Question 3: “Blanche and Stella come from a world that no longer exists.”
In the light of this comment, discuss the relationship between
Blanche and Stella in “A Streetcar Named Desire”.
Tennessee Williams portrays
the relationship of the sisters as a bittersweet and dysfunctional one. This is
a symbol for his relationship with her sister Rose which even though he cared
for her endlessly and then felt regret he let her go to a mental institution
without confronting his father ( in this case Stanley) and then they never were
as close. Blanche and Stella show care for each other but also how they are
growing apart. They’re disjointed relationship shows a clear cultural gap
between them. Blanche represents the South and an old generation which values
appreciate art, femininity and delicacy whilst Stella adapted to a new culture
and has turned to tolerate violence and become satisfied with her simpler live.
Blanche discusses Hawthorne, Whitman, Poe and Browning with Mitch while Stella
reads “a book of coloured comics” just before Blanche tries to appeal to her to
recognise “art”, “poetry” and “music” as necessary for a civilised life.
Blanche personality mirrors romantics writers whilst Stella adapts to a new
concept of art which is the comic as the comic were becoming a great cultural
movement with pop art and new modern styles this symbolises how Stella is part
of a new generation whilst Blanche which main topic area is “art” is now
getting behind and the new art is evolving whilst she can’t. Elysian Fields
means “underworld reserved for dead heroes” as a sort of retirement playground
for the virtuous implied in how Stanley goes bowling and plays poker which
juxtaposes with the ideal of the man going to work to get money- gender
equality in the workspace wasn’t dealt with in the society yet- as Stanley barely mentions work. The effect of
this is to show how men can bring more to women than just money. Is no
coincidence that Williams decides that Blanche stayed in “Laurel” as this is
200 miles away from New Orleans which offers a chance of Blanche’s reputation
to become widely known. The fact that Blanche has moved from Belle Reve to
Laurel and then to Elysian Fields shows that she is going through a journey and
that for her this is another stop as she can’t fully adapt herself in one
environment which demonstrates how she needs Stella for a home in contrast to
Stella which decided to change completely and commit to her new life in New
Orleans.
In, “Why, that you have to live in these
conditions!” Blanche’s sense of superiority is confirmed and shows she is
disparaging about Stella’s new life. Her disapproval for her new life and her
rejection to Stanley show a lack of empathy for Stella and demonstrate she is
not self-aware of Stella’s feelings this is demonstrated in how she describes
Stanley by “Well-if you’ll forgive me –he’s common!” implying he is too basic
for Stella and herself then when she is surprised that her words have caused
Stella to cry in “Oh, Stella, Stella, you’re crying! (…) – Does that surprise
you?” this shows she is self-absorbed and doesn’t think about the consequences
of her words yet the use of exclamation mark could represent a sense of worry
for Stella demonstrating she doesn’t do this on purpose. Stella’s response to
her sister’s critique is: “Aren’t you
being a little intense about it? It not that bad at all! New Orleans isn’t like
other cities.” This implies Stella’s change of mentality and her change of
ideals showing a more open-minded personality than Blanche as Stella has been
able to adapt to this new multicultural society of New Orleans and she has
learned to live with everyone’s differences demonstrating she isn’t part of the
“South” anymore. Stella says in Scene One that: “the best I could do was make
my own living, Blanche” Williams effects of this is to invite the audience to
interpret the social transformation which Stella has undergone. The idea of her
having to earn a living, contrasts significantly with the image of “columns”. Stella has been forced to adapt her lifestyle in
order to integrate in this modern, male-dominated society. On the other hand,
Blanche is self-immersed in a world of fantasy as she suggests in
‘make-believe’ and where she clings on to her past of wealth and comfort.
Blanche cannot integrate: she does not understand this society, in which she
cannot fit, for she is ‘incongruous’, which enhances this sense of
disconnection from the brutal real world. These differences are what are
bringing their relationship further apart furthermore Stella’s new home New Orleans was known for a wide ethnic diversity
which doubles with Blanche’s background on the cotton plantation. Stella
demonstrates she doesn’t see herself as the old generation of the south that
Blanche represents in the way that she tells her: “Don’t you think your
superior attitude is a bit out of place?”.
Stella is unimpressed by
Blanche’s criticism of Stanley which influences her a little as she joins her
in insulting him but her love for him is more dominant as she adores him and is
having his baby which foreshadows the ending of the play. In Scene Eight Stella
says: “Making a pig of himself” showing she has some sympathy for Blanche’s
fastidiousness but does nothing to stop that showing her content for her life.
The only time Stella complains before Blanche influences her is in Scene One
when she says not to: “holler” when Stanley throws her a package of meat. The
fact that she complains about his shouting and not about how he primitively
throws the meat at her shows how they’re relationship is based on physical
passion and attraction. Stella shows she isn’t as different from Blanche when
she recognises that: “People have got to tolerate each other’s habits, I guess”
which shows that she is self-aware that Stanley is rough, dominant and
culturally different from her background but she feels attracted to this and
the ideal of a safe future compensates this. Stella’s close relationship with
Stanley brings her apart from Blanche as she doesn’t feel comfortable or
approves him. Stella’s devotion for Stanley is shown in her reaction to his violence:
“I was –sort of –thrilled by it” this shows how Stella is attracted to the
“macho gesture” and her passionate declaration of, “I love him”. For society at
the time this acts of violence were not
seen as sexist this can be seen in how Mitch reacts with “ There’s nothing to
be scared of. They’re crazy about each other” and how Stella sees Eunice’s and
Steve’s relationship as something normal which foreshadows her future
relationship with Stanley. It’s impossible for the sisters to be connected in
this way as Blanche has clearly expressed her opinion with Stanley describing
him in a disrespectful way with the nicknames of “Polak”, “sub-human” and
“survivor of the Stone Age”. The disgust of Blanche for Stanley goes further on
because he has offered Stella a safe net and they love each other endlessly
which is something she pursues this could imply that she deeply is jealous
about this and her disgust is just a representation of this. This could be
contemplated as she is willing to marry Mitch which no more different than
Stanley. The endless love between Stella and Stanley is demonstrated at the end
of the play when Stella chooses not to accept the idea that her sister is sane
as that would mean to accept the accusations of Stanley instead she chooses
Stanley over her. Stella surrenders completely to him which gradually makes her
remember less and less of her early life and accepts her husband’s standards
becoming more and more like him. This deep relationship is impenetrable for
Blanche.
Overall it’s believed that a good relationship between two
individuals is thought to be one of equals but in the case of the sisters
Blanche is dominant over Stella which shows how Stella would’ve been dominated
by either of the protagonists but she chooses the one which was a `safer
‘option for her. In the society at the time women had to depend financially on
men as after the war women workspace was reduced back again and women rights
weren’t settled yet. Both Stella and Blanche show common ground in the idea
that they are dependent on men. The differences in personality of the sisters
show how Stella has always been in the shade of Blanche which is ironic as
Blanche is consistently playing with light and shadow trying to hide in the
shadow to preserve her beauty and mystery whilst now Stella is exposed to light
and shows herself clear and her baby symbolises more light which is a metaphor
for happiness and truth – connoted to what a baby brings to a home and the
innocence of a child. Stella is a very easy going person and she hardly gets
upset. She never argues with Stanley and shows a great extent of contentment
with what she has and where she is in life whilst Blanche on the other hand is
very uptight and she seems to try and set herself apart from the rest as she
always tries to appear younger and more proper than she truly is. Blanche was raised
in southern bell, she has always acted properly but she has never truly been
proper. Williams establishes a contrast between the two sisters as Stella seems
weak, frail and too afraid to speak out for her own which is shown by how she
gives in to Stanley when she allows him to hit her or break things for example:
“She ran downstairs and went back to him”. The fact that she run backed shows
she is desperate and clingy and being it “downstairs” could be an extended
metaphor for Stella running down to hell which has connotations of violence,
brutality and games which Stanley is a symbol of. Stella states that she never
had the chance to talk much with her in: “You haven’t said a word to me “and
“You haven’t given me a chance” which shows how Blanche is dominant over her.
Stella uses indirect form of showing her feelings towards Blanche in comparison
to Blanche which is loud and direct this is demonstrated in how Stella uses a
certain dry, sarcastic note when she tells Blanche: “I like to wait on you,
Blanche. It makes it seem more like home” which is an irony for how their
relationship has always been. The word “home” is used to make a contrast in
what her new home is and how the old home represented the world that they once
shared. Her reference to it is a reminder that this world still exists for both
sisters, even though Stella has committed to Stanley. Blanche treats Stella as
a child, a “blessed baby”, ordering her to “stand up”, rebuking her for her untidiness,
and patronisingly telling her that she is “as plump as a little partridge. The
fact that Stella does not take this opportunity to point out the reason for her
plumpness to Blanche shows how she is more contained and how she wouldn’t spill
out her emotions and thoughts in the way Blanche would it could also mean she
empathises with Blanche’s clear downfall and she decides to keep it from her
for her best.
In different adaptations
such as the one of 1951 with Vivien Leigh and Kim Hunter the relationship
between them shows more physical contact between them being affectionate but
show psychological difference whilst in the 1955 version with Jessica Lange and
Diane Lane the relationship between them seems closer and warmer in both
senses. In conclusion, even though their relationship is getting colder Stella
and Blanche have a good relationship as Stella shows she cares about Blanche as
she shows her support with her relationship with Mitch this demonstrates that
she wants Blanche to be part of her new life she also shows she trusts her as she
doesn’t ask about Belle Reve in detail and the loss. Similarly Blanche’s
over-protective reactions to Stanley’s violence show she cares about her which
is also demonstrated in how she gets excited about the baby. The relationship
between of them is one of need and support.
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