Blanche DuBois, a fading Southern belle, arrives to see her sister Stella in New Orleans. An alcoholic, clinging to the Southern tradition, she criticizes Stella for losing the family home to marry the rugged and crude Stanley Kowalski.Blanche lives in her own grieving, half-mad fantasy world; this ires Stanley, who ruins her relationship with another man, rapes her, and further accelerates her descent into madness. ...
I bought this for a class and didn't end up needing it. It's a classic, though!!
Great play!
Blanche DuBois is the haggard and fragile southern beauty whose pathetic last grasp at happiness is cruelly destroyed. Stanley Kowalski is a sweat-shirted barbarian, the crudely sensual brother-in-law who precipitated Blanche's tragedy.
Read this book for a college class, I really liked it considering it was a book I had to read.
Beautifully dramatic mirror of American life in New Orleans.
I was surprised at the story considering how many years I'd heard about "Stella, Stella!" Obviously written about a period of time when women didn't have the same options they do now. Very insightful in that area. The Introduction about the author is also extremely interesting.
Classic drama about domestic violence!!!
In Ole Nawlens live Stanley Kowalskiâa working class stiffâand his wife Stella. In spite of Stanley's abusive nature, they are in love. The Stella's screwed up sister, Blanche, moves in with them. She has been fired from her teaching position for having as affair with a 17-year old student: the pinnacle of her many affairs. Oh, and her husband has committed suicide after turning homosexual. Stanley takes umbrage with her and, when his friend, Mitch, shows an interest in her, Stanley sets him straight. While doing so, of course, we get the implication that Stanley has forced himself on Blanche. So much for hypocrisy, not to mention adultery. Anyway, Stanley gets the last word by having her committed to a mental institution: a recurrent theme of the author that is reflective of his own dysfunctional family.
There are many parallels between Tennessee William's âA Streetcar Named Desireâ (1947) and Arthur Miller's âA View From the Bridgeâ (1955).
A Streetcar Named Desire A View From the Bridge
Stanley Kowalski Eddie Carbone
Both domineering, working class stiffs. Both are on a collision course with family.
Stanley assaults Blanche Eddie has a repressed enamour with Catherine.
Stella Beatrice Both try in vain to keep the peace.
Blanche Catherine
Blanche is Stella's sister. Catherine is B's niece.
Mitch Rodolpho
Mitch is Stanley's friend. Rodolpho is an immigrant relative of B.
And Blanche sings âPaper Moon,â Rodolpho sings âPaper Doll.â
There are many parallels between Tennessee William's âA Streetcar Named Desireâ (1947) and Arthur Miller's âA View From the Bridgeâ (1955).
A Streetcar Named Desire A View From the Bridge
Stanley Kowalski Eddie Carbone
Both domineering, working class stiffs. Both are on a collision course with family.
Stanley assaults Blanche Eddie has a repressed enamour with Catherine.
Stella Beatrice Both try in vain to keep the peace.
Blanche Catherine
Blanche is Stella's sister. Catherine is B's niece.
Mitch Rodolpho
Mitch is Stanley's friend. Rodolpho is an immigrant relative of B.
And Blanche sings âPaper Moon,â Rodolpho sings âPaper Doll.â
I originally purchased this for a class but it soon warmed its way into my heart as a favorite classic.
A great classic.
I just read this for the first time(and nope never saw the movie either) I was really moved by this short little play. I was set to hate Stanley at ruining that poor fragile woman but I really didnt' have a whole lot of sympathy for the woman! ok, I have some, but she showed up under false pretenses and 'needed' male approval to survive and was basically looking for a man to take care of her. She also not only turns her nose up at her sister's home but also cricizes her brother in law cruelly and he overhears this criticism which I think is what spurs him to treat her so cruelly. Actually there's probably one 'normal' person in the whole book and when Stanley so cruelly ruins the poor woman's last chance I think he actually saves that one person!Every character in this play I could both sympathize and hate for something or other and I recommend it!
