Scene Ten: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

Scene Ten: Summary

Stanley has returned home to the apartment because Stella is not yet ready to give birth. The audience recognises the sexual danger of Stanley and Blanche being alone together.

Stanley jokes

Stanley jokes about Blanche attending the "fireman’s ball" – obviously a reference to her cries at the end of Scene Nine.

Blanche's fantasy

Blanche has descended into a fantasy that an old suitor of hers is coming to provide financial support and take her away from New Orleans.
This is Shep Huntleigh from Dallas, and she recollects wearing an "ATO pin" for him. It seems he is offering her a Caribbean cruise.
Stanley goes along with the act she spins out for him, culminating in him opening a bottle of beer. He talks about his accomplishments when compared to the millionaire she refers to.

Blanche discusses herself

Blanche continues to refer to the fact that she is cultivated and intelligent, and that she has been "casting her pearls before swine" before.
Blanche explains that she has given Mitch his "walking papers" – an ironic reference to the papers from earlier on in the play.

"Queen of the Nile"

Stanley then angrily scorns Blanche and says her lies and behaviour expose her for what she really is.
He calls her a "Queen of the Nile". This seems to imply that she is Cleopatra-like and a temptress.
Aware of the danger, Blanche tries to make a call to Shep Huntleigh for assistance. But this is to no avail.

Stanley's attraction to Blanche

Stanley is repulsed by Blanche, but he is also sexually attracted to her. This ambivalence comes out in the rest of the scene.
Stanley advances toward her and they make their way into the bedroom; in response, she threatens to glass him, but she is overpowered.

Rape scene

Stanley rapes Blanche, imminently resulting in her psychotic crisis. The music outside reaches a crescendo.
The rape scene itself is almost unreal and dream-like in the way that Williams presents it.
The play reaches a sexual and structural climax at this point.

Scene Ten: Tragedy Genre

Here are some key ideas that relate to the idea of tragedy:

Stanley and Blanche alone

That fact that Stanley and Blanche are alone together in this scene confirms the tragic trajectory and the audience anticipates that something bad will happen.

Difficulties about the rape

What is tragic is that the sexual act is not completed jointly and that it involves the violence and physicality of a male figure. It is also tragic that this is happening at the same time as Stella having her baby. Stanley is also having sex with his sister-in-law. This is bound to make the future family dysfunctional to some extent.

The rape and Blanche's fall

Blanche has been woefully treated by a patriarchal society, and here too, the same thing is happening yet again.

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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