1.2.2

Social Issues

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Social Issues Raised in A Streetcar Named Desire

Here are some key ideas about social issues found in A Streetcar Named Desire:

Illustrative background for Sexual frustrationIllustrative background for Sexual frustration ?? "content

Sexual frustration

  • The play suggests that modern society is underpinned by sexual frustrations of all kinds and types because society appears to repress people - particularly women - as seen in Blanche DuBois.
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Class struggle

  • In this play, class struggle is connected to sex. Sexual encounters happen across class barriers. For example:
    • Middle-class Stella’s union with the more working-class Stanley.
    • Blanche DuBois' fantasies and relationship with a student.
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Violence

  • Violence is usually seen within the domestic setting in A Streetcar Named Desire.
  • Cultural violence is also present, forced upon the mixed-race characters and the "Polacks" as migrants.
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Rejection and longing

  • Several characters seek out longing (eg Blanche herself, Mitch and Stanley) but often, they do not find it or they are rejected from the process.

Social Issues Raised in A Streetcar Named Desire

Here are some key ideas about social issues found in A Streetcar Named Desire:

Illustrative background for Cruelty and sufferingIllustrative background for Cruelty and suffering ?? "content

Cruelty and suffering

  • The suffering and cruelty in tragedies like A Streetcar Named Desire is not usually physical or very horrific. Characters tend to suffer psychologically.
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Aberrations

  • Aberrations are distortions in a society that cause conflict and hurt.
  • Blanche’s choices cause aberrations, but social aberrations also caused her situation.
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Fantasies

  • In A Streetcar Named Desire, fantasies about social refinement and grandeur are undercut and destroyed.
  • Blanche and Stella have these sorts of fantasies.

Jump to other topics

1Context & Overview

1.1The Author

1.1.1Tennessee Williams

1.2Social Context & Setting

1.2.1Social Context

1.2.2Social Issues

1.2.3Setting

1.3Tragedy

1.3.1Overview of the Tragic Genre

1.3.2Modern Domestic Tragedy

1.3.3End of Topic Test - Author, Context & Tragedy

2Scene Summaries

2.1Scene One

2.1.1Scene One: Summary

2.1.2Scene One: Tragedy Ideas

2.2Scene Two

2.2.1Scene Two: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.2.2End of Topic Test - Scenes One-Two

2.3Scene Three

2.3.1Scene Three: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.4Scene Four

2.4.1Scene Four: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.4.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Three & Four

2.5Scene Five

2.5.1Scene Five: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.6Scene Six

2.6.1Scene Six: Summary

2.7Scene Seven

2.7.1Scene Seven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.8Scene Eight

2.8.1Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.8.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Five-Eight

2.9Scene Nine

2.9.1Scene Nine: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.10Scene Ten

2.10.1Scene Ten: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.11Scene Eleven

2.11.1Scene Eleven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

2.11.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Nine-Eleven

3Character Profiles

3.1Blanche DuBois & Stanley Kowalski

3.1.1Blanche DuBois - The Past & Illusions

3.1.2Blanche DuBois - Relationship with Men & Breakdown

3.1.3The Dynamic Between Blanche & Stanley

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Blanche & Stanley

3.2Stella Kowalski & Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.2.1Stella Kowalski

3.2.2Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.3Minor Characters

3.3.1The Hubbels & Other Characters

3.3.2End of Topic Test - Stella, Mitch & Others

4Key Ideas

4.1Sex & Gender

4.1.1Sex & Desire

4.1.2Masculinity & Femininity

4.1.3End of Topic Test - Sex, Desire & Gender

4.2Appearances, Fantasy & Reality

4.2.1Outer & Inner Appearances

4.2.2Fantasy & Reality

4.2.3End of Topic Test - Appearances, Fantasy...

5Writing Techniques

5.1Structure

5.1.1Structure & Stage Design

5.1.2Linking Devices

5.1.3Recurring Motifs

5.2Genre, Form & Language

5.2.1Genre

5.2.2Form & Language

5.2.3End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

6Critical Debates

6.1Early & Modern Reception

6.1.1Interpreting Blanche & Self-Pity

6.1.2Contemporary & Modern Reviews

6.2Feminist, Psychoanalytic & Marxist Approach

6.2.1Feminist Approach

6.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach

6.2.3Marxist Approach

6.2.4End of Topic Test - Critical Debates

7Ideas About Tragedy

7.1Ideas About Tragedy

7.1.1Tragic Ideas & Villain

7.1.2Tragic Structure & Language

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Social Context

Setting