Analysis of "A Streetcar Named Desire"

After World War II, in 1947, Tennessee Williams wrote a play called A Streetcar Named Desire, the play takes place in the jubilant city of New Orleans, it is a about a sensitive woman named Blanche who has filled her entire life of lies, illusions, and full fantasy's she could never have. With her family plantation, Bella Reve, lost and nothing to lose she decides to move to the city to stay with her sister Stella and her rough, blue-collar husband Stanley. As the play progresses, because of Blanche's frail personality, the audience begins to feel for her own unfortunate life. Stanley, who has mistrusted and despised her since her arrival begins to ruin her self-esteem everyday of her life by continually engaging in harsh arguments with her, However, the audience begins to understand that Blanche isn't as frail as we would imagine she puts herself out to be. We learn this from Stanley's outburst, he has told other others that she has slept with numerous men, that she is the reason that Belle Reve has been lost and that she was the main reason for the death of her late husband. With this said, Mitch, one of Stanley's closest friends decides to end his short relationship with Blanche, because of her deceiving past. As Blanche's world is spinning in a never-ending circle, Stella goes into labor. While Stella is at the hospital, Blanche is at the apartment, as soon as Stanley enters the apartment he immediately begins to aggravate

and destroy every piece of her self-esteem. After which, he confesses his affection to her and states that he had affection to her ever since she came to New Orleans, He then shockingly rapes her. Weeks later, Blanche is suffering from a mental breakdown, she had told Stella what Stanley has done and because of Stella's mistrust of her own sister she chooses Stanley's side. With nothing else to do to help her sister Stella sends Blanche to an asylum. Blanche's past has ruined her to the point where when she is truthfully right no one would believe her because of her own past. By living a life of deception, misconceptions, and loneliness she has ruined her life and

The symbolism of the Tennessee Williams title "A Streetcar Named Desire" is ironic. Blanche has come to New Orleans in search of finding the only possible way of finding a new identity through her sister Stella.