A Streetcar Named Desire
The Full Text
Click the image to find a complete copy of the full text. It's not long, so I strongly suggest printing a copy and making meaningful annotations as you read. You will likely rely on these later, when it comes to assessments.
For an example close reading, click the buttons below to access example analyses in Explode a Quote tasks.
Study Guide
Use this study guide and its resources as you read. This only provides a very general overview of the play, its themes, characters and symbols, its context, and how you should approach the analysis of choices in a play.
Click HERE to access the full version of this in Google Slides so you can make your own.
If you need some extra support, you can find a full playlist by CourseHero by clinking the image to the left. Additionally, below, you can watch a scene from the 1951 movie starring Marlon Brando.
Interested in watching the play? Click the imager to the right to watch a performance starring Gillian Anderson as Blance and Ben Foster as Stanley. Below is a clip from the performance.
Consider This! Questions
Click each scene for a set of questions which will guide your reading of the play. Remember to gather textual evidence for your interpretation and answer to each question.
Scene One
What role does class play in this scene? You might wish to think about the contrast between Belle Reve and New Orleans/Elysian Fields, in addition to the juxtaposition between Blanche and the Kowalskis.
In what ways is Blanche’s mental health alluded to and foreshadowed in this scene? Do not just consider what she says and does, but consider her appearance as well.
How is the theme of death explored in this scene? What is significant about its inclusion and portrayal?
What symbolism is featured in this scene and what do you think these symbols might represent? Consider the significance of music in the play in addition to location and objects.
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
Scene Two
What role does class play in this scene? Think about the significance of Belle Reve and how it was lost, in addition to Stanley’s response to this. Also, consider reading Stanley as the protagonist, and what role the upper-class Blanche plays as the antagonist within his life.
What role does gender and sex play in this scene? Judge Stanley’s masculine performance in addition to the use of sex and sexuality? How is femininity also portrayed?
How are symbols and motifs used in this scene? As always, think about music and set, but also Blanche’s baths.
How does this scene set up the play’s conflict and Blanche’s tragic downfall?
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
Scene Three
What role does gender and sex play in this scene? Are there examples of misogyny or toxic masculinity? Do you think women are portrayed positively or negatively? In what ways do characters conform to or subvert traditional gender performances?
How are symbols and motifs used in this scene? Is there any significance to the lantern covering the bare bulb?
How is Blanche specifically characterised in this chapter? In what ways is she contradictory? How might she explore themes of reality versus delusion?
What might you interpret about the relationship between Mitch and Stanley? How are they foils to one another? Do you think there is evidence that Stanley might be jealous of Mitch and Blanche’s interest in him? If so, why?
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
Scene Four
In this scene, how do Blanche and Stella juxtapose one another? Think about their behaviours, speech, cultural interests, and sexuality.
What does this scene suggest about masculinity and femininity? What does it suggest about violence? Also, what does it suggest about sexuality?
How does Williams use the stage and its design, at least in the script, for dramatic techniques? Consider the apartment and how characters might be able to hear one another.
How might the streetcar be read as a symbol and a metaphor in this scene? Remember, a symbol is where something concrete stands in for something abstract, and that if something happens to the concrete symbol, it signifies meaning for its abstract counterpart. Conversely, a metaphor is a device where something is compared to another to convey meaning.
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
Scene Five
What is made apparent about Blanche’s life in this chapter? What might highlight that Stanley’s accusations might be true?
How does this scene depict domestic violence?
How is class depicted in this scene? Are there examples of class conflict or antagonism?
What uses of symbolism, motif, and metaphors are present in this scene? Think about the lantern/light bulb, the roof, the stain, and more!
How does this scene depict sex and gender? What differing examples of masculine performances are shown through Mitch and Stanley; what differing examples of femininity are shown through Blanche and Stella?
Scene Six
How is Mitch’s masculinity portrayed in this scene? How is it different from Stanley's?
Are there any examples of either queer coding or allusions to possibly queer characters in the play, specifically in this scene?
What symbolism is featured in this scene and what do you think these symbols might represent? Consider the significance of music in the play in addition to locations, sets, and objects.
How is Blanche shown to be contradictory in this scene? In what ways is she naive and in what ways does she gain some clarity? Moreover, how does she explore the theme of reality versus delusion?
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
Scene Seven
How does this scene emphasise the class distinctions and antagonisms between Blanche and Stanley? In what ways does Stanley try to disempower Blanche and vice versa? What justifications might each character have?
How is juxtaposition and atmosphere used in this scene? Specifically, how might the joviality of a birthday party and its mood contrast what comes next?
How does Williams use the stage and its design, at least in the script, for dramatic techniques? How is dramatic irony, where audiences know more than characters, achieved? Consider the apartment and how characters might be able to hear one another.
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
Scene Eight
What role does class play in this scene? If one were to interpret Stanley as the protagonist, how does this change the scene? If one were to interpret Blanche as the protagonist, how does it change again? Is Stanley’s outburst justified?
How does Williams achieve a particular mood through both dialogue and stage directions?
What symbols and motifs are present in this scene, and what are their significance and meaning?
What role does gender play in this scene? What examples of patriarchal structures and ideologies are present, in addition to misogyny and toxic masculinity?
How is Blanche’s mental illness alluded to? How is her final and tragic fall into madness foreshadowed?
Scene Nine
In what ways does this scene comment on how society values women and how they might be limited in a patriarchal society?
How is Mitch characterised in this scene? How does his characterisation in this scene juxtapose his earlier scenes, and what might such a shift be able to comment on?
How is the theme of death explored in this scene? Throughout the play, is there any relationship between death and sex?
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
How are symbolism and various motifs used in this scene? Specifically, how does sound add to the play and its themes? Also, consider symbols such as the flower woman, light and darkness, the lightbulb and lanturn, and alcohol.
Scene Ten
This is the climax of the play. How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?
What allusions and references are there that Stanley rapes Blanche? What sexual language and sexual undertones did you see in this scene?
How does Williams break from realism in this scene by including more surreal and horrifying choices?
How does this scene explore masculinity and, specifically, hegemonically masculine traits such as control and dominance?
This is a more creative question: were you the director, what stage, lighting, sound, and other visual choices might you employ to depict this scene? Justify your response.
Scene Eleven
In the 1951 movie, due to Hollywood restrictions, Stella leaves Stanley at the end, taking the baby with him. How does this ending change the overall effect of the play, in your opinion?
How do the actions of the men and Stella indicate a change in the mood? How might this reflect that they could be aware as to what has happened and what is about to happen?
How is Blanche’s obsession with cleanliness explored in this scene?
Conversely, in an earlier scene, Blanche comments that she would not eat an unwashed grape; yet, in this scene she comments that she “shall die of eating an unwashed grape one day out on the ocean.” What do you think is the significance of this?
What other symbolism did you notice in this scene?
How does Blanche’s characterisation provide her with dignity as she leaves? How is she different in this scene? In what ways does this help audiences empathise with her whilst seeing others as villains?
What is significant about the final lines of dialogue in the play?
How and to what effect are stage directions used in this scene? Does Williams include any figurative language in the stage directions, and what effects does this have?