a streetcar named desire by tennessee williams

While Blanchet’s brother-in-law is not a complete villain and does make several valid points, his worst actions undoubtedly trump any of the heroine’s ones. The Presence of an Antagonist in “A Streetcar Named Desire”Ī strong case for Williams’ work not being a tragedy is the presence of an antagonist in the form of Stanley. At least some of the misfortune that Blanchet faces in the play is a direct result of her own actions. Lastly, the heroine has done some atrocious crimes prior to the story’s start, particularly having an affair with her underage student and being an adversary in her husband’s suicide. Secondly, Blanchet is not portrayed as a nice person, being hostile towards Stanley even before he shows his true colors and complaining about the state of the apartment where she is staying as a guest. This strive for a fairytale and a tendency to victimize herself and vilify others makes her an unreliable narrator. First of all, the heroine lives mostly inside her own fantasy, even proclaiming, “I don’t want realism. Even before her past is revealed, the reader can note several of the character’s flaws. It is evident from the start that Blanchet Dubois is not without her faults, and Williams does not shy away from showing them. The true fall from grace is marked by Stanley raping the protagonist and along with his wife, sending her to a mental institution.

After this reveal Blanchet’s lover leaves her, causing her to suffer a mental breakdown. However, this does not result in a happy ending as Stanley finds out the circumstances that led the heroine to his home, namely her tryst with an underage student and a past as a prostitute.

Her life starts improving when the protagonist meets a man whom she would like to marry.

Stanley returns this feeling, correctly assessing Blanchet’s penchant for fantasy, preferring it to reality. The heroine feels contempt for their shabby apartment, lifestyle, and, particularly, the head of the house whom she considers to be rough and dim. The play follows former teacher Blanchet Dubois, who, due to initially unspecified circumstances, is forced to leave her family’s home and move in with her sister Stella and brother-in-law Stanley.

Learn more The Summary of “A Streetcar Named Desire”

A streetcar named desire by tennessee williams