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A review by arianappstrg
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
4,75: A lot of moral dilemmas with this one. Is it people that make society or society people?
Raunchy and carnal, Streetcar skitters from eroticism to brutality so quick it makes you wince. I have read that Williams' intention in writing problematic characters is not to throw blame at them or make the readers point fingers but to shed light on what happens when different worlds, cultures, classes, economies and upbringings collide. From this collision, springs violence and silence and the simple fact that all characters, on the page as well as in real life, are problematic. With Streetcar, I found it very hard not to throw blame and judge based on the individual. An individual is indeed, to some extent, a product of their society. Their choices are bound to be influenced by said society's teachings and yet it was still incredibly difficult to refrain from putting everyone into categories; innocent and guilty, mad and reasonable, civilized and uncivilized. Among working-class brutish men, Stanley is quite civilized and even loveable. Among old money tycoons and estate owners, Blanche is quite sane, reasonable and lovely. When they enter each other's orbit, the only possible outcome is violence and insanity. It was upsetting to witness such a resolution and kept thinking that if Stanley was visiting Blanche in her world, he would have probably been met with a similar fate. If not a mental institution, it would have been prison. Because, ultimately, we do not understand each other. To bridge that gap between such opposing worlds would perhaps take much more strength of character and determination than people possess.
It feels like it is all about necessity. In fact, I caught myself using necessity and desire interchangeably. Stanley needs to reaffirm his control every chance he gets. His macho sexual energy is the one thing he has a grip on, the one thing that assures him he is an honest and hard-working husband therefore superior to the privileged. When threatened, he bursts into random acts of violence and cruelty. Stella needs gratification, she needs to know that it is acceptable for her to desire and to want to be desired, to want such things as pleasure and roughness, considered base and primitive by the class she was born into. Blanche seeks stability, mental and financial, in others because she cannot attain it on her own. She tells stories and puts up pretences to stay afloat and safely tucked away from reality. She wants to be saved. In spite of all her questionable choices and inconsistencies, it is infuriating how she had to be sacrificed on the altar of other people's needs. It reads like she had to go down so that Stanley could continue to reassert his macho nonsense and so that Stella could feel better living with a man responsible for her sister's mental breakdown. And yet it makes total sense that it should happen that way if you see it from Williams' perspective. Stanley and Stella are only protecting their interests, interests that are formed in accordance to their environment, interests that their environment dictates they should protect. What is a woman with a newborn supposed to do in wretched New Orleans in the 40s-50s? And what is Stanley supposed to feel about his actions when he just did what he thought was in his nature to do? He is not expecting to be punished for anything. So bleak to think about.
Raunchy and carnal, Streetcar skitters from eroticism to brutality so quick it makes you wince. I have read that Williams' intention in writing problematic characters is not to throw blame at them or make the readers point fingers but to shed light on what happens when different worlds, cultures, classes, economies and upbringings collide. From this collision, springs violence and silence and the simple fact that all characters, on the page as well as in real life, are problematic. With Streetcar, I found it very hard not to throw blame and judge based on the individual. An individual is indeed, to some extent, a product of their society. Their choices are bound to be influenced by said society's teachings and yet it was still incredibly difficult to refrain from putting everyone into categories; innocent and guilty, mad and reasonable, civilized and uncivilized. Among working-class brutish men, Stanley is quite civilized and even loveable. Among old money tycoons and estate owners, Blanche is quite sane, reasonable and lovely. When they enter each other's orbit, the only possible outcome is violence and insanity. It was upsetting to witness such a resolution and kept thinking that if Stanley was visiting Blanche in her world, he would have probably been met with a similar fate. If not a mental institution, it would have been prison. Because, ultimately, we do not understand each other. To bridge that gap between such opposing worlds would perhaps take much more strength of character and determination than people possess.
It feels like it is all about necessity. In fact, I caught myself using necessity and desire interchangeably. Stanley needs to reaffirm his control every chance he gets. His macho sexual energy is the one thing he has a grip on, the one thing that assures him he is an honest and hard-working husband therefore superior to the privileged. When threatened, he bursts into random acts of violence and cruelty. Stella needs gratification, she needs to know that it is acceptable for her to desire and to want to be desired, to want such things as pleasure and roughness, considered base and primitive by the class she was born into. Blanche seeks stability, mental and financial, in others because she cannot attain it on her own. She tells stories and puts up pretences to stay afloat and safely tucked away from reality. She wants to be saved. In spite of all her questionable choices and inconsistencies, it is infuriating how she had to be sacrificed on the altar of other people's needs. It reads like she had to go down so that Stanley could continue to reassert his macho nonsense and so that Stella could feel better living with a man responsible for her sister's mental breakdown. And yet it makes total sense that it should happen that way if you see it from Williams' perspective. Stanley and Stella are only protecting their interests, interests that are formed in accordance to their environment, interests that their environment dictates they should protect. What is a woman with a newborn supposed to do in wretched New Orleans in the 40s-50s? And what is Stanley supposed to feel about his actions when he just did what he thought was in his nature to do? He is not expecting to be punished for anything. So bleak to think about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Rape
The rape happens off stage and is not even mentioned in the stage directions. It is implied by the mention of the change in music if I remember correctly. And obviously, Stanley's remark cannot be misinterpreted. It's all too clear what is about to happen and in fact, it's all been building up to this moment. Sadly.