Themes: Desire
Desire is a central theme in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire, driving the characters' actions and shaping their fates. The play explores how desire can lead to destruction, highlighting the contrast between the characters' aspirations and their harsh realities. Through Blanche and Stanley, Williams examines the consequences of unchecked desire and its impact on identity and relationships.
Blanche's journey to New Orleans on a streetcar named "Desire" symbolizes her pursuit of fulfillment through physical and emotional connections. Her past is marked by promiscuity, a response to the emotional void left by her husband's death and the collapse of her family estate, Belle Reve. She tells Mitch, "Yes, I had many intimacies with strangers. After the death of Allan--intimacies with strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with." Blanche's desire is a means to escape the pervasive death around her, yet it ironically leads to her own emotional demise. Her attempts to find love and support through desire ultimately result in further isolation and despair.
The title of the play operates on multiple levels, reflecting both literal and metaphorical themes. Blanche's journey from the streetcar named "Desire" to "Cemeteries" and finally to "Elysian Fields" signifies her path from longing to a metaphorical death of her identity. Her desires have led her to lose her job and reputation, and her clinging to the old Southern gentility only accelerates her existential annihilation. Unlike her sister Stella, who adapts to a new way of life, Blanche remains trapped in her illusions, unable to face reality.
Desire also manifests in the contrasting relationships in the play. Blanche's distorted view of romance, rooted in fantasy, prevents her from forming genuine connections. Her past actions, including the confrontation with her husband that led to his suicide, haunt her, and she remains trapped in a cycle of unfulfilled desires. In contrast, Stella and Stanley's relationship is raw and primal, marked by passion and violence. Despite Stanley's abusive nature, his love for Stella is tangible, highlighting the destructive yet undeniable power of desire.
Williams uses Blanche and Stanley to illustrate the destructive nature of desire. Blanche's pursuit of desire as an escape from grief leads to her downfall, while Stanley's unchecked desires maintain his power but at a cost to those around him. The play suggests that desire, when left unchecked, leads to a dead end, symbolized by the journey to Elysian Fields, a place of false hope and harsh reality. Through these characters, Williams portrays desire as a force that can both drive and destroy, leaving a lasting impact on their lives.
Expert Q&A
In Scene 5 of A Streetcar Named Desire, why does Blanche kiss the young man?
In Scene 5 of A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche kisses the young man due to her drunken state and uninhibited behavior. This action reveals her dependence on alcohol, her pattern of inappropriate conduct with younger men, and her mental instability. Her flirtation and subsequent kiss highlight her perverse desires and her struggle to maintain control over her impulses.
What does Blanche mean when she says death is the opposite of desire in A Streetcar Named Desire?
Blanche means that death signifies the end of feeling and desire. After the death of her husband and multiple family losses, she felt dead inside and turned to physical desire to fill the void. She believed indulging in desire was a way to escape the pervasive death around her, although it ironically led to her own emotional demise.
What does desire represent for Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire?
For Stanley Kowalski, desire represents the need to maintain his masculine dominance and control in his household. Blanche DuBois's arrival threatens this status quo, as her presence challenges his authority and exposes his insecurities. Stanley's desire to protect his ego leads to violent actions, culminating in the rape of Blanche as a means to reassert his power and eliminate her as a threat to his domestic supremacy. This act ultimately restores his desired order.
What motivates Stella Kowalski's desire in A Streetcar Named Desire?
Stella Kowalski's desire in "A Streetcar Named Desire" is driven by both carnal attraction and a need for security. She is drawn to Stanley's primal magnetism and the physical allure of their relationship, despite its dysfunctionality and his abusive behavior. Additionally, Stella seeks to escape her past and finds a sense of stability and safety with Stanley, contrasting with Blanche's inability to adapt to their changed circumstances.
Why does Blanche in "A Streetcar Named Desire" struggle to control her sexual desires? How does her antagonizing Stanley relate to this? And why doesn't she avoid her 'executioner'?
Blanche struggles to control her sexual desires due to her history of inappropriate relationships and her need to feel desirable despite aging. Her constant bathing and avoidance of light symbolize her attempts to preserve youth. Her antagonistic relationship with Stanley heightens sexual tension, culminating in her rape by him, which signifies her downfall. Despite recognizing Stanley as her "executioner," Blanche's reliance on sexuality for survival prevents her from avoiding him.
What does Williams's depiction of Blanche and Stanley suggest about desire?
Williams's depiction of Blanche and Stanley in "A Streetcar Named Desire" suggests that desire leads to destruction. Blanche's desires ruin her reputation and lead to her downfall, while Stanley's desires result in violence and dominance. Williams highlights a gender distinction in how desire manifests, with Blanche's desires leading to social ruin, whereas Stanley retains power. Ultimately, desire is portrayed as a dead end, offering false hope and reducing humans to primal instincts.
How does Blanche's interest in teenage boys contribute to her downfall in A Streetcar Named Desire?
Blanche's interest in teenage boys in "A Streetcar Named Desire" highlights her delusion and decadence, contributing to her downfall. Her inappropriate relationships lead to her losing her teaching job, forcing her to live with her sister Stella and brother-in-law Stanley in New Orleans. This situation strains her relationship with Stanley, who uncovers her past, further isolating her. Her inability to reconcile her fantasies with reality ultimately leads to her mental breakdown.
Discuss the destructive love in Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire.
The love in Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" is portrayed as destructive. Blanche's yearning for a bygone era and the grandeur of Belle Reve prevents her from adapting to the modern world, leading to her downfall. Stanley's possessive and controlling love results in his violation of Blanche, highlighting the destructive nature of his desires. Ultimately, the play illustrates how love, when rooted in unrealistic or selfish desires, can destroy relationships and individuals.
Symbolism and Imagery in "A Streetcar Named Desire"
The title A Streetcar Named Desire reflects both literal and metaphorical themes in the play. It refers to the streetcar Blanche takes, symbolizing the desires that drive her life and lead to her downfall. The journey from "Desire" to "Cemeteries" to "Elysian Fields" signifies Blanche's path from desire to metaphorical death. Light symbolizes truth in the play, which Blanche avoids to maintain her illusions. Her aversion to harsh light reveals her fear of facing reality and her past.
Evaluate Stanley's attempt to rape Blanche in terms of René Girard's theory of mimetic desire.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.
