1. American Literature Unit 20 Tennessee Williams

2. Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) born in Columbus, Mississippi born in Columbus, Mississippi Died in the Elysee Hotel in New York Died in the Elysee Hotel in New York One of the most important playwrights in American literary history: One of the most important playwrights in American literary history: Eugene O ’ Neill, Arthur Miller

3. “Tennessee” Williams Original name: Thomas Lanier Williams Original name: Thomas Lanier Williams "Tennessee": his father was from Tennessee, his friends called him Tennessee for his southern accent "Tennessee": his father was from Tennessee, his friends called him Tennessee for his southern accent

4. Family Mother: Southern lady, educated, refined, daughter of the Minister, aggressive Mother: Southern lady, educated, refined, daughter of the Minister, aggressive Father: traveling salesman, distant from home, abusive Father: traveling salesman, distant from home, abusive Family resembles that of D. H. Lawrence, sexually disturbed boy: clinging to Mother while alienated from Father Family resembles that of D. H. Lawrence, sexually disturbed boy: clinging to Mother while alienated from Father

5. Sister Rose Rose: elder Sister, emotionally disturbed and spent most of her life in mental institutions Rose: elder Sister, emotionally disturbed and spent most of her life in mental institutions Closely attached to his sister, felt lonely after she was hospitalized, turned to writing for expression, began to publish at an early age. Closely attached to his sister, felt lonely after she was hospitalized, turned to writing for expression, began to publish at an early age.

6. Homosexuality Frank Merlo, met in 1947, died in 1961. Williams ’ most productive years Frank Merlo, met in 1947, died in 1961. Williams ’ most productive years Homosexuality plays a subtle but important part in most of his plays Homosexuality plays a subtle but important part in most of his plays

7. His major works The Glass Menagerie 1944 The Glass Menagerie 1944 《玻璃动物园》 A Streetcar Named Desire 1947 A Streetcar Named Desire 1947 《欲望号街车》 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1955 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1955 《热铁皮屋顶上的猫》

8. Awards Two Pulitzer Prizes (A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) Two Pulitzer Prizes (A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) The first playwright to receive in the same year (1947): The first playwright to receive in the same year (1947): The Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Donaldson Award, The New York Drama Critics Circle Award

9. A Streetcar Named Desire

10. Epigraph “ The Broken Tower ” by Hart Crane “ The Broken Tower ” by Hart Crane And So it was I entered the broken world, To trace the visionary company of love, its voice An instant in the wind (I know not whither hurled) But not for long to hold each desperate choice.

11. Major Characters in Streetcar BLANCHE STELLA STANLEY MITCH ALLAN SHEPHUNTLEIGH

12. Scene One Blanche ’ s arrival at Elysian Fields and her encounter with Stanley. Blanche ’ s arrival at Elysian Fields and her encounter with Stanley. Four parts: Four parts: Meat scene: P 223-224 Meat scene: P 223-224 Blanche with Eunice: P 224-226 Blanche with Eunice: P 224-226 Blanche with Stella: P 226-231 Blanche with Stella: P 226-231 Blanche with Stanley: P 231-233 Blanche with Stanley: P 231-233

13. The Meat Symbol Symbol animal instincts in Stanley animal instincts in Stanley the harmonious sexual relation between Stanley and Stella. the harmonious sexual relation between Stanley and Stella.

14. Blanche ’ s appearance What is the reaction of Blanche at the first sight of Stella ’ s home? What is the reaction of Blanche at the first sight of Stella ’ s home? Shocked disbelief Shocked disbelief What are the effects/impressions of her appearance? What are the effects/impressions of her appearance? Incongruous to the setting Incongruous to the setting Daintily dressed Daintily dressed Delicate beauty Delicate beauty Moth (fragile, doomed) Moth (fragile, doomed)

15. Blanche DuBois: The White Woods From the South, French ancestry, the gentry society, a lady. “ a cultivated woman, a woman of intelligence and breeding ” Can “ enrich a man ’ s life immeasurably ” ideal beau: Shep Huntleigh - rich and aristocratic, polite to women.

16. Blanche vs. Eunice Eunice: represents the local people Eunice: represents the local people kind, warm-hearted, inquisitive, getting close with strangers quickly, not educated kind, warm-hearted, inquisitive, getting close with strangers quickly, not educated Blanche: out of place, incongruous, incompatible Blanche: out of place, incongruous, incompatible Polite, educated, aristocratic, good manners, alert, keep the distance Polite, educated, aristocratic, good manners, alert, keep the distance

17. Blanche & Stella Blanche is hysterical, talkative, active Blanche is hysterical, talkative, active Stella is submissive, passive, silent Stella is submissive, passive, silent The loss of Belle Reve (beautiful dream) The loss of Belle Reve (beautiful dream) Their family background: Their family background: From the South, genteel and rich, but the prosperity of aristocratic ancestry is collapsing, down-falling

18. Stanley Kowalski: the Polack Strong, compactly built Strong, compactly built Animal joy Animal joy Pleasure with women Pleasure with women Power, pride of a richly feathered bird among hens Power, pride of a richly feathered bird among hens The gaudy seed-bearer The gaudy seed-bearer

19. Scene Seven Lie Number One (Page 234-35) Lie Number One (Page 234-35) The hotel of Flamingo The hotel of Flamingo Not interfering in the private social life of the personalities there Not interfering in the private social life of the personalities there Requested to turn in her room key – for permanently Requested to turn in her room key – for permanently Blanche ’ s reputation: ruined, notorious Blanche ’ s reputation: ruined, notorious

20. Lie Number Two (Page 235) Practically told by the mayor to get out of town Practically told by the mayor to get out of town Kicked out of school Kicked out of school Gotten mixed up with a 17-year-old boy Gotten mixed up with a 17-year-old boy Blanche ’ s sexuality is “ perverse ”, unacceptable to the society, doomed to be “ kicked out ”. Blanche ’ s sexuality is “ perverse ”, unacceptable to the society, doomed to be “ kicked out ”.

21. Finale: kindness of strangers

22. Streetcar Named “ Desire ” They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at — Elysian Fields! They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at — Elysian Fields! DESIRE: pursuit of her sexual desires DESIRE: pursuit of her sexual desires CEMETRIES: loss of Belle Reve, expelled from Laurel CEMETRIES: loss of Belle Reve, expelled from Laurel ELYSIAN FIELDS: raped and driven to madness ELYSIAN FIELDS: raped and driven to madness

23. Rhetorical Techniques Prevailing Symbolism: Names, Meat, Moth, Lyrics… Comparison and Contrast Stage setting, light and music effects (Psychological Realism)

24. Text-based Questions What does the title of the play stand for? What is Stanley and Stella’s neighborhood like? What is Belle Reve? What does Stanley know about Blanche’s past?

25. General Questions If a friend of yours is happily dating someone and you find out something bad about that person, should you tell your friend? What is expected of a woman in today’s society? Consider career, marriage, family. Now consider what is expected of a man?

26. Further reading The Glass Menagerie, 1944 The Cambridge Companion to Tennessee Williams Modern American Drama 1945-2000

27. Homework With regard to the play, write a 400-word essay on one of the following topics: With regard to the play, write a 400-word essay on one of the following topics: The reasons for Blanche’s tragedy The reasons for Blanche’s tragedy Symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire Symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire Civilization and Human Nature, which to choose? Civilization and Human Nature, which to choose?

28. Thank You