and when she is alone, “the rapid, feverish polka tune, the “Varsouviana” is heard. The music is in her mind; she is drinking to escape it and the sense of disaster closing in on her” (139). That last night with her husband, when they danced the Varsouviana, haunts her throughout the play, and she cannot seem to forget the horror she felt that night. The memories from that dance, which signal her last moments with her husband, continue to burden her. She continues to feel helpless, lonely, and unsafe, without the presence of her husband around. As strong and confident as she tries to make herself appear, Blanche is a weak woman still horrified by the tragic suicide of her ex-husband. Blanche’s relationship with Mitch also contributed to her descent into insanity. After Blanche lost her family estate, she gallivanted around infamous
In A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams, Blanche DuBois, a seemingly extravagant and sensual woman, visits her sister and brother-in-law after losing her family fortune and estate, only to find despair, heartbreak, and violence. She hoped to start a new life, one in which she could have found a wealthy gentleman to marry and live happily with. Blanche instead finds herself as a heartbroken, penniless victim of rape. She struggles to stay strong, to no avail, and is pushed into insanity as a result of rape as well as her disastrous relationships with the men in her life. Throughout the course of the play, Blanche is haunted by her tragic past life with her ex-husband, consequently causing her to go subtly mad. Prior to arriving in Elysian Fields, Blanche was happily married to a handsome young man by the name of Allen. However, her life took a turn for the worse when she discovered her husband in bed with another man. Her husband later ended up committing suicide. From that moment on, Blanche struggles to find happiness in her crumbling life. Memories of the night continue to haunt her and when she is alone, “the rapid, feverish polka tune, the “Varsouviana” is heard. The music is in her mind; she is drinking to escape it and the sense of disaster closing in on her” (139). That last night with her husband, when they danced the Varsouviana, haunts her throughout the play, and she cannot seem to forget the horror she felt that night. The memories from that dance, which signal her last moments with her husband, continue to burden her. She continues to feel helpless, lonely, and unsafe, without the presence of her husband around. As strong and confident as she tries to make herself appear, Blanche is a weak woman still horrified by the tragic suicide of her ex-husband. Blanche’s relationship with Mitch also contributed to her descent into insanity. After Blanche lost her family estate, she gallivanted around infamous