Importance of props and stage directions in A Streetcar Named Desire
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Course
English Literature
Institution
GEMS
Book
Streetcar Named Desire
Explores how Tennessee Williams has made use of props and stage directions in this play to provide the audience insight into Blanche’s character and psychological state as well as develop her character.
The conclusion drawn at the end of this essay is how props and stage directions contribute ...
A Streetcar Named Desire: Full Chapter Run-Through
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How does the text conform to, or deviate from the conventions of a particular genre and for
what purpose?
This essay explores how Tennessee Williams has made use of props and stage directions, in
A Streetcar Named Desire (written in 1947), to provide the audience insight into Blanche’s
character and psychological state as well as develop her character.
By exploring the symbolic meaning of bathing, lighting and flowers, and the necessity of
music and clothing for Blanche’s character, this essay concludes that the play has conformed to the
norms followed by a majority of plays. This has been done to captivate the audiences interest and
arouse speculation and excitement within the crowd. Through the use of quotes and examples from
A Streetcar Named Desire, the essay has provided evidence to support why something was done and
for what purpose. Also, the use stage directions are discussed and the purpose behind them.
The conclusion drawn at the end of this essay is how props and stage directions contribute to
Blanche’s character and what we can understand about Blanche through the symbolism used in the
play.
Rationale word count: 165
1
, The importance of symbolic props and stage directions in understanding of Blanche
Dubois, in A Streetcar Named Desire.
In his play, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams helps the audience comprehend
Blanche’s character through the use of props and stage directions. The use of these two vital
elements stimulates the audience to think about Blanche’s complex personality, helps understand
her psychological and mental state and also arouses curiosity.
Throughout the play, Blanche bathes frequently to ‘soothe her nerves’ and achieve peace of
mind. The baths denote her effort to cleanse herself of her execrable history and her attempts to turn
a new leaf. However, she is unable to evade her haunting past. For example, in scene two, after
having a bath Blanche says: ‘Here I am, all freshly bathed and scented, and feeling like a brand-new
human being.’ Similarly, in scene three, Stanley turns to water after he struck Stella. This tells us
that Williams has portrayed water as an object to erase mistakes, soothe nerves and elude
subconscious guilt. The baths could also be associated to the Fountain of Youth, a mythical fountain
in St.Augustine that is said to provide the consumers with everlasting youth. Blanche’s insecurities
about her appearance and constant need to bathe represents her desire to obtain the beautiful
features she possessed when she was younger.
Having been through some upsetting ordeals, Blanche’s delusional nature causes her to
pretend like everything is alright. Blanche always cowers away from bright light is reluctant to
reveal her age to Mitch, with whom she is romantically involved. Her desperate attempts to evade
the light shows that she lets her insecurities control her, making her apprehensive of rejection due to
her fading beauty and increasing age. Blanche’s fear of being seen in the light represents that she
wants to hide away her secrets and past. She is afraid of being exposed and having to face reality
2
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