Theme Of Blanche In A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williamses use of Blanche in his play A Streetcar Named Desire as a symbolic image which represents many different motifs and themes throughout the play, this is achieved by the overall development of her complex character. The importance of Blanches role in the play is shown by one of the plays original names, ´The Moth´ which is a direct reference to blanche – in scene one she is said to have the ´manner… that suggests a moth´. It is argued by many critics, such as Biljana Oklopčić, that blanche is the “representation of the old traditions in southern American culture”- she is used to contrast with Stanley who is cultured and refined background is the opposite of Stanley who is lively and working class background.
Blanches development …show more content…
Louis by his brother. Blanches development through the life is never positive for her mental health or her wellbeing, it could be criticized that this is because she a woman trying to be dependent and ´cannot survive without a man´ - this is clearly arguable due to her ability to support her family when they were dying.
Blanches development is represented in all manners of ways, however one of the most obvious way to a reader and especially to an audience will be her frequent if not excessive change of clothing and the notable colour changes of her outfits. Blanche herself is seen to be an upper classed southern belle, so her obvious self-love of compliments and her ostentatious look could be mere upbringing since she perceives herself as above everyone else (shown in scene 1 when she takes the favours Stella’s neighbours Eunice and the negro women do for her as her right) and thus by should look better that everyone else and gain more attention than lower class people. However, when looked at in greater depth …show more content…
She claims they ´calm her nerves´ but I see it as a ritual, used to try prevent her hysteria, an effort to cleanse her guilt. As they plot development she becomes more aware of her situation. The frequency of baths tends to directly increase with the comments from Stanley and as she understands the limits to which he is willing to go to prove her wrong and get her, ´off them columns´. Blanche also uses her ritual to assert herself above the other in their apartment, when she commands Stella to ´be a dear and go around the corner and get me a coke´ this assertion of power is a device used by blanche to reassure herself that people will not doubt her. This coping mechanism slowly degenerates as it wares on the other