Blanche Dubois Allusion Analysis

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In the play A Streetcar Named Desire author Tennessee Williams writes about Blanche DuBois, a woman who is seeking help from her older sister Stella Kowalski. Blanche comes to stay with Stella and her husband Stanley after finding out that Blanche and Stella’s childhood home had been taken from under them. The play goes on to show the dramatic downfall of what is Blanche DuBois. Throughout the play we see her slowly break down till finally she is pushed over the edge. William's uses a great deal of allusion to convey a real meaning to why characters do what they do. It’s not just an example, each allusion has a deeper meaning to the character it’s associated with. Blanche DuBois is the character used associated with allusion. Williams uses allusion with Blanche to present how she masks her true identity to the real world, saying she’s a pure southern belle when really she is truly a lost lonely soul. “The blind are leading the blind”(44) This biblical allusion first appears in the Bible "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."(Matthew 15:14) Williams uses this allusion to show how Blanche is headed for a tragic road. Blanche relies on Stella ,her sister, to help try to rebuild her. Blanche is so lost that she needs someone to …show more content…

Vous êtes- Armand” (88) which was said by Blanche is an allusion to the play “Camille” by Alexandre Dumas. The line means, "I am the Lady of the Camellias! You are Armand!" The play is about a lady who is a prostitute who abandons Armand. William is alluding Blanche with the character “Lady of Camellias” they are both weak and polluted by past loves that they are wanting attention and a new start. Williams also uses this allusion to show the outcome of Blanche and Mitch, in the play Lady Camellias leaves Armand, and since Blanche says this quote knowing the outcome of the story, Blanche herself may see no hope for

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