A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams | Characters

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Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe explains the main characters in Tennessee Williams's play A Streetcar Named Desire.

Download the free study guide and infographic for A Street Car Named Desire here: https://www.coursehero.com/lit/A-Stre...

As a heated investigation of sexuality and destruction, Tennessee Williams' A Street Car Named Desire features two of the most iconic characters in American theater.

The refined but fragile Blanche DuBois, who comes to visit her sister Stella in New Orleans, ricochets off of her working class brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski to spectacular effect. Stanley is irritated by Blanche's apparent sophistication and she by his coarse behavior and abuse of her sister.

Nonetheless, Blanche persists in trying to extricate Stella from the relationship. The desperate flirtations and alcoholic antics that ensue soon reach a crescendo. It is revealed that Blanche has lost her family estate and devolved into a life of promiscuity belied by her refined manners.

Infidelity, rape, alcoholism and mental illness combine to create a toxic brew that has left an indelible impression on American culture.

American playwright Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire was first performed in 1947. Williams grew up in a strained household and suffered bouts of depression. At 28 he escaped to New Orleans, where he embraced the Southern culture that would inspire A Streetcar Named Desire. He is considered one of the most prominent American playwrights of the 20th century.

The play contains many powerful themes including truth vs. illusion, as Stanley’s unveiling of Blanche’s lies and self-deceptions trips away her illusions, leaving her exposed and unhinged, repression, as Blanche and Stanley appear to despise each other without acknowledging their mutual attraction, and passion as in Stella and Stanley’s steamy marriage, Blanche’s desperate sexual exploits, and Stanley’s volatile outbursts. Important motifs include Varsouviana Polka, Belle Reve, and the blue piano.

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