Summary COMPLETED essay on Blanche 'A Streetcar named Desire'
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Course
Unit AS 1 - The Study of Drama
Institution
CCEA
This document includes an essay question on Blanche's character in 'A Streetcar named Desire' with focus on how she is presented as a victim in this play.
Throughout ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ Blanche is portrayed as a victim of a
male-dominated society to a large extent; this is due to the fact that Blanche is
made to be a victim as she resides in a society in which men have a higher archical
position as they are portrayed as more powerful and superior. I believe that
Williams based his decision to portray Blanche as a victim of assumed male
superiority upon the gender roles existing within the patriarchal society of the
United States at the time. However, there are points throughout the play which
suggest that Blanche is not entirely a victim of a male-dominated society, for
example, through Blanche’s speech and actions it is implied that she may be
responsible for her own downfall due to her self-destructive behaviour, for
instance, through her inappropriate behaviour towards other characters, and her
inability to accept change and also at certain Williams suggests that Blanche is not
entirely a victim as she is capable of standing up to Stanley. Moreover, throughout
this play, Williams evokes great sympathy for Blanche due to her harsh past, her
sensitivity and her deep insecurity, in order to cause the audience to overlook her
lesser qualities and therefore, Williams fully intended to express Blanche as a
victim of a male-dominated society, through ensuring that despite some of
Blanche’s less favourable character traits, the audience is always sympathetic
towards her character.
Williams portrays Blanche as a victim of a male-dominated society through her all
of her significant interactions with male characters in the play such as Stanley,
Mitch and the doctor. In relation to Blanche and Mitch, the use of structure in
relation to their relationship throughout the course of the play demonstrates the
dominance of male power in order to demonstrate how the relationship between
Mitch and Blanche was instrumental in Blanche’s mental deterioration. For
instance, in scene three, Blanche’s demonstrates a “certain interest” in Mitch and
demonstrates her romantic intentions towards him through her choice of costume
as the stage directions state, “she slipped on the dark red satin wrapper”in doing
so Blanche is presenting her physical beauty in an attempt to gain the attention of
and seduce Mitch as the use of the colour red also connotes with romance and
passion; this is reinforced through Blanche’s body language as she “waltzes to the
music with romantic gestures” and Blanche’s seductive movements in order to
make herself appear more desirable to Mitch, this conveys Blanche’s desire to
pursue a relationship with Mitch in order to escape from her tragic, past
relationship in which her ex-husband ended his life. Also, Blanche’s previous
marriage and the tragic way in which it ended may have led to Blanche’s insecurity
and her need for attention from men, which asserts her position as a victim due to
her vulnerability. This is displayed through her coy, flirtatious demeanour when
speaking to Mitch as she states “I’m an old maid school teacher!” and he replies
with “you may teach school but you’re certainly no old maid,” yet despite
Blanche’s flirtatious undertones in her conversation, it is clear that she is highly
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