TENNESSEE WILLIAMS: A Streetcar Named Desire

Either * 16 Re-read Scene 1 from ‘Blanche: Now, then, let me look at you ...’ (p. 120
Penguin) to ‘Stella (a little drily ): Thanks.’ (p. 121)

BLANCHE:

Now, then, let me look at you. But don't you look at me, Stella, no, no, no, not till later, not till
I've bathed and rested! And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won't be looked at in this
merciless glare! [Stella laughs and complies] Come back here now! Oh, my baby! Stella!
Stella for Star! [She embraces her again] I thought you would never come back to this
horrible place! What am I saying? I didn't mean to say that. I meant to be nice about it and
say--Oh, what a convenient location and such--Haa-ha! Precious lamb! You haven't said a
word to me.

STELLA:

You haven't given me a chance to, honey! [She laughs, but her glance at Blanche is a little
anxious.]

BLANCHE:

Well, now you talk. Open your pretty mouth and talk while I look around for some liquor! I
know you must have some liquor on the place! Where could it be, I wonder? Oh, I spy, I
spy!

[She rushes to the closet and removes the bottle; she is shaking all over and panting for breath
as she tries to laugh. The bottle nearly slips from her grasp.]

STELLA [noticing]:

Blanche, you sit down and let me pour the drinks. I don't know what we've got to mix with.
Maybe a coke's in the icebox. Look'n see, honey, while I'm--

BLANCHE:

No coke, honey, not with my nerves tonight! Where--where--where is--?

STELLA:

Stanley? Bowling! He loves it. They're having a--found some soda!--tournament...

BLANCHE:
Just water, baby, to chase it! Now don't get worried, your sister hasn't turned into a drunkard,
she's just all shaken up and hot and tired and dirty! You sit down, now, and explain this place
to me! What are you doing in a place like this?

STELLA:
Now, Blanche--

BLANCHE:

Oh, I'm not going to be hypocritical, I'm going to be honestly critical about it! Never, never,
never in my worst dreams could I picture--Only Poe! Only Mr. Edgar Allan Poe!--could do it
justice! Out there I suppose is the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir! [She laughs.]

STELLA:

No, honey, those are the L & N tracks.

BLANCHE:
No, now seriously, putting joking aside. Why didn't you tell me, why didn't you write me, honey,
why didn't you let me know?

STELLA [carefully, pouring herself a drink]:

Tell you what, Blanche?

BLANCHE:

Why, that you had to live in these conditions!

STELLA:

Aren't you being a little intense about it? It's not that bad at all! New Orleans isn't like
other cities.

BLANCHE:

This has got nothing to do with New Orleans. You might as well say--forgive me, blessed
baby! [She suddenly stops short] The subject is closed!

STELLA [a little drily]:

Thanks.

Explore the writing here, showing what Williams reveals about the two sisters.

Or 17 How far does Williams make you feel sympathy for Stanley in the play? Refer to
details in the play in your answer.

______________________________________________________________________
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS: A Streetcar Named Desire

Either *43 Re-read the end of Scene 4 (p.163 Penguin), beginning ‘Blanche: May I – speak
–plainly?’

May I--speak--plainly?

STELLA:

Yes, do. Go ahead. As plainly as you want to.

[Outside, a train approaches. They are silent till the noise subsides. They are both in
the bedroom. Under cover of the train's noise Stanley enters from outside. He stands
unseen by the women, holding some packages in his arms, and overhears their
following conversation. He wears an undershirt and grease-stained seersucker
pants.]

BLANCHE:

Well--if you'll forgive me--he's common!

STELLA:

Why, yes, I suppose he is.

BLANCHE:

Suppose! You can't have forgotten that much of our bringing up, Stella, that you just suppose
that any part of a gentleman's in his nature! Not one particle, no! Oh, if he was just--ordinary!
Just plain--but good and wholesome, but--no. There's something downright--bestial--about
him! You're hating me saying this, aren't you?

STELLA [coldly]:

Go on and say it all, Blanche.

BLANCHE: He acts like an animal, has an animal's habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks
like one! There's even something--sub-human--something not quite to the stage of humanity
yet! Yes, something--ape-like about him, like one of those pictures I've seen in--anthropological
studies! Thousands and thousands of years have passed him right by, and there he is--Stanley
Kowalski-- survivor of the stone age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle! And
you--you here--waiting for him! Maybe he'll strike you or maybe grunt and kiss you! That is, if
kisses have been discovered yet! Night falls and the other apes gather! There in the front of the
cave, all grunting like him, and swilling and gnawing and hulking! His poker night!--you call it--
this party of apes! Somebody growls--some creature snatches at something--the fight is on!
God! Maybe we are a long way from being made in God's image, but Stella--my sister--there
has been some progress since then! Such things as art--as poetry and music--such kinds of
new light have come into the world since then! In some kinds of people some tenderer feelings
have had some little beginning! That we have got to make grow! And cling to, and hold as our
flag! In this dark march toward whatever it is we're approaching.... Don't--don't hang back with
the brutes!

[Another train passes outside. Stanley hesitates, licking his lips. Then suddenly he turns
stealthily about and withdraws through front door. The women are still unaware of his
presence. When the train has passed he calls through the closed front door.]

STANLEY:

Hey! Hey, Stella!

STELLA [who has listened gravely to Blanche]:

Stanley!

BLANCHE:

Stell, I ---

[But Stella has gone to the front door. Stanley enters casually with his packages.]

STANLEY:
Hiyuh, Stella. Blanche back?

STELLA:

Yes, she's back.

STANLEY:

Hiyuh, Blanche. [He grins at her.]

STELLA:

You must've got under the car.

STANLEY:

Them darn mechanics at Fritz's don't know their can from third base.

[Stella has embraced him--with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche. He
laughs and clasps her head to him. Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche.
[As the lights fade away, with a lingering brightness on their embrace, the music of the "blue
piano" and trumpet and drums is heard.]

How does the writing here make you aware of the underlying tensions in the play?

Or 44 What is your view of Stella and her relationship with Stanley?

Either *43 Re-read the beginning of Scene 2 (p. 131 Penguin) up to ‘Stanley: I don’t care if
she hears me. Let’s see the papers!’ (p. 132).

SCENE TWO

It is six o'clock the following evening. Blanche is bathing. Stella is completing her toilette.
Blanche's dress, a flowered print, is laid out on Stella's bed. Stanley enters the kitchen
from outside, leaving the door open on the perpetual "blue piano" around the corner.

STANLEY:

What's all this monkey doings?

STELLA:

Oh, Stan! [She jumps up and kisses him which he accepts with lordly composure] I'm taking
Blanche to Galatoire's for supper and then to a show, because it's your poker night

STANLEY:
How about my supper, huh? I'm not going to no Galatoire's for supper!

STELLA:

I put you a cold plate on ice.

STANLEY:

Well, isn't that just dandy!

STELLA:

I'm going to try to keep Blanche out till the party breaks up because I don't know how she
would take it. So we'll go to one of the little places in the Quarter afterwards and you'd better
give me some money.

STANLEY:
Where is she?

STELLA:

She's soaking in a hot tub to quiet her nerves. She's terribly upset.

STANLEY:

Over what?
STELLA:

She's been through such an ordeal.

STANLEY:

Yeah?

STELLA:

Stan, we've--lost Belle Reve!

STANLEY:

The place in the country?

STELLA:

Yes.

STANLEY:

How?

STELLA [vaguely]: Oh, it had to be--sacrificed or something. [There is a pause while Stanley
considers. Stella is changing into her dress] When she comes in be sure to say something nice
about her appearance. And, oh! Don't mention the baby. I haven't said anything yet, I'm waiting
until she gets in a quieter condition.

STANLEY [ominously]:

So!

STELLA:
And try to understand her and be nice to her, Stan.

BLANCHE [singing in the bathroom]:

"From the land of the sky blue water,

STELLA:

She wasn't expecting to find us in such a small place. You see I'd tried to gloss things over a
little in my letters.

STANLEY:

So?

STELLA:
And admire her dress and tell her she's looking wonderful. That's important with Blanche.
Her little weakness!

STANLEY:

Yeah. I get the idea. Now let's skip back a little to where you said the country place was
disposed of.

STELLA:

Oh!--yes...

STANLEY:

How about that? Let's have a few more details on that subject.

STELLA:

It's best not to talk much about it until she's calmed down.

STANLEY:

So that's the deal, huh? Sister Blanche cannot be annoyed with business details right
now!

STELLA:
You saw how she was last night.

STANLEY:

Uh-hum, I saw how she was. Now let's have a gander at the bill of sale.
STELLA:

I haven't seen any.

STANLEY:

She didn't show you no papers, no deed of sale or nothing like that, huh?

STELLA:

It seems like it wasn't sold.

STANLEY: Well what in hell was it then, give away? To charity?

STELLA: Shhh! She'll hear you.

STANLEY: I don't care if she hears me. Let's see the papers!

Explore the writing here, showing how Williams reveals the differing attitudes of Stella
and Stanley.