Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

Test yourself

Scene Eight: Summary

The scene opens at a "dismal" birthday supper for Blanche with Stella and Stanley present.

Blanche and Stanley fight

Blanche asks Stanley for a joke. He will not tell one and so Blanche begins to make fun of his Polish identity. An argument ensues in which a plate is smashed.
Stella begins to cry and Stanley leaves. Blanches explains her fears that Stanley has told Stella about something regarding Mitch and Blanche.

Blanche's phone call

Whilst Blanche makes a phone call, Stanley explains to Stella that things will get better when Blanche leaves their apartment.
The phone call appears to be about some way that Blanche can leave New Orleans but as per usual, she is reliant on the "kindness of strangers".
Towards the end of the scene, Stanley offers Blanche a birthday present: it is a Greyhound bus ticket back to Laurel.

Stanley reminds Stella

Stella tells Stanley that he is being cruel to Blanche but when Stanley calls her a "delicate piece" he does not really mean this. In fact. Stanley believes she is far from delicate.
Stanley reminds Stella of when they first met and how happy they were together: the implication being that they were happy together before the arrival of Blanche.

Stella goes into labour

Towards the end of the scene, Stella asks Stanley to take her to the hospital since it appears she is about to give birth.
Had Stella not gone into labour, then the fight between Blanche and Stanley would have likely continued.

Blanche twists cloth

The ending of the scene sees Blanche once more twisting a cloth to the rhythm of the music outside.
This action shows her intentions and the wider constriction upon the lives of the characters in the play.

Scene Eight: Tragedy Genre

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

Birthday Supper

The Birthday Supper here is almost like the Last Supper for Blanche. She realises how precarious her situation is and hence her placing of frantic phone calls.

Blanche - disruptive influence

Stanley sees Blanche as a disruptive influence in he and Stella’s domestic life and he wants to get rid of her – with the pre-paid bus ticket.

Blanche-Stanley relationship

The frantic relationship here between Blanche and Stanley prepares the audience for her later rape. The audience notices the growing sexual tension between them.

Timing of Stella's birth

It appears tragic that Stella is about to give birth to her baby in these circumstances. It is not the idyllic home atmosphere that she hoped for.

Blanche and the wash-cloth

Blanche’s wringing of the wash-cloth is very symbolic. It symbolises the growing pressure that all of the characters are under and that tragedy is likely to ensue. The grip of insanity is tightening.

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

Jump to other topics