A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams,

904 Words2 Pages

In the play A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams, there are two different personalities we see in the main characters of two sisters, Blanche DuBois and Stella Kowalski. Blanche is a more matured and old-fashion style woman. Meanwhile Stella is an understanding, willing, and protective woman from the heart of downtown New Orleans. The play is set in the era of the 1950’s and is located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Blanche plans on going to visit her sister Stella in the city. Blanche was an English teacher from Belle Reve, a plantation back home. She has yet to realize how different her sister has changed and what an animal Stanley, Stella’s husband, has become. From the start of the play, Blanche seem like a responsible mature woman with no issues. As the play continues, the sisters both have secrets they hide, raw emotions that reveal their character and different realities that set them apart from one another. Stella seems like the perfect sister. Patience and compassion have been gifted to her. She will listen to anybody and lend a hand whenever and wherever help is needed. Stella’s ability to empathize with Blanche's problems and feelings could receive a nomination into sainthood. Blanche has just arrived at Stella's house and she is describing how she met Stanley. Stella explains that Stanley travels a lot and he is gone for weeks at a time, “ When he's away for a week I nearly go wild! Gracious!..... I guess that is what is meant by being in love”(Williams23). Blanche informs Stella about Belle Reve the plantation that they grew up on. She says that they lost it because of personal matters with their father and uncle. While dealing with this news, Stella is keeping calm and is understanding ... ... middle of paper ... ...ite to the stage of humanity yet!” (Williams72). Stellas emotional state is pushed to the limits in this passage. Blanche is bagging on Stanley right in front of Stella and she is doing nothing to defend her husband. Stella is the more mature one. Blanche is the one who is acting like a teenager. Blanche and Stella don't have a hole lot of similarities, but by the end they are very different. Blanche is irritating, disrespectful and has no manners or respect for her sister and Stanley. During the last scene of the play, Blanche is being sent to an insane Asylum with the escort of her doctor. Stella and Stanley were the ones that called for Blanche to be taken away from society. The love that Stellas has for Blanche keyed her to call for help to save her sister. The outcome of Blanche telling lies, is she got what she deserved and is put right in her place.

Open Document