How Is Blanche’s Illusionary World Broken Down in the Play by Others? Essay

In the 1947 work out A Streetcar Named Desire scripted by Tennessee Williams, there is an on going passage of arms of rivalry surrounded by Stanley and Blanche, resulting to Blanche retreating into a ball of illusions in order to defend herself. The two inject from completely different social worlds and have contrasting personalities, Stanley being powerful, dictatorial and strong and Blanche, being sparse, weak and vulnerable.Despite their aversion for each opposite and their differences they have many similar traits, including their commit of sexuality and desperation to direct others. The primary noticeable difference among Stanley and Blanche are the worlds that they both go into from. Blanche believes in an illusionary world of which the upper and lower class hoi polloi are separated, education is valued, races are separated and purity is preserved. In contrast, Stanley comes from a patriarchal society, which is mor eithery corrupt, sinful and amoral.In the openi ng scene, the stage directions her air is one of shocked disbelief. Her appearance is incongruous to this setting conveys her difference in class and how Blanche already does not fit into this new world indicate the end of the turn tail when Blanche is pushed out of the new world. The dialog they mustnt have- understood- what soma I wanted highlights Blanches confusion as she arrives at divine Fields, which suggests that Blanche is entering into a world that she does not belong in.The use of the disparaging terms negro, brown and one white and one faded all suggest that un manage in Blanches illusionary world, Stanleys world, New Orleans does not separate races instead they intermingle. Throughout the play there are many references to animalistic qualities. Blanche is represented, as a moth of which is fragile and attracted to light, which leads to danger and death. Stanley is compared to a lion, a predator of power and strong with pride.Stanley is overly described in the stage directions ass having lordly composure this conveys his appetite to be in charge or chasten of others around him, including Blanche. The use of the verb, stalk, suggests Stanleys predatory nature. It is aggressive and masculine which is shown through Stanleys hatred towards Blanche. The conflict between Stanley and Blanches is a fight for Stellas love and control over their worlds. Stanley aims to break downcast Blanches illusionary world and collapse her by telling the truth and invading her privacy.Blanches statement Everything I own is in that trunk highlights that Stanley intends on ownership to break Blanche. furthermore Stanley reveals the truth about Blanches sexual promiscuity. This is evident in his dialogue Youre god dam right I told him. Id have that on my conscience for the rest of my life if I knew all the stuff and I let my best friend get caught. Stanleys exposure of Blanches secret not only breaks the relationship between Blanche and Mitch, but further b reaks down her illusionary world.Stanleys intrusion of Blanches trunk marks the beginning of his invasion of Blanche. The use of the motif lights is a representation of Blanche attempting to hide from the truth as light symbolizes the harsh truth of the truth. The lack of light symbolizes Blanches need to avoid light, meaning existence and the truth. Stanley and Stellas love for each other contributes to the break down of Blanches illusionary world. It is evident from the beginning that Blanche does not understand their marriage as it is based on opportunism and unlike Stella, Blanche has not yet accept reality.Blanche is holding onto the past making her unable to accept reality. Blanche attempts to break down Stella and Stanleys happiness, which was based on sex not genuine love. When Stanley says I done nothing to no one. Let go of my shirt. Youve torn. It represents that their relationship has been broken, like the torn shirt. In scene Ten Stanleys rape of Blanche is a physic al manifestation of his attempt to dismantle her privacy throughout the alone text, going through her bags, finding out about Laurel and revealing her secrets to Mitch.Stanley represents reality. He will not allow Blanche to retreat into her illusionary world. Clearly, the 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams reflects the on going battle of rivalry between Stanley and Blanche, resulting to Blanche retreating into a world of illusions in order to foster herself. Although Blanche lives in an illusionary world she is unable to sustain it, she attempts to hold onto this world in order to survive in the New World and protect herself.However Stanleys ongoing rivalry to win over Stella by revealing the truth and breaking Blanche makes it almost impossible for Blanche to survive in the patriarchal society, resulting in her ending up in a intellectual institution. The new world is patriarchal and corrupt and violence has been normalised. Williams critiques these values suggesting that counterweight between magic of illusion and reality is needed. This is symbolic of the greater societal clash of values in the struggling world of late 1940s America.