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Blanche (Key Stage directions and quotes ("her appearance is…
Blanche
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Contextual information
La Dame aux Camelias is referred to on page 70 which was written by Alexandre Dumas which is about a romantic but illicit love affair- allusion to hers with the student?
The Southern Belle is an emblem of the morally conservative Deep South upper classes- often likened to almost a system of aristocracy.
During the time when this play was set, the idea of the 'New Woman' emerged which had a huge impact on feminism and helped women move towards more of a semblance of equality. They had more liberal and relaxed attitudes towards sex and many would discuss is more freely like Stella.
An example of this is Mae West (mentioned by Mitch when he holds a statue of her after their date). She was a television star who often made light hearted sexual innuendos and made jokes and comments mocking the prudish nature of Old American traditions.
Although “Stella” means star, the sole character in the play who looks up at the sky is Blanche. She is interested in astrology but despite the parallel with her own situation, she fails to read the signs of her destiny. Her tragic blindness is all the more ironic as the omen is inserted by Williams just before the peripeteia—in the next scene Stanley goes on the attack to eliminate his enemy. Blanche trivialises the myth of the seven daughters of Atlas, who were pursued relentlessly by the mighty hunter Orion until they were all translated to the sky. Both constellations rise in May and set in November, which is the approximate span of the play.
The myth of Orpheus is synonymous with nostalgia, which combines the idea of suffering with that of an impossible return. Although she claims to be “adaptable to circumstances", Blanche remains faithful to the ideals of a bygone age and to the memory of the old plantation, “that great big place with the white columns". The description and the name “Belle Reve” suggest less a real place than the emblem of a mythicised ante-bellum South
The play was originally called 'The Moth', 'Blanche's Chair in the Moon' and the 'Polka Night'
Along with some of Williams' most memorable female characters, there are some recognisable traits of their person which are reflective of their author, Blanche's nervous breakdowns, alcoholism, eagerness to hide the truth of his thwarted desires (his homosexuality) are often seen to be allusions to Williams himself.
Character interactions
Blanche to Stanley-
- The most important pairing in the play- they are the allegorical war between the Old and New South and their conflict exists on many planes: sexual, violent, verbal and also in a possessive sense over Stella.
- Their attraction to one another is undeniable, it is toxic on both accounts and a symbol of primitive desire vs sophisticated courting, This sexual conflict extends to the very end and the rape scene is the most important in the play as it displays a very physical and visual sign to the audience of the overpowering of both women by sexually domineering and aggressive men but also the violent and irreversibly overpowering of the Old South by the New South. This marks the end of Blanche's mental stability and is the trigger and precursor to her sectioning which shows the effects of this sexual desire and also the end of the allegorical conflict, the New South is the triumphant era and has succeeded through social evolution- clearly linking to ideas of Social Darwinism.
- Their conflict acts also in an aggressive way too: the inherently aggressive nature of rape, his numerous aggressive actions like throwing her clothes around, slamming her perfume down and at her birthday meal with 'clearing the table' his belligerent nature acts towards Blanche because he sees her as a threat to his family and household which is viscerally reminiscent of a primitive age and regressive instincts.
- Both are protective over Stella in that Stanley views her as his, as his property whereas Blanche does it in a loving way in that she's worried for her and her situation.
Blanche to Stella-
- The sisters' relationship is complex but inherently loving, much of the discord between these characters comes out of a place of worry and love but also intense defensiveness (a trait which they share). While Blanche and Stella's allegorical meanings differ, they are linked: Stella acting as a bridge between the New and Old South through her physical presence as a mediator between Blanche and Stanley and many take her to be a symbol of transition between the two contrasting period. In this way we can see Stella as the version of Blanche who was able to escape her upbringing and adapt to the coming change.
- Williams also appears to attempt to draw parallels between the sisters, especially near the end as Stella chooses to construct an alternate reality for herself based on lies that Stanley didn't rape Blanche and she lied about it. Her blind belief in lies for her own sake despite knowing the truth is very reminiscent of Blanche's behaviour which may be Williams trying to remind us of her inextricable links to the Old South.
- Stella represents to Blanche her failed potential and vice versa- the sisters exist constantly in a state of pity and jealousy for each other, Blanche pities Stella for not fulfilling the dream of being courted and marrying a man who loves you but is also jealous of her life as she is with a man and child and is emancipated from the suffocating traditions of the Old South. Stella pities Blanche for her unhinged state and alcoholism and past however we also get the impression that there is a state of prolonged childhood jealousy since it is described that Blanche was the favourite child and perhaps that Stella was never able to escape that.
Blanche to Mitch-
- These two have a complicated relationship, he seems quite fond of her for the most part of the play but it feels more like she only wants to marry him so she can escape her failed previous marriage and her recent promiscuity; as if getting married would cleanse her. They're almost antithetical people, he is a macho New South man with only just enough Old South qualities for their relationship to have some semblance of normalcy, he is a less viscerally aggressive version of Stanley- greatly shown in the scene where he turns up drunk to the apartment and tries to coerce Blanche into having sex with him after learning of her sordid past. His character acts as a play on the New South, a desperate man who is just as eager to hide who is as Blanche.
- Their relationship is not ever presented to be functional or natural, much like any other relationship in the play and is also not presented to be truly genuine, while Mitch appears to have obvious feelings for Blanche, it is not always obvious whether these are actually reciprocated due to Blanche's penchant for lying.
- Mitch seems to be a somewhat sensitive man who regrets his later actions towards Blanche which is what sets him apart from Stanley: regret and remorselessness.
- The majority of their relationship is based off lies and perhaps his later actions are a manifestation of Blanche's greater fears: that no-one will love her because of her past, she is unclean, she is an object of pity and also that she is a target.