Scene Seven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

Scene Seven: Summary

Scene Seven begins with Stella making preparations for Blanche’s birthday, but purposefully Williams does not reveal how old she will be.

Stanley reveals the truth

Stanley now tells Stella that he has proof about Blanche’s true circumstances, again noting that she is the common one, not him. Stanley appears to be aware of the lies that she has been feeding Mitch.
Whilst Blanche sings obliviously, Stanley fills Stella in with the truth about her sister, including her fame in Laurel, her stay at the Hotel Flamingo and the scandal it generated. All the while Stanley relays this information, Blanche sings of love.

Revelations about Blanche

Blanche sings of a "Paper Moon" whilst Stanley says that "she has been washed up like poison".
A paper moon is fragile, which is exactly what Blanche is like.
Stanley then reveals to Stella that Blanche was fired from her teaching job for having sex with a student. The incident created a huge scandal in Laurel.
It has also been confirmed that she lived at a hotel known for prostitution (the Flamingo).

Stanley loses patience

Stella says that she does not believe the stories that Stanley has dug up and asks whether he has told Mitch. Stanley says that he has informed Mitch.
Eventually, Stanley loses his patience with Blanche’s singing and her continually being in the bathroom. He asks her to come out.

Blanche worries

When Blanche comes out, the two cross each other and Stanley says nothing to her.
Blanche asks Stella what has happened, but Stella denies there is a problem. Williams has a stage direction where Blanche "stares fearfully".

Scene Seven: Tragedy Genre

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

Structural revelations

This scene provides many of the structural revelations in the tragedy.
- We learn that Blanche has been lying and that Stanley’s source seems to offer a truthful account of Blanche’s past. She did have sex with an underage student and she did spend some time at the Hotel Flamingo.

Blanche's lies and cover-ups

Blanche’s tragic trajectory seems set because of her lies and cover-ups about her past. She has tried to manipulate the truth about her past but this has not worked. Distance from Laurel has not saved her.
Stanley, Stella and Mitch are all confronted by these truths. Mitch is bound to be devastated about the revelations. He put trust in Blanche.

Running out of options

Like in most tragedies, the tragic heroine is running out of options and places to run.

Blanche's punishment

When it comes down to it, what Blanche has done is not that earth-shattering or tragic. She has simply made a mistake, but the community and the society are punishing her for this. This is what she has been arguing throughout the drama.

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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