In my opinion, from the start of 'A Streetcar Named Desire' Blanche gave the impression that she was on edge, especially the dialogue between her and her sister Stella, when she shows melancholy, which to me, seemed a severe degree of madness. The section when she spoke of deaths in Belle Reve seemed hesitant, but heart racing, almost to the point where I could visualise her perspiration and fear of images - she seemed haunted, and distracted by the 'ghosts of the past'. Implying that she herself is being haunted by her past mistakes, especially shown through Allan's loss, as she can still visualise and hear the gunshot - she still covers her ears.
Blanche is a fallen woman in society's eyes: her family's fortune, Belle Reve has been lost which seems to be a fault of her own, she also lost her young husband Allan due to suicide, along with this she is a social outcast due to her indiscreet sexual behaviour. Her alcoholic problem suggests her struggles, almost as if she uses it to sedate her worries, she also uses bathing as a means of relaxing, and soaking up of the past... Perhaps, the plug in the bath (which may seem a rather ridiculous idea, but I've just thought of it) represents her worries washing away, going down the drain... Into the darkness, never to be thought about again (relating to shadows and lighting). Behind her facade of being an upper class, prim and proper woman of high education and sexual propriety, she is an insecure, delusional woman, which Stanley spotted from the very beginning "if you weren't Stella's sister, I'd start getting ideas about you".
Blanche relies on sexual attention and compliments "I was fishing for a compliment" in order to boost her self-esteem, which means that she has often succumbed to passion. Her attraction to Mitch in my opinion is to use him as 'a means to and end' out of her selfishness... To lead to marriage, as by marrying him she is creating a solid commitment which contrasts the life she is now leading. She may expect to escape poverty, return to former riches and 'teenage bliss' of sexual desire and ultimately, eradicating the bad reputation which seems to haunt her. Stanley constantly hints reminders, therefore making her paranoid around others, which effectively spoils her chances with Mitch who she says she really wants - emphasising desperation. I did feel sympathy towards Blanche at first due to Stanley's primitive, invasive force against her, however due to her behaviour in Scene Six of speaking French mocking Mitch, I despise her crafty character, I feel sympathy towards Mitch as he is being fooled into her illusion.
Blanche is ultimately left with no realistic possibility of future happiness due to her past, therefore I believe she is using Mitch to approach a near enough idealistic world for her. A world of security, and perhaps their relationship will act as an illusion towards her, and illusion which shows happiness on the outside, but underneath the surface it's cracking with guilt and no sexual, attractive desire.
What is your opinion on her trickery towards Mitch? Also, who do you feel sympathy towards, prior to Scene Six and after Scene Six?
Interesting thoughts!
ReplyDeleteFor me, right from the beginning of the play where we met Blanche, I had a funny feeling about her. The way she just waltzed into Stella and Stanley's home and instantly put it down, without knowing any of the history behind it, the culture which surrounds it, or the attachments which Stella and Stanley may have towards it - that made her seem very pompous and arrogant to me, as if she cannot accept any other way of life except her own.
Since then, she has done nothing to change my opinion of her. Yes ok, she had a troubled past bla bla... but I feel she portrayed that in the wrong way. The whole story of Belle Reve came out in response to Stella's misunderstanding... and that just made me feel like she was craving attention. The use of dramatic irony is clear here, because as an audience we know that it was her sexual desires which led to her expulsion from Belle Reve, not an innocent loss of the family home. I didn't like how she used this to try and make Stella feel guilty, and in a sense, I'm glad Stanley is onto her, as much as I dislike the way he acts when he is drunk.
Ever since then, reading about her past from what Stanley's finding out, and seeing how she's trying to be evasive and avoid confrontation of the truth and just every little thing she does, like how she flirts with the newspaper boy and then calls Mitch her 'RosenKavelier' - it just really annoys me. I feel no sympathy for her at all! In fact, I feel sympathy for Stella at having her for a sister. I don't know, maybe that seems harsh, but I hope she gets what she deserves... or perhaps the further chapters will change my opinion?
I take a slightly different posistion, I'm split.
ReplyDeleteOne one hand you have a woman who is so desperately worried about getting old, a woman who has wittnessed her husband betray her and commit suicide but also experienced great loss and resorted to selling herself to survive. Personally, I do see why she is the way she is. I think the clever thing is that Williams is able to make the audience change their mind throughout as they see and hear more. On the other hand there is the woman that is intruding into her sisters life, interfers with her family and even ruins the life of innocent characters and friends such as Mitch... so many different ways to see it.
I agree! I guess once you put some perspective on it, I see what you mean, I just feel that the point at which we're at, at the moment, I really don't feel sorry for her. That backs up what you say about how Williams makes the audience change their mind throughout... as I said, my opinion may change.
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