Tennessee Williams & Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williams March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983 Born Thomas Lanier Williams, in Columbus, MississippiBorn Thomas Lanier Williams, in Columbus, Mississippi Moved to Louisiana, setting of StreetcarMoved to Louisiana, setting of Streetcar Eventually settled in Key West, FloridaEventually settled in Key West, Florida Prolific Southern Gothic Writer, most famous for his plays.Prolific Southern Gothic Writer, most famous for his plays.

Tennessee Williams Troubled family/childhoodTroubled family/childhood Abusive fatherAbusive father 2nd to brother, Dakin2nd to brother, Dakin Mentally unstable mother & sisterMentally unstable mother & sister Sister, RoseSister, Rose –schizophrenic, institutionalized after failed lobotomy left her incapacitated –Devastated Tennessee

Tennessee Williams Openly gayOpenly gay Long term relationship w/Frank Merlo until Merlo’s deathLong term relationship w/Frank Merlo until Merlo’s death Never truly recoveredNever truly recovered Gay bashed in FL by group of teen boysGay bashed in FL by group of teen boys Works sometimes criticized for “excess,” merely attack on his sexualityWorks sometimes criticized for “excess,” merely attack on his sexuality

Tennessee Williams Broken manBroken man Feared insanityFeared insanity Self-medicated with alcohol/drugsSelf-medicated with alcohol/drugs DepressionDepression Broken characters mirrored his broken lifeBroken characters mirrored his broken life Died in hotel room, choked on bottle cap…I’ll explainDied in hotel room, choked on bottle cap…I’ll explain

Streetcar Named Desire Perhaps his most famous play, winning a PulitzerPerhaps his most famous play, winning a Pulitzer culture clash between two iconic characters: Blanche DuBois, a fading relic of the Old South, and Stanley Kowalski, a rising member of the industrial, urban working classculture clash between two iconic characters: Blanche DuBois, a fading relic of the Old South, and Stanley Kowalski, a rising member of the industrial, urban working class

Cast of Characters Blanche DuBoisBlanche DuBois Dark twist on Southern Belle Aging & in state of perpetual panic about her fading beauty veneer of social snobbery and sexual propriety insecure & relatively pathetic arrogance not simply snobbery, but a calculated attempt to make herself appear attractive to new male suitors totally dependent on male sexual admiration for her sense of self-esteem entire identity reliant on sexual worth

Blanche, cont. FALLEN WOMAN: family fortune & estate gone lost young husband to suicide Looked down on socially due to her sexual promiscuity drinking problem, which she covers up poorly dainty & frail--wardrobe of showy but cheap evening clothes. chronicle of the crumbling of Blanche’s self-image & sanity no realistic possibility of future happiness All this too much to take, thus her descent into madness

Stanley Kowalski animalistic vigor/crude & brutish – –1 st meet him yelling up at Stella throwing MEAT at her – –gambling, sex, bowling, & drinking are his main modes of fun – –Work, fighting, & sex Polish: resents “Polack” slur Represents new, heterogeneous America, the melting pot Blanche doesn’t belong to because she is a relic from an obsolete social hierarchy. – –parallels Emily Grierson Intense hatred of Blanche motivated by the aristocratic past Blanche represents. Shows no remorse for his brutal actions.

Mitch Lives w/dying mother Sensitive, even picked on for this Kind/decent human being Only person other than Stella who understands tragedy of Blanche’s madness. genuinely cares for Blanche (at first) hopes to marry Blanche so that he will have a woman to bring home to his dying mother Mitch/Blanche drawn together by mutual need for companionship clumsy, sweaty, w/ unrefined interests lacks Blanche’s romantic perspective & education Blanche toys with his lack of intelligence: speaks to him in French

Stella Kowalski Blanche’s younger sister, about 25 yrs. old mild disposition sets her apart from her more vulgar neighbors left Mississippi for New Orleans in late teens married lower-class Stanley shares a robust sexual relationship violent but renewing torn between her sister and her husband Denial of play’s end reveals she has more in common with Blanche than first conveyed

Pablo/Steve & Eunice Stella’s friends, upstairs neighbors, and landlords. represent Stella’s low-class, carnal life Like Stella, Eunice accepts her husband’s affections despite his physical abuse of her. Like Stanley, Steve is a brutish, hot-blooded, physically fit male and an abusive husband. Pablo is Hispanic, emphasizing culturally diverse nature of the neighborhood.