Hawick High SchoolHawick High School

A Streetcar named DesireA Streetcar named Desire

by Tennessee Williamsby Tennessee Williams

Scene 11Scene 11

This scene is a downbeat coda ( a This scene is a downbeat coda ( a concluding passage which provides a concluding passage which provides a satisfying ending) to the melodrama satisfying ending) to the melodrama of the rape in the previous sceneof the rape in the previous scene

The mood is subdued, a mood The mood is subdued, a mood intensified by the fact that the intensified by the fact that the previous scene with the poker previous scene with the poker players was loud and noisy (scene 3)players was loud and noisy (scene 3)

Differences between Differences between Sc 3 and Sc 11Sc 3 and Sc 11

Stella has been cryingStella has been crying All the poker players apart from Stanley All the poker players apart from Stanley

have lost their boisterous good humourhave lost their boisterous good humour They rise in an act of courtesy when They rise in an act of courtesy when

Blanche passes through the roomBlanche passes through the room Stanley again tears down the paper Stanley again tears down the paper

lantern. Blanche cries out as though in lantern. Blanche cries out as though in physical pain. His action can be seen as physical pain. His action can be seen as a symbolic replay of the rapea symbolic replay of the rape

Why is this scene Why is this scene particularly effective?particularly effective?

Like Blanche, the audience too is kept in Like Blanche, the audience too is kept in the dark about what is going to happenthe dark about what is going to happen

It is only gradually that the audience are It is only gradually that the audience are made aware that Blanche is being made aware that Blanche is being committed to a mental hospitalcommitted to a mental hospital

Blanche’s quiet dignity at the end is in Blanche’s quiet dignity at the end is in sharp contrast to her earlier displays of sharp contrast to her earlier displays of vanity and fussing over her appearancevanity and fussing over her appearance

The trivia of Blanche’s wardrobe and her The trivia of Blanche’s wardrobe and her costume jewellery is to heighten the costume jewellery is to heighten the dramatic tension of what is about to happendramatic tension of what is about to happen

Why is this scene Why is this scene particularly effective?particularly effective?

Blanche’s final words, “I have always Blanche’s final words, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers” depended on the kindness of strangers” reveals the sad truth that there has been reveals the sad truth that there has been very little kindness in Blanche’s lifevery little kindness in Blanche’s life

Blanche’s behaviour towards the poker Blanche’s behaviour towards the poker players conveys the way in which being players conveys the way in which being raped by Stanley has scarred her. At the raped by Stanley has scarred her. At the start of the play she performs for his start of the play she performs for his friends, by the end she hides from their friends, by the end she hides from their gaze and hopes they won’t notice hergaze and hopes they won’t notice her

Why is this scene Why is this scene particularly effective?particularly effective?

The roles of the two sisters reverse as Stella The roles of the two sisters reverse as Stella admits that she may have entered a world admits that she may have entered a world of make-believe when she acknowledges of make-believe when she acknowledges that she cannot believe Blanche’s story that she cannot believe Blanche’s story about the rape and continue to live with about the rape and continue to live with Stanley. Stella explains that, quite simply, if Stanley. Stella explains that, quite simply, if she is to go on living with Stanley she must she is to go on living with Stanley she must believe that the story of the rape is the believe that the story of the rape is the invention of a mentally unstable woman. invention of a mentally unstable woman. Blanche’s descent into madness saves Blanche’s descent into madness saves Stella from the truthStella from the truth

Why is this scene Why is this scene particularly effective?particularly effective? Stella’s tears at the end are shed Stella’s tears at the end are shed

not only for her sister but also for not only for her sister but also for the complexity and tension between the complexity and tension between illusion and reality, between illusion and reality, between Blanche’s story and Stella’s own Blanche’s story and Stella’s own understanding of her lifeunderstanding of her life

She also cries because part of her is She also cries because part of her is glad to see Blanche goglad to see Blanche go

Why is this scene Why is this scene particularly effective?particularly effective?

The offstage announcement that The offstage announcement that another poker game (“seven card another poker game (“seven card stud”) is about to commence ends the stud”) is about to commence ends the play with a symbol of the deception play with a symbol of the deception and bluffing that has taken place in the and bluffing that has taken place in the Kowalski houseKowalski house

The image of Stanley and Stella The image of Stanley and Stella together at the end symbolises Stanley together at the end symbolises Stanley has won – he is the triumphant victorhas won – he is the triumphant victor