SUMMARY

Scene 1

Summary

The detailed description and precise stage setting and directions at the beginning of
the play reveal that Tennessee Williams is a very detailed and deliberate artist who
could visualize the set very vividly and help the reader to do the same.

The scene opens in a poor section of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Stanley
Kowalski and Harold Mitchell, his colleague at work, arrive at Stanley's apartment.
Stanley loudly calls out to his wife, Stella, who is about twenty-five. Stanley, five
years older than his wife, throws her a package containing a chunk of meat, an
obvious sexual symbol, about which the neighbors joke. He then goes bowling, and
Stella, in a subservient manner, goes to watch him "show off" his masculinity. As
soon as they leave, Blanche, Stella's older sister, arrives carrying a suitcase. She is
a delicate beauty, described as a moth-like creature and daintily dressed in white.
As she looks around the neighborhood, she is shocked to see the commonness of
her surroundings, since she and her sister were brought up in aristocratic society in
the Old South.

Blanche, searching for her sister's home, is told by the landlady that Stella is out
with her husband. But she lets Blanche into Stella's apartment. Blanche admits that
her sister was not expecting her, and when Eunice tries to make further inquiries,
Blanche does not answer. Instead, she finds a whisky bottle and pours herself a
large drink. When Stella arrives, there is a joyous reunion. Blanche, who is a
bundle of nerves, criticizes the apartment and asks for another drink. She informs
Stella that she has taken a leave of absence from the school where she teaches
English, due to nervous exhaustion. She questions how the Kowalskis will
accommodate her and inquires about Stanley, Stella's Polish husband. Stella shows
her his picture, and Blanche makes a few unkind remarks about Poles. Stella warns
her sister that Stanley's friends are not refined people.

Blanche then relates that Belle Reve, their ancestral and aristocratic home in
Laurel, has been lost and accuses Stella of shirking her family responsibilities.
Blanche tells of how she has nursed the dying members of the family and
mortgaged the house to pay for their expensive funerals. In the end, Belle Reve is
seized to pay past-due debts.

Stanley enters, and Blanche introduces herself to this coarse man of medium height
and compact build. He quickly and rudely takes off his shirt and pours himself a
drink, noticing that Blanche has consumed his liquor. When he offers her a drink,
Blanche lies and says she rarely touches the stuff. He asks about her job and her
marriage, both unpleasant topics for Blanche. As a result, she has an attack of
nerves and excuses herself, thinking she will be sick.

Notes

Tennessee Williams is a master of contrasts, and this opening scene of the play is
filled with them. The protagonist, Blanche Dubois, is described as white, light, and
airy with an aristocratic Old South heritage; in complete contrast to her, Stanley
Kowalski, her antagonist, is dark, masculine, and solid with an unrefined Polish
heritage. Blanche is shocked at the neighborhood where her sister Stella lives with
her husband Stanley. Their apartment is in an old, cramped, and decaying section
of the New Orleans French Quarter. It is a total contrast to the lovely and
aristocratic neighborhood where Stella and Blanche were raised in the Old South.

Stanley Kowalski is introduced as a man who is strikingly coarse and loud. He

enters wearing a loud-colored bowling jacket, shouts at the top of his voice to
Stella, and crudely throws a packet of bloody meat at her. He is a man who is
impressed with himself, demanding of others, and possessive of everything around
him. (In fact, what bothers him most about Blanche is that he cannot possess her,
even though many other men have.) In short, Stanley prepares the reader for the
uncouth and brutal environment into which Blanche is about to enter. When
Blanche arrives, she states that she first took a streetcar named Desire (hence the
title of the play), then another one called Cemetery. Through the names of
streetcars, the dramatist indicates that "desire" leads to "death". And in fact, the
play will develop this theme. For the moment, however, the streetcars lead Blanche
to the French Quarter and the apartment of her younger sister Stella. Ironically,
Blanche enters, wearing white, the symbol of purity. She is described as moth-like
and afraid of light; in reality, she does live in a world of darkness and sin that she
cannot acknowledge. Although she drinks heavily, she tells Stanley she rarely
touches liquor; although she is fired from her job, she tells her sister she has taken
a leave of absence due to her nerves.

Tennessee Williams, in this opening scene, clearly shows his protagonist to be a

liar - both to herself and to those around her. He also successfully captures her state
of desperation; she takes refuge with her sister despite the shabby conditions. With
her heavy drinking, shattered nerves, fear of being alone, and pitiful financial
status, it is no small wonder, and an appropriate foreshadowing of things to come,
that Blanche literally feels sick after her first encounter with Stanley, who crudely
questions her about her marriage and offends her genteel sensibilities.

It is significant to note the playwright's ironic use of names. Stella means "Star",
and Blanche Dubois means "White Woods". There is nothing shining or star-like
about Stella, who sends her sister off to an asylum to please her crude husband;
there is also nothing white (pure) or woodsy (solid) about Blanche. The name of
the aristocratic family home was Belle Reve, meaning beautiful dream. But the
dream turns into a nightmare for Blanche as she nurses the dying members of the
family and loses her "beautiful dream" to pay off the funeral expenses of the dead
family.

Scene 2

Summary

The following evening Stanley enters to find preparations being made for an
outing. Stella tells him that she is taking Blanche out to dinner and a movie since it
is Stanley's poker night. The chauvinistic husband immediately wishes to know
whether his wife has arranged for his dinner and is upset to find she has left him
only a cold plate. When Stella informs him that her parents' place in the country,
Belle Reve, has been lost, Stanley's distrusting, calculating nature asserts itself. He
believes that Blanche has swindled them both out of their fair share of Belle Reve
in order to buy herself furs, clothes, and jewelry. He demands to see the bill of sale
in order to check up on Blanche.

When Blanche comes in from taking a hot bath, she seems to flirt with Stanley,
asking him to button her dress. He refuses to compliment her on her appearance
although, in her insecurity, she seems to beg for his acceptance. Instead, he asks
her where her clothes and furs come from. When she tells him that they were gifts
from an admirer, he makes a rudely sarcastic remark; when she calls him
'primitive', he tells her that he only likes people who "lay their cards on the table."
When Stella tries to stop the conversation, Blanche sends her away on an errand.

Stanley asks Blanche to show him the legal papers on Belle Reve. When Blanche
hands him a tin box, he uncouthly pulls out the love- letters written by her dead
husband and examines them. She tells Stanley, "I hurt him the way that you would
like to hurt me, but you can't." (Ironically, Stanley will make a mockery of these
words when he destroys Mitch's love for her, rapes her himself, and has her sent to
the mental institution.) She snatches the love letters away from Stanley because of
their intimate nature and says that she needs to burn them since his crude touch has
defiled them. She then hands him the legal papers from several firms. He closes the
scene by saying that he will have a lawyer examine them and rationalizes his action
with the excuse of the 'Napoleonic Code'. He also tells Blanche that Stella is going
to have a baby, ignoring his wife's wish of not mentioning this news to her. As
always, Stanley does his own thing, ignoring the feelings or wishes of others.
When Stella returns, Blanche congratulates her on the baby and tells her that
everything has been sorted out with Stanley. The two women leave as the poker
players arrive.
Notes

The negative image of Stanley is further enhanced in this scene. When he learns
that Stella and Blanche are going out to dinner, he thinks only of himself, asking
what she has prepared him for dinner. When he learns it is only a cold plate, he
voices his displeasure in a chauvinistic manner. He is also shown as being
distrusting and demanding. He is fearful that his sister-in-law has cheated him out
of money on Belle Reve and spent it on herself, buying furs and jewels. In a
questioning and insulting manner, he demands to see the legal papers related to the
sale. When Blanche is showing him the papers, he rudely and inappropriately
snatches her love letters written by her husband and begins to read them. He then
tells Blanche that Stella is going to have a baby, even though his wife has asked
him not to share this information; but he does what he wants, when he wants, never
thinking of others. At another point in the scene, he admits that he only likes
people who are straightforward and honest, who "lay their cards on the table."
Perhaps, this is why he has gotten off to a bad start with Blanche, for she
immediately lied to him about not drinking when he had already realized she had
been into his liquor bottle.

Tennessee Williams also gives more information about Blanche in this scene. In
order to soothe her jagged nerves, she is constantly bathing; symbolically, the
reader realizes that what she is trying to do is wash her sins away. But as soon as
she emerges from the bath, she continues in her old ways and openly flirts with
Stanley, asking him to button her dress and taking a puff of his cigarette, both
having sexual innuendoes and foreshadowing the later rape scene. She also reveals
that she truly loved her young and sensitive husband, treasuring the romantic
letters he had written her. With her aristocratic sensibilities, she is appalled that her
brother-in-law would snatch the letters and read them. She is visibly upset by his
behavior and by his questioning of her about Belle Reve. At the end of the second
scene, just as the end of the first, Stanley has totally unnerved Blanche.

Scene 3

This is an important scene in the play for the action begun here directs the course
of events that follow. It also establishes the coarse and powerful way of New
Orleans' life. This is very much a man's scene, for it is poker night; the men,
especially Stanley, are in their element as they play cards, drink, and speak
vulgarly. Unfortunately, Stanley is not winning at poker. As he loses more and
more, he drinks steadily and grows insulting to his guests. He ridicules Mitch for
wanting to quit early and go home to his sick mother.

It is well past midnight when the sisters return. Blanche asks if she can be a back-
seat player. Stanley loudly refuses and asks the women to go upstairs to see
Eunice, Steve's wife. Stella refuses to go since it is nearly two-thirty. When she
asks the men to quit for the night after another hand of poker, Stanley grows
angrier and whacks her on her thigh, foreshadowing his capability for violence.

On her way to the bathroom for another shower, Blanche encounters Mitch. He is
apparently attracted by her good looks. She too looks at him with interest. Stella
introduces them to each other. When he returns to the poker game, Blanche
questions Stella about Mitch's marital status, his temperament, his calling, and his
career prospects.

Stella asks Blanche to move away from under the light where she is changing
clothes. The reader correctly guesses that Blanche deliberately does this to win
Mitch's interest. Stella then turns to her husband and begins to deride the wives of
Stanley's colleagues, a thing she has apparently never done before. Stanley tells her
to shut up. When Stella refuses, Stanley warns her not to start a row. He states that
he cannot tolerate her superior stance (a seeming influence from her sister) and that
she should talk in the same tone of voice as himself.

At the poker table, an argument breaks out. When Mitch wants to stop the game,
the others pounce on him for winning and for being a mamas' boy. Stanley, in
particular, makes some rude remarks. Mitch leaves the table and starts talking to
Blanche. When she asks for a light, his silver case makes for a topic of
conversation. He reveals that it was a parting gift from an old acquaintance, a
sweet girl who knew she was dying. Blanche makes a few philosophical remarks
and then tells Mitch that her name means "white wood," much like "an orchard in
spring".

Blanche asks Mitch for a favor. She wants him to cover the "naked" light bulb with
a Chinese paper lantern, for she cannot stand a strong light just as she cannot take
"a rude remark or a vulgar action." As they talk about her school, Stanley is
furiously calling for his friend; but Mitch is too involved with Blanche to hear.
When she turns on he radio and "waltzes with Mitch to the music with romantic
gestures," Stanley charges in, snatches the radio, and tosses it out of the window.
When Stella tells the guests to leave, Stanley charges after her and hits her. The
men pull Stanley back.

Blanche takes her sister to Eunice's apartment. Stanley's friends put him under the
shower and leave. Stanley stumbles to the porch and bellows Stella's name. Eunice
emerges and tells him to stop it, for he cannot treat his wife so badly and then call
her back. Stanley suddenly becomes very humble and entreats Eunice to send his
wife to him. When Eunice replies by slamming her door, he again screams Stella's
name with "heaven-splitting violence." She can't resist him and comes downstairs.
He picks her up and carries her inside the dark apartment, where they make up.
Blanche comes looking for Stella, but finds Mitch. She tells him about her fear of
Stanley's violence, but he tells her not to take it seriously. He states that Blanche
and Stanley are "crazy about each other". The scene closes with Blanche's
expression of gratitude for Mitch's kindness.

Notes

This scene revolving around a wild poker game further develops Stanley's
coarseness and lack of decorum. As he loses, he grows impatient and hostile,
drinks steadily, and ridicules Mitch, the winner of the game, for being "mama's
boy." He also screams at the women and strikes his pregnant wife two different
times.

Mitch is a sharp contrast to Stanley. Blanche at once spots his gentility, especially
when compared to the manners of his companions. Mitch is also attracted to
Blanche and seeks to have a conversation with her. They briefly talk about their
past lives and learn that both of them have lost a loved one to death.

Light is used in an interesting way in the Mitch/Blanche relationship. Blanches

shies away from the naked glare of the lightbulb, as if it might reveal the truth of
her lurid past. She asks Mitch to fit a paper lantern over it (so she will not feel so
vulnerable). Ironically, in this same scene, she deliberately undresses in the light to
attract the attention of Mitch. This act illustrates Blanche's willingness to use her
body and also prepares the reader for the lurid details about her past that will be
revealed as the play progresses.

A further insight into Blanche's character is made when she fabricates her age
(making herself younger than her sister Stella) and her reason for visiting Stella
(stating she took a leave of absence). Thus, her chronic lying borders on pathology.
Also, her constant need to be reassured about her looks reveals her need to feel
wanted by people. It also shows her fear of aging; she does not want to "die away"
like the old aristocratic South.

Blanche's philosophical remarks about death are an outcome of her own close
experiences with dying. She carefully avoids seeing herself as anything but young,
thus her vain concern with her appearance and her age. She compares her name to
"an orchard in spring"; but "white wood" really carries an image of snow-laden
trees. It is a fair symbol of Blanche, the aging widow whose marriage prospects are
nearing their autumnal phase; ironically, she sees herself dressed in the blossoms
of springtime. Her misreading of the meaning of her name is not so much a
deliberate lie as it is a desperate hope that Mitch will fulfill her marriage dreams
and make her feel young again.
There is also some development in the interaction between Stanley and Blanche. In
the first scene of the play, he ignores her good looks and refuses to compliment her
on her appearance. In this scene, he is dazzled by her appearance and seems jealous
of her attraction to Mitch. Stanley's increasing interest in Blanche foreshadows his
brutal possession of her at the end of the play. Since he cannot have her
emotionally, he resorts to taking her physically.

Scene 4

Summary

The next morning Stella is alone on the bed, looking serene and contented. Blanche
appears, looking nervous and hysterical. She has spent a sleepless night upstairs.
When she sees Stella, she rushes up to her addressing her in a tone of hysterical
tenderness. Stella draws away, stiff and distant, Blanche questions Stella's sanity in
returning to Stanley after his animalistic behavior. Stella tells her to stop making a
mountain out of a molehill and defends Stanley, saying that he was too drunk to
know what he was doing. She has obviously forgiven her rough husband. Stanley
has always been "macho" and violent, and she has accepted these traits and is
almost thrilled by them. In fact, his radically different background and crude
behavior had captured her heart.

When Blanche labels Stanley "a madman", Stella protests strongly. Blanche tries to
convince her that her marital life is a mess and that she should not surrender to
Stanley so meekly and pick up garbage after him. She counsels her to get out of the
marriage. Stella emphatically tells her, "I'm not in anything I want to get out of."
Blanche, nevertheless, plans to go ahead with her plan of rescuing Stella and
herself and making a new life for them both. To accomplish her goal, she knows
she will need money, for money is power. She remembers an old admirer, Shep
Huntleigh, whom she says she met on a vacation in Miami the preceding
Christmas. Unfortunately for her, Shep, a very wealthy Texas oilman, is a married
man. She tries to contact Shep long-distance but is unable to compose a message.
When Stella asks her to stop being ridiculous, Blanche explains that she is
desperate because she is down to her last 65 cents. Stella offers her five dollars to
tide her over temporarily.

Blanche continues to criticize Stanley, calling him bestial and sub- human and begs
Stella once again to leave him. The entire conversation is overheard by Stanley,
who has silently crept in unseen by the two sisters. He now knows just how much a
threat that Blanche is to him, and he silently promises revenge. When he enters,
Stanley casually makes conversation and gives no indication of what he has
overheard. Stella has listened seriously to Blanche, but in a very telling gesture
embraces Stanley fiercely and in full view of Blanche. This is Stanley's victory
over his sister-in-law, for he now knows that come what may, Stella will never
leave him. As a result he grins at Blanche triumphantly.

Notes

In this scene, the character of Blanche is more fully developed. She is the typical
elder sister, advising the younger when no advice is requested. Hence, in
attempting to talk Stella out of her marriage and her present life style, Blanche only
succeeds in distancing herself from her sister. Stella also ridicules Blanche's
impractical approach towards life when she attempts to contact Shep to solve her
problems.

Blanche's demeaning remarks about Stanley not only alienate her from Stella but
create an intense resentment in Stanley, for he has overheard her conversation with
his wife. Williams established Stanley's resentment early in the play and it builds
until the rape scene near the end of the drama. That Stanley is ultimately going to
be victorious over Blanche is hinted at scene's end when Stanley gloats over
Stella's physical dependence on him; he knows that Stella will never leave him.

This scene presents the sharp contrast between the two sisters. Stella has outgrown
her way of life at Belle Reve and has made huge compromises in her decision to
love and stay with Stanley. She had always taken second place to her older sister at
Belle Reve and continues to do the same with her husband. But Blanche, being a
widow and financially independent, is used to doing things her way. She has never
felt the need to compromise like Stella. Though Blanche insists that she is not
being superior in her judgments, she is, in fact, being her natural aristocratic self.
Stella resents the attitude.

Scene 5

Summary

The scene opens with Blanche composing a letter to Shep Huntleigh, the old
admirer, and laughing at herself for being such a good liar. She fools herself and
Shep by saying that she has led a very social life in New Orleans with "a continued
round of entertainments, teas, cocktails, and luncheons". When she is reading her
letter to Stella, a fight breaks out upstairs in the Hubbells' apartment. Eunice
accuses Steve of chasing women at the local pub. After several roars, thuds, and
crashes, Eunice rushes down the stairs threatening to call the police. Like Stella,
however, Eunice makes up with Steve.

Stanley comes in and Blanche registers his arrival with nervous gestures. He is not
in a good mood, slams drawers, and irritates Blanche intentionally. Reacting to his
behavior, she inquires about his astrological sign and learns it is Capricorn, the
Goad; Blanche is a Virgo, the sign of the Virgin. Appropriately, both signs are sex
symbols. Stanley then asks Blanche whether she knows a man named Shaw. Her
face pales instantly, and she makes guarded responses. Stanley says that Shaw
claims to have met her at a hotel called Flamingo. Blanche lies and replies that,
with its bad reputation, she would not be seen there. He subtly threatens Blanche
by saying that Shaw is often in and out of Laurel, so the matter can easily be
checked out. Blanche almost faints from fear of being exposed. Stanley, aware of
her uneasiness, leaves for bowling.

Blanche, now in a panic, asks Stella if they have heard rumors and tries to
rationalize her past behavior. Stella tries to change the subject, but Blanche
continues. In financial straits after the loss of Belle Reve, Blanche admits she
sometimes gave to strangers what they demanded - physical pleasure. Stella does
not care to listen to her sister's tales and stops the conversation by giving Blanche a
soft drink. Blanche spills the drink on her skirt and lets out a piercing cry. She
explains that she is nervous because she has a date with Mitch later in the evening.
She tells Stella she has lied to Mitch about her age and her primness, for she wants
him to really like her. Blanche, who has already been at the Kowalskis for three
months, also promises her sister that she will not overstay her welcome.

Stanley arrives to take Stella bowling with Steve and Eunice. Soon after they leave,
a young man rings the doorbell. He has come to collect for the newspaper
subscription. Blanche tells him she is not the owner but offers him a soft drink. He
politely refuses and begins to leave. She calls him back, tells him he is handsome,
and kisses him on the lips. When he hurries away, she reminds herself that she
should "keep my hands off children." Mitch then arrives with a bouquet of roses,
which she accepts with a curtsy.

Notes

Blanche's lie about leading a grand and social life in New Orleans reinforces her
weakness for illusion. She seems to dream about happy things in order to alleviate
the harshness of her everyday life.

The fight that breaks out at the Hubbell's apartment and their subsequent making
up is a flashback to the closing of Scene 3. It also serves as a reminder of the kind
of life considered normal between a married couple in this class of society;
violence and physical passion dominate their lifestyle, and uncultured behavior is
their creed. The reader realizes to what extent Blanche is a misfit here. (Remember
that in Scene 1, Stella had warned that their friends were not refined.) It also
indicates what a married life with Mitch may possibly be like and the amount of
compromise she may have to make if she chooses a New Orleans husband.
The nervous gestures that Blanche begins to make upon Stanley's arrival and the
fact that they continue until the end of the scene foreshadow the revelation of her
tragic past. It is in this scene that Blanche drops the mask of respectability and
confides in Stella of her promiscuous ways. Very aptly, Stanley as Capricorn the
Goat emerges as the hunter; and Blanche, born under the sign of Virgo the Virgin,
is the hunted. The dramatist uses these explicit sexual symbols to foreshadow the
fact that Stanley will physically conquer Blanche. In this scene, his hunt has begun.
Blanche's world shows further signs of disintegration under Stanley's ruthlessness.

Both, Blanche's rationalization of her promiscuous actions and her statement to

Stella, "But honey, believe me, I feel things more than I tell you" are desperate
appeals to be heard. Her liaisons with strangers were, in part, attempts to be
recognized as an individual, to have her existence acknowledged. Now her youth
and good looks are fading. She is faced with the harsh reality of her existence, and
she does not like what she sees, just as she does not like the harsh brightness of the
light bulb. She covers the light bulb with a paper lantern, just as she covers the
truth about herself with lies.

As the play progresses, Stella ironically never believes Blanche when she speaks
the truth, and she seems to avoid it in this chapter. Instead of listening to the details
of her sister's past, Stella offers her a drink. When the coke spills on Blanche's
white dress, it is symbolic of the "stains" in her past. The fact that her dress does
not show a spot indicates her skillful ability to conceal her past. But very soon this
will no longer be possible.

With the row in the Hubbell's apartment as a grim reminder, the reader begins to
question Blanche's wisdom in wishing to win Mitch for a husband. Though the
most sensitive of the poker players, he is still very unrefined and awkward.
Blanche, however, desperately wants stability in life, and Mitch is her last hope.

Blanche has learned by past experience that men "don't want anything they get too
easy," yet, at the same time, they also lose interest quickly. That is why Blanche is
torn between holding back and giving of herself freely to Mitch. This touching
scene tells how, for all her aristocratic pretensions, Blanche's hopes for a good
marriage are the same as any other middle-class woman; she wants Mitch's love
and respect. For those rewards, she is willing to risk being labeled a liar, for she
has concealed her actual age and her lurid past from Mitch.

Blanche's flirtation with the young man, at scene's end, indicates her disturbed
psyche that is trying to relive her past; at a tender age, she was married to an
equally young and handsome "boy". His suicide shattered her emotionally, and she
has never recovered. She seeks to fill the void by giving herself physically to
almost anyone, including the paperboy. Ironically, she withholds herself from
Mitch, reasoning it will make her more attractive to him.

Tennessee Williams' skill as a dramatist is apparent in this scene. The puzzling

self-reminder from Blanche, that she "should keep my hands off children" keeps
the audience in suspense. At the end of almost every scene, Williams hints at some
new fact of Blanche's past that will be unraveled later in the play. This mystery in
Scene 5 will be answered in Scene 7.

Scene 6

Summary

At about two a.m., Mitch and Blanche return from a dull evening at the amusement
park. Blanche blames herself for not being more entertaining for Mitch. As she
scans the starry night sky, for the Seven Sisters in particular, Mitch asks if he can
kiss her. When Blanche replies that he may be used to girls who give themselves
freely but that she is different, Mitch tells her to stay the way she is because "in all
my experience - I have never known any one like you". For him, Blanche is a
goddess who has climbed down from above to show interest in him.

Blanche invites Mitch in for a drink. She lights a candle and begins to speak in
French. She calls herself the lady of the camellias. Mitch tells her that he does not
understand French. Blanche asks him, again in French, if he would like to sleep
with her, then reverts to English to say that it is good that he doesn't understand the
language. When she asks him to take off his coat, he is ashamed because he
perspires a lot. They talk about his physique and about his weight. When he
embraces her, she asks him to behave like a gentleman. He tells her to slap him if
he steps out of bounds. She tells him that she is Victorian in her thinking
(obviously a lie). When Mitch suggests that they should go out with the Kowalskis,
Blanche turns down the idea since Stanley is downright rude to her. In fact, she
feels Stanley hates her and would like to destroy her. She says she would not have
endured his company, but for the fact that Stella is to have a baby and she herself
has no savings. Mitch consoles Blanche by saying that Stanley probably does not
understand her.

Mitch suddenly asks Blanche her age. When she asks him the reason for the
unexpected question, his answer kindles some hope in her mind. He has been
speaking about Blanche to his mother, and the latter wants to know her age.
Blanche avoids answering the question by asking him further about his mother.
Blanche realizes that Mitch is deeply attached to his mother and will be lonely after
her death if he is not married. He is obviously capable of great devotion, which is
precisely what Blanche wants. She explains to Mitch how love and devotion were
missing from her first marriage. She had fallen in love with a gentle boy at age
sixteen, and they had eloped. He had sought her as an escape, but she had not
really known or understood him; she realized what he was when she chanced upon
him unawares with another man. Pretending that nothing had been discovered, the
trio went to Moon Lake Casino and had lots of drinks. Unable to control herself,
Blanche had expressed her disgust of his behavior. He had reacted by going out
and firing a revolver into his mouth.

After hearing her story, Mitch draws Blanche slowly into his arms, speaks of their
mutual need for each other, and suggests that they both have a chance together.
With a soft cry she huddles in his embrace. He kisses her, and she tries to forget
her past.

Notes

Halfway through the play, the dramatist brings Blanche closer to the fulfillment of
the hope she has begun to nurture - marriage to Mitch. Only two characters are
present in this entire scene, and for most of it, Blanche and Mitch sit and talk in
darkness, symbolic of Blanche's moral darkness and Mitch's being in the dark
about Blanche's true nature.

Blanche is a complex mix, an innocent girl, "a lady of the camellias" turned to
womanhood by the suicide of her young, immoral husband; in response, Blanche
herself begins to live an immoral life. Now, however, she wants find an anchor in
life. She clings to Mitch, despite his lack of class, because she believes he will
provide her with security and faithfulness.

Blanche's aversion to bright lights is explained in this scene. Her first love was like
a "blinding light;" after her beloved's death, she has been unable to stand a light
stronger than a kitchen candle. But also Blanche does not want to be in the bright
light of scrutiny. She already fears that Stanley is suspicious about her past; and
she desperately needs to hide her past from Mitch, who thinks she is pure and
innocent.

The stage direction about playing a Varsouviana as the background music explains
itself when Blanche states that they had been dancing the Varsouviana when her
husband shot himself. Now whenever she hears that piece played, she becomes
nervous and often drinks until she hears the gunshot in her head.

In this scene, Mitch emerges as a simpleton in believing Blanche's pretense of

modesty. When he asks to kiss her, she lies and says she does not give herself
freely. Once inside, she asks him in French, which he cannot understand, if he
would like to sleep with her. For him, however, she is more than he has ever hoped
for, an impossible dream come true; she is a veritable goddess who has
condescended to take serious interest in him. In truth, they are probably suited for
one another and could help each other out of their terribly lonely existences.

Scene 7

Summary

It is late afternoon in mid September. Stanley enters and inquires where Blanche is
and what is the occasion for the cake and flowers. Stella answers that it is
Blanche's birthday and she is bathing and getting dressed. He asks Stella to sit
down and hear him out for he has, at last, discovered the truth about his sister-in-
law. He explains how he has felt when Blanche has called him common and how
he has been repeatedly reminded of the difference in his background and that of
Stella. Now he has verified, from the most reliable sources, that Blanche is known
as a disreputable person in Laurel. Even the low-class Flamingo Hotel asked her to
leave. Stella initially dismisses this as a pack of lies, Stanley's attempt to get even
with Blanche. He then tells Stella that Blanche has lost her job as a schoolteacher
for trying to seduce a seventeen year-old boy, and the army base near Laurel has
labeled her "out-of-bounds" to the soldiers. Ironically, while Stanley is really the
truth about Blanch, she is in the shower singing, "If you believed in me," singing
this ignorant of Stanley's expose. It seems almost as if she was making a plea for
herself, but she has no idea what Stanley is currently up to.

Stella tries to defend Blanche, and says that her sister's behavior is due to her tragic
marriage. Blanche truly adored her husband and has never gotten over his suicide.
Stanley says he is not interested in Blanche's history (ironic words since he has just
dug up her past). Stanley also tells Stella not to expect Mitch at the birthday
celebration, for he has been told the entire story, the real truth about Blanche.
Stanley feels likes a messiah who has saved Mitch from marrying a tramp. He
justifies his actions by saying that he did not want Mitch, his best friend, "to get
caught" in a bad marriage.

Stanley makes it clear that Blanche cannot stay longer with them. He has ensured
her departure by buying her a bus ticket. When told that she would never travel by
bus (again an indication of Blanche`s grand life style), Stanley says that Blanche
has no choice - she has to adjust to circumstances.

Blanche emerges from the bathroom feeling refreshed and rested, but Stanley`s
presence makes her nervous. Seeing Stella`s lack of enthusiasm, she guesses
something is wrong. When Stella tries to discuss what she has learned from
Stanley, Blanche calls Stella a liar.

Notes
Stanley, the hunter begins to close in one his prey, Blanche. He has found out all
the ugly details about her recent past and relates these to Stella. He is determined to
get back at Blanche for the demeaning things she has said about him. He also
wants to get rid of her, for he feels she is a threat to his marriage. To make sure
that she leaves, Stanley has bought her a one-way bus ticket out of town.

The scene is filled with ironies. While Stanley is revealing the past that Blanche
has been so desperate to conceal, she is in the bathroom, symbolically trying to
wash away her sins and singing of a make-believe world. It is also ironic that this
sad turn of events occurs on Blanche's birthday. Stella has planned a small party
for her, and Mitch is expected to come and join in the celebration. Stanley has
spoiled that plan -- and Blanche's prospects of marrying Mitch. He has cruelly told
his friend everything about Blanche's past. The fact that Blanche should feel rested
precisely at the moment when preparations for her departure have been made is
also ironic. Blanche's period of rest at her sister's house is over.

Scene 8

Summary

At dusk, forty-five minutes after the previous scene, the three are having a dismal
supper. Stella is sad and embarrassed while Stanley looks sullen. Blanche's face
carries a plastered smile as she tries to make light of the situation. She is truly
puzzled about Mitch's absence and tries to joke about it; Stella responds feebly,
and Stanley ignores her.

When Stanley displays bad table manners, Stella scolds him for it. She then calls
him a pig and asks him to wash up and help her clear the table. In a typical display
of violence, he reacts by flinging crockery on the floor. He makes it very clear that
he is the lord and master of the house and will not tolerate being insulted. Stella
begins to cry, and Stanley goes out on the porch.

Since nobody will enlighten Blanche about Mitch, she phones him herself, but he
is out. She leaves him a message and awaits his call. Stella, still upset, goes out to
join Stanley. He tries to comfort her and says that everything will become normal
after Blanche's departure and the baby's arrival.

Blanche is overwhelmed that Stanley is gracious enough to give her a birthday gift;
but she is in for a rude shock. With cruelty, Stanley presents her with the bus ticket
to Laurel. Blanche tries to smile or laugh, but gives up the attempt as sickness and
nausea envelops her. Stella accuses Stanley of intentionally hurting Blanche and
demands an explanation. He says that they used to be happily married, and then
Blanche had appeared and spoiled it all for them. Stella defends her, saying that
Blanche is "tender and trusting." Stanley scoffs, and again claims that she has been
the thorn in their marital relationship. As he raves on about Blanche, a blind look
comes over Stella's face. It is obvious that she is not feeling well, and Stanley takes
her to the hospital. The Varsouviana, the polka music that plays off and on in
Blanche's mind when she is reminded of her husband, is heard in the background
with increasing rapidity.

Notes

This scene again shows Stanley's violence. Ironically, the violence occurs at
Blanche's birthday party, which should have been a celebration. Blanche anxiously
awaits Mitch's arrival, but Stanley and Stella know he will not now show up;
neither of them, however, is brave enough to explain his absence to Blanche. As a
result, there is a great deal of tension between the three of them. When Stella calls
Stanley a pig, he explodes, throwing his dishes on the floor and calling himself
king of the household. In this scene, it becomes obvious that Blanche truly is a
disruption to the marriage of Stella and Stanley. Stanley cannot tolerate her
presence, and treats her cruelly, as evidenced by the presentation of the bus ticket
for a birthday present. The more Stanley criticizes Blanche, the more Stella feels
compelled to defend her sister. She tries to explain that Blanche was once tender
and trusting, but she changed because people abused her. She tries to evoke some
sympathy in Stanley, but he has none.

The Varsouviana music highlights the entrapment that Blanche is feeling during
the chapter. When Mitch fails to come to her birthday party, she senses something
is terribly wrong and worries that she may not be able to obtain the future she so
wants. When Blanche receives the bus tickets from Stanley, she realizes his cruelty
and tries to laugh it off; instead, she feels totally nauseous. Appropriately, the
polka music starts playing lightly in the background. By the end of the chapter
when Stella is rushed to the hospital, the Varsouviana is playing loudly. The music
is an indication that Blanche is on the verge of a total mental breakdown.

Scene 9

Summary

Later in the evening, the Varsouviana can still be heard as Blanche, alone in the
apartment and poorly dressed is drinking heavily to drown the music in her head.
The doorbell rings, and she sees that it is Mitch, unshaven and in dirty work
clothes. Blanche, who is slightly drunk, hides the liquor bottle and powders her
nose to appear decent and attractive. After Mitch enters, she reprimands him for
having treated her shabbily; but she admits she is glad he has come, for his arrival
has stopped the `Varsouviana' tune that has been playing in her head. She offers
him a drink, but he refuses to have Stanley's liquor. She knows that something is
wrong with Mitch, and, as if to avoid hearing what it is, she will not let him get in
a word. Blanche apologizes for being improperly dressed and asks him if he forgot
the dinner invitation.

The agitated Mitch notices that the apartment is dark and wants to turn on some
lights. Blanche protests. She does not want truth and brightness; she does not want
Mitch to see her in full light. The darkness creates an illusory world for Blanche
where she can hide the truth of her age and the truth of her past. But Stanley has
already "turned on the light" for Mitch; now he wants to see it for himself. He tears
off the paper lantern covering the bulb and takes a close look at Blanche's
appearance. She is much older than she has led him to believe, but Mitch could
have accepted this fact. What he cannot accept is the truth about her immoral past
and the lies she has told to cover it up. He lets her know he has heard about the
affairs and the Flamingo Hotel. When Blanche realizes that Mitch truly knows all
about her tainted past, she breaks down. She explains that after Allan's death, only
intimacies with strangers seemed to satisfy her. When she came to New Orleans,
she was desperate. Then she met Mitch, who is lonely like she is; she feels that
they could make each other happy, give each other stability. In order to win his
love and admiration, she has hidden the truth; but she claims that in her heart, she
has never lied.

Just then, a blind Mexican vendor passes by, selling artificial flowers for the dead.
She reminds Blanche of the many deaths she has faced in the past. Now, there is a
new death; without Mitch, she has no prospects for the future. Suddenly, Mitch
tries to draw her near; anxious for the sex she has been withholding all summer.
She stops his advances and asks him to marry her; he tells Blanche she is not good
enough for him. Angered by his cruelty, Blanche tells Mitch to leave. When he
stands immobile, she starts screaming "fire!" Mitch hurries out, and with him goes
Blanche's last chance for stability in her life.

Notes

The Varsouviana is playing in Blanche's head again. With Mitch's arrival, the
polka music stops. As soon as Blanche senses that all is not well with Mitch, she
chatters endlessly to postpone the moment of confrontation. That she prefers
illusion and not realism is highlighted throughout the play. In this scene, she
acknowledges that truth and says, "I don't want realism." She wants to live in a
make-believe world because it is not so painful. That is why she does not always
tell the truth. She only tells what ought to be the truth, and in her mind that is not
really lying. Blanche wanted to retain her southern aristocratic lifestyle, but she
was unable to accomplish that. She also wanted to remain a pure woman who lived
and died for Allan, but that was not to be either.
She seeks her last refuge with Stella. In a society where youth and good looks hold
great importance, Blanche is fighting a losing battle. She turns to drinking in order
to blot out some of the misery. It is ironic that the liquor bottle she finds is called
'Southern Comfort'. Blanche has arrived in the southern part of America for some
comfort, but neither the liquor nor the stay seem to be giving her that. Thus,
Tenessee Williams' details reinforce Blanche's tragedy.

This scene the significance of the play's title is brought out. Surrounded by the
memories of her dead husband and the dying members of the family at Belle Reve,
Blanche had felt so afraid of Death's proximity that she sought the opposite:
Desire. For her, Desire symbolized life, youth, and everything that is pleasant. She
gave herself freely in order to experience life; ironically, Blanche dies inside as a
result of her moral decay. When she loses her job and all respectability in Laurel,
she comes to New Orleans seeking a new life. It is important to remember that
upon her arrival, she first takes a streetcar named Desire, which leads to a streetcar
named Cemetery (Death). Blanche's desires have led to her "death".

This scene shows Mitch as he really is and how different he is from Blanche. He
lacks refinement. He hails from a different class in society. For all his sensitivity
and earnestness, he has a limited understanding of the world. He, like Stanley,
judges the world in simplistic terms; life is either black or white, a truth or a lie.
After he learns the facts of Blanche's past from Stanley, he judges her as a lie; she
is all black to him now. He is incapable of understanding her gray areas. He fails to
realize that she could easily surrender to strangers because they were strangers. In
the eyes of the people she considers close, she wants to remain the pure and good
Blanche.

More important, in Blanche's mind she is good, for she never lied in her heart. It is
as if she has split herself into two different persons: the hussy for the stranger and
the innocent for her friend. She has kept her inner-self at a distance when she has
gone to bed with strangers. Therefore, in her mind, she has remained pure since she
had not given of her soul. Mitch is unable to understand this finer difference;
therefore, Blanche has lost him and her last chance for stability.

Scene 10

Summary

After Mitch departs, Blanche continues to drink heavily. She makes a last attempt
at make-believe in order to forget the events that have just occurred. She dresses up
like a bedraggled princess in a faded gown. On her head is rhinestone tiara. She
murmurs excitedly to imaginary admirers about a moonlight swim. Her hand
trembles as she lifts the hand-mirror, for she fears to see her reflection. She is
stunned at her appearance and slams the mirror down with such force that the glass
cracks.
Stanley arrives to say that Stella is admitted to the hospital and the baby will not
arrive until the next day. He takes off his shirt and opens some beer bottles. He
asks Blanche to have a few drinks with him to celebrate his expected baby. She
refuses. Stanley then takes out his silk pajamas from the bureau, the ones he had
worn on his wedding night. He questions Blanche about her attire. She tells him
that Shep Huntleigh has just invited her to go on a Caribbean cruise. She also says
that Mitch came over, begging forgiveness, but she sent him away. She explains
that "deliberate cruelty is not forgivable," ironic words spoken to a man who is
about to rape her. But Stanley knows the truth about Mitch and attacks her lies.

When Stanley enters the bathroom to change, she tries to phone Shep, but she does
not have his long-distance number. Meanwhile, shadows on the rear wall indicate
what is to come. A prostitute is pursued by a drunkard in the street outside. There
is a struggle, which a policeman breaks up. This is a parallel to Blanche`s situation
with Stanley, except for her there will be no policeman.

Stanley emerges from the bathroom in his brilliant silk pajamas. This attire is so
symbolic of the virile male with animalistic intentions that Blanche guesses his
frame of mind. Blanche crouches as a locomotive roars past. When she tries to get
by Stanley, he leaves no place for her to move. He ignores her warning not to
move a step further in her direction. She smashes a bottle on the table and clutches
the top to defend herself. It is an effort to fight off Stanley, but more importantly,
she is fighting off everything that is coarse and common in life. But in the struggle
that follows, she is overpowered; although she tries to strike him, he catches her
wrist. She moans and sinks to her knees. He lifts her lifeless figure and takes her to
bed. Obviously what follows is a brutal rape. Stanley has proved his maleness
again. He justifies his action by thinking she is just a prostitute whose services he
has paid for with the liquor she has drunk all summer and the food she has eaten at
his house. Because Blanche has refused to be subservient to him like Stella and
because she has almost ruined his marriage, he has no remorse for the violence he
has inflicted on her.

Notes

The final showdown between Stanley and Blanche results in his victory over her;
the hunter has grabbed his prey, and the climax of the play occurs. Since Stanley
cannot master Blanche emotionally or intellectually, he resorts to the only thing he
knows and understands -- sex and violence. As he physically overcomes her,
Stanley is crushing more than her frail body. Her rape is symbolic of the fact that
the older, more cultured and aristocratic way of life has been overcome by a crass,
materialistic one, where the survival of the fittest is what counts.
The pathos of the scene is heightened further in light of Blanche's words about
herself. She tells Stanley that "deliberate cruelty is unforgivable"; part of her
problem stems from the fact that she feels she was cruel to her late husband and
has never forgiven herself. Instead, she has repeatedly punished herself through
cheap affairs and immoral behavior. In spite of her actions, she is aware of the
good qualities she is endowed with, and she thinks it is a pity that she has
squandered them on unrefined people like Stanley and Mitch (by flirting with
Stanley and by pursuing Mitch). She knows that she is a cultivated and cultured
woman who can enrich a man's life. It is a sad thing to her that nobody appreciates
her invaluable qualities: beauty of mind, richness of spirit, and softness of heart,
qualities that she believes increase as the years go by. It is even more pitiful that
rich as she is in such qualities, she is still destitute; men have no use for her finer
qualities. This is abundantly proven when Stanley assaults her.

Scene 11

Summary

Some weeks later, Stella is packing Blanche's clothes while Stanley and his friends
are at the poker table again. Stanley is in an upbeat mood because he is winning.
Eunice arrives to help Stella. She comments on the vulgar behavior of the men at
the card game. She sets down a bunch of grapes for Stella and tells her that her
baby is sleeping peacefully upstairs.

Eunice inquires about Blanche. Stella expresses her guilt about sending her sister
away to the state institution, but this seems the only way she can save her marriage.
Things have only gotten worse since Blanche has accused Stanley of raping her.
Stella still does not believe her sister's story; instead, she has listened to her
husband who has convinced Stella that Blanche is mentally ill. Since Blanche will
not be able to bear the shock if is she knows her actual destination, she has been
told that arrangements have been made for her to rest in the country. But she is so
confused that she thinks she is going away with Shep Huntleigh; she believes that
Shep will arrive to take her away so she wants to dress like a lady for the occasion.

Stella tells Eunice to praise Blanche`s appearance when she enters because flattery
gives Blanche confidence. Blanche emerges and asks Stella if Shep has phoned.
Stella answers in the negative. At the sound of Blanche's voice, Mitch's arm sags at
the poker table, and he loses his concentration. Stanley scolds him for his
distraction. Blanche is shocked to find that Mitch is present. A look of confusion
and deep sorrow comes over her face. She suddenly becomes hysterical and asks
what is going on. She wonders why Stella and Eunice are watching her strangely.
Eunice successfully calms Blanche down. They then get Blanche dressed, all the
while admiring her dress, to distract her and to calm her nerves. Blanche is
thinking that she would like to die and be buried in a white sack.
Eunice fears Blanche will leave the house before the authorities from the state
institution arrive to escort her and tell her to take a seat. Soon, the Doctor and his
female assistant arrive in uniform. Blanche develops last-minute jitters and says
she isn't quite ready yet. Blanche obviously lacks the confidence to go past the men
at the card table, so Stella offers to accompany her.

The men, except Mitch, rise as she goes to the door. Stella and Eunice follow her.
But on seeing the Doctor, Blanche rushes back inside, telling Stella, "That man
isn't Shep Huntleigh." Stella closes her eyes and clenches her fists. This shows
Stella`s state of mind; she is fed up of her sister's habits and wants her to leave.
Now she worries whether she will be successful in her plan.

As Blanche goes towards the bedroom, Stanley rises and blocks her way. He asks
her if she has forgotten something. Then he yanks the paper lantern off the bulb
and cruelly hands it to her; the bright light, which she hates, shines on her. Blanche
is fearful and lost; she does not know what this new situation is or where it will
lead her. The Doctor tells his assistant to bring Blanche outside. Extreme
professionalism has turned the matron into a machine, lacking gentleness or
sympathy. Blanche is afraid of her. Stanley tries to take control, and, in his
presence, Blanche becomes all the more hysterical and tries to flee. The assistant
seizes Blanche's arm and prevents her flight. Blanche becomes wild and scratches
her. Stanley tells the Doctor to take over. The Doctor seems to be a kind man who
says he prefers to avoid such scenes.

Steve and Pablo comment on the ugliness of the situation. Mitch moves towards
Blanche, but Stanley blocks him. Mitch becomes wild and holds Stanley
responsible for the whole mess. He strikes Stanley. Steve and Pablo restrain Mitch,
who collapses at the table, sobbing.

The assistant asks the Doctor if he needs the straitjacket. He replies, "Not unless
necessary". He takes off his hat and becomes more human. His gentle voice is
reassuring as he speaks Blanche's name. Her hoarse crying stops when he
addresses her with respect as befits a lady. She looks at him with an expression of
desperate pleading. She asks him to tell the nurse to release her. He does so.
Blanche's trust in the Doctor increases, and she holds her hands out to him. With
his support, she walks out saying, "Whoever you are, I have always depended on
the kindness of strangers.'' Stella calls out her name, but now Blanche's mind is
made up. She goes out without turning around for a parting glance. Eunice places
Stella's baby in her arms. Now that it is all over, Stella cries bitterly. Stanley kneels
beside her and starts to make advances, soothing Stella in the only way he knows.
Steve's closing remark, "This game is a seven card stud," indicates that Stanley's
victory is complete. It is man's world in which a lady had no place.
Notes

After the brutal climax of the last scene, only the loose ends need to be tied up. In
this scene, another poker game is in progress, just as in Scene 3. But where Stanley
was on the losing side in the earlier game, he is now the winner. This is symbolic
of his superiority within the domain of his household and over his sister-in-law in
the previous scene. How completely he has won the battle is soon displayed. Stella
is packing Blanche's clothes, for she is being sent to a state institution. Stella tells
Eunice that she is not certain she is doing the right thing. It is obvious that Stanley
has convinced her to make this decision. He has wanted Blanche out of his house
all along. And now that she is accusing him of rape, he has to remove her before
the truth comes out. Eunice soothes Stella's guilt feelings by stating that life must
go on.

Both Mitch and Blanche are still vulnerable to each other and extremely conscious
of each other's presence. When Mitch hears her voice, his arm sags, and he is
distracted from the poker game. When Blanche discovers Mitch's present, a look of
sadness comes over her face. The reader realizes once again the possibilities that
were there for these two sensitive souls if Stanley had not interfered.

Blanche's death wish indicates that she views her life as useless now. Without
Mitch, a home, or a future, Blanche has nothing left. She wants to join Allan; the
only person who she feels really loved her. In wishing for reunion with her dead
husband, she is proving how much of a misfit she is in the present world. It also
foreshadows her figurative death when she is taken to the state institution.

Understandably, Stanley's presence unnerves Blanche. When he roughly yanks the

paper lantern off the bulb, it vividly reminds Blanche of his ruthless attack on her a
few weeks before. With the bright light shining on her, Blanche grows hysterical.
Throughout the play, the bright light has stood for truth; but Blanche always covers
the bright bulb with a paper lantern, just like she covers the truth with her make-
believe world.

At the end of the scene, Mitch breaks down and sobs; but his repentance has come
too late to save Blanche. Although Stanley is directly guilty of the rape and
Blanche's subsequent insanity, Mitch also shares some responsibility in what is
happening to her. If Mitch had stood by her side, Stanley would not have attacked
Blanche. He can fool Stella with his lies, but Mitch would have believed Blanche
rather than Stanley. With Mitch by her side, Blanche would not be headed to a
mental institution. But the past cannot be undone, and Blanche is made to submit
to the inevitable. Williams has pointed out throughout the play that Blanche was
moth-like and delicate, too delicate to endure the harshness of the brutal, new
world that surrounds her. Ironically, the last remark that Blanche makes on stage is
that the only kindness she has received has always been from strangers.