2.4.1

Scene Four: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

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Scene Four: Summary

Blanche is outwardly bewildered as to why Stella would go back to her abusive husband after such violence.

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Blanche's concerns about Stanley

  • The next morning, Blanche rushes to Stella and describes Stanley as a "sub-human" animal, though Stella assures Blanche that she and Stanley are fine.
  • The scene opens with Stella feeling serene about her pregnancy. The beauty of this is contrasted with the fact that Stanley has gone out to "get the car greased".
  • Blanche asks Stella about Stanley’s behaviour and we learn he has a history of violence.
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Stella accuses Blanche

  • Stella accuses Blanche of being too "excitable" about last night’s events and that she would do well to be realistic and forget about such matters.
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Shep Huntleigh

  • Blanche mentions an old flame by the name of Shep Huntleigh who is now rich and successful. There is an idea that she "lost" him and would be with him now if he was not married.
  • This is all intended to make Stella feel that her relationship with Stanley is hopeless.
  • Blanche believes that both she and Stella need to leave to "get out" of this situation (via Shep Huntleigh’s help) but Stella tells Blanche that she is perfectly happy.
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Female "brutal desire"

  • This leads them onto a conversation about female "brutal desire" and the metaphor of the streetcar is introduced again.
  • Blanche gives an indication that it was this that brought her to New Orleans in the first place.
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Stanley arrives

  • A streetcar arrives, bringing Stanley. He stands outside holding packages, and he overhears the conversation but keeps silent.
  • Blanche calls him a "survivor from the Stone Age" and an "ape", and she admits she seeks "poetry and music".
  • When Stanley comes in, Stella hugs and kisses him, letting Blanche know that her low opinion of Stanley does not matter.

Scene Four: Tragedy Genre

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

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Tension: Stella and Blanche

  • The scene is an intense one between the two sisters who are both trying to make sense of each others’ lives; both noting aspects of tragedy in them.
    • Stella sees her sister’s reliance on Shep Huntleigh as misplaced, whilst Blanche thinks that Stella might suffer if she stays any longer with Stanley.
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Blanche's depiction of Stanley

  • The description Blanche uses to depict Stanley ("sub-human") is bound to make him angry with her. She does not know she is being overheard.
  • If she did, she would know that such language is bound to catch her in a tragic spiral downwards.
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Role of "brutal desire"

  • The conversation about "brutal desire" harks back to the title of the play.
    • Brutal desire has kept Stella with Stanley and has resulted in a baby.
    • Brutal desire has also caused Blanche’s initial downfall and forced her to leave Laurel and come to New Orleans.
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Presentation of Stanley

  • At the end of the scene, Williams presents Stanley as being kind and loveable in deep contrast to the previous scene.
  • He is aware that he is manipulating Blanche and this is perhaps a tragic motif.
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Blanche and the finer things

  • The notion that Blanche seeks the finer, more artistic things in life such as "poetry and music" marks her out as a tragic figure.
  • She will perhaps never find those elements in the places she is looking, nor in the culture in which she finds herself operating.

Jump to other topics

1Context & Overview

2Scene Summaries

3Character Profiles

4Key Ideas

5Writing Techniques

6Critical Debates

7Ideas About Tragedy

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