Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
SCENE 10: development notes - from false friendliness to rape. - Coggle…
SCENE 10: development notes - from false friendliness to rape.
Stanley’s Apparent Friendliness:
• Returns from the hospital, half-drunk, seemingly in a good mood.
• Suggests to Blanche they “bury the hatchet” (p. 92) — appears conciliatory.
• Blanche instantly refuses, maintaining her sense of moral and emotional superiority.
• His tone quickly shifts from light-hearted to menacing.
Rising Tension:
• Stanley is wearing his gaudy wedding-night pyjamas — ominous and symbolic.
• He begins mocking Blanche’s fantasies (Shep Huntleigh, cruise escape, etc.), stripping away her illusions.
• Blanche becomes increasingly desperate, delusional, and terrified.
Symbolism and Atmosphere:
• Grotesque shadows and jungle-like cries begin to appear — reflecting Blanche’s mental breakdown.
• The blue piano plays a threatening tune; the locomotive sound roars — building suspense and chaos.
• Broken mirror = superstition of bad luck + shattered self-image.
Blanche’s Fear and Attempt to Defend Herself:
• Breaks a bottle and tries to defend herself — shows her fear and vulnerability.
• Stanley disarms her easily, maintaining physical dominance.
Rape:
• Stanley pins Blanche down and carries her to the bed.
• Final line: “We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning!” (p. 97)
• Suggests long-building sexual tension.
• Reduces the moment to something inevitable in Stanley’s mind — revealing his twisted justification.
What This Tells Us About Stanley’s Character:
• Predatory & Dominant: Uses friendliness as a trap; quickly turns to mockery and physical control.
• Manipulative: Times his attack when Blanche is weakest and most vulnerable.
• Symbol of Patriarchal Power: Enacts total dominance over Blanche — psychologically, physically, and sexually.
• No Remorse: Believes he is asserting his rightful power and punishing her delusions.
Williams’s Control of Action:
• Pacing: Carefully builds from uneasy peace to shocking violence.
• Stagecraft: Use of lighting, sound, and surreal effects deepen Blanche’s psychological state and foreshadow horror.
• Irony: Stanley seems “friendly” at first, but it’s a mask for cruelty and violence.
• Contrast: The grotesque climax contrasts sharply with Blanche’s delusional romanticism and fragile state.
• Tragedy: Blanche’s rape is not just a physical violation — it’s the final destruction of her spirit and identity.