Scene Three: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

Scene Three: Summary

The scene opens with the poker party. The talk is of the card game itself while Mitch explains that he lives with his mother, but is unmarried and alone.

Stanley describes Mitch

Stanley is described by Mitch as being on his "high horse", which perhaps shows that Stanley’s normal demeanour has been interrupted by Blanche’s arrival.
Matching the historical period, Steve tells a racist joke about African-Americans, chicken and corn.

Stella and Blanche return

On returning from their night out, Stella and Blanche watch the game for a while.
Blanche admits she feels "hot and frazzled". This is perhaps as much from Stanley’s interrogation of her as the heat and oppressive atmosphere of the city of New Orleans itself.
They enter and are introduced to the rest of the card players.

Blanche meets Mitch

While going to the bathroom, Blanche meets Mitch, one of Stanley’s poker player buddies. His courteous manner sets him apart from the other men as Stella asks him about the health of his mother.
Blanche asks Stella about Mitch. It's clear that he and Stanley work at the same plant.
It's obvious that Blanche fancies him. She changes her clothing to make herself look more seductive, commenting that other wives in New Orleans are fat and ugly.
This is probably a direct reference to Eunice.

Blanche woos Mitch

Blanche manoeuvres to meet Mitch and their chat becomes flirtatious and friendly. They discuss a cigarette case and notions of sorrow.
Blanche explains the origins of her name ("DuBois means wood and Blanche means white").
Blanche asks Mitch to use a paper lantern to cover up the light bulb because she says she can't "stand a naked light bulb."
Blanche says she tried to teach young, uninterested students English.

Stanley rages

Suddenly, becoming upset over multiple interruptions (including the noise of the radio and Mitch’s absence), Stanley explodes in a drunken rage. He chases Stella and strikes her off-stage.
Mitch observes that poker should not be played in a house where women are present.
Blanche and Stella take refuge with the upstairs neighbour, Eunice. Stanley goes to the bathroom to splash water over himself to cool off his drunkenness and hot-headedness.

Stanley apologises

When Stanley recovers, he goes downstairs and cries out from the courtyard below for Stella to come back by repeatedly calling her name until she comes down and allows herself to be carried off to bed.
After Stella returns to Stanley, Blanche and Mitch sit at the bottom of the steps in the courtyard, where Mitch apologizes for Stanley’s coarse behaviour. Again, Blanche refers to Mitch’s kindness – a direct link to the end of the play.

Scene Three: Tragedy Genre

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

Stanley's rage

The combination of gambling, drinking and female company appears to guarantee some dramatic blow-up. This comes in the form of Stanley’s rage and abusive behaviour towards Stella.
Despite his drinking and violence, at the end of the scene Stella appears to forgive Stanley and is again complicit with him.

Tragedy unfolding

This scene is perhaps typical of the way in which a modern tragedy unfolds. The characters are placed into uncomfortable situations which they have to rage against.
At the start, the poker game subverts normal domesticity but in the end, Stanley craves that domesticity once more.

Violence and wider society

The violence inflicted on Stella demonstrates that tragedy does not lurk very far under the surface of society in New Orleans.
Whilst there is outward order, chaos appears to be breaking through.

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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