2.8.1

Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

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Scene Eight: Summary

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

Blanche and Stanley fight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.
Jump to other topics
1

Context & Overview

1.1

The Author

1.1.1Tennessee Williams
1.2

Social Context & Setting

1.2.1Social Context1.2.2Social Issues1.2.3Setting
1.3

Tragedy

1.3.1Overview of the Tragic Genre1.3.2Modern Domestic Tragedy1.3.3End of Topic Test - Author, Context & Tragedy
2

Scene Summaries

2.1

Scene One

2.1.1Scene One: Summary2.1.2Scene One: Tragedy Ideas
2.2

Scene Two

2.2.1Scene Two: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.2.2End of Topic Test - Scenes One-Two
2.3

Scene Three

2.3.1Scene Three: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.4

Scene Four

2.4.1Scene Four: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.4.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Three & Four
2.5

Scene Five

2.5.1Scene Five: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.6

Scene Six

2.6.1Scene Six: Summary
2.7

Scene Seven

2.7.1Scene Seven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.8

Scene Eight

2.8.1Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.8.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Five-Eight
2.9

Scene Nine

2.9.1Scene Nine: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.10

Scene Ten

2.10.1Scene Ten: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.11

Scene Eleven

2.11.1Scene Eleven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.11.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Nine-Eleven
3

Character Profiles

3.1

Blanche DuBois & Stanley Kowalski

3.1.1Blanche DuBois - The Past & Illusions3.1.2Blanche DuBois - Relationship with Men & Breakdown3.1.3The Dynamic Between Blanche & Stanley3.1.4End of Topic Test - Blanche & Stanley
3.2

Stella Kowalski & Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.2.1Stella Kowalski3.2.2Harold Mitchell (Mitch)
3.3

Minor Characters

3.3.1The Hubbels & Other Characters3.3.2End of Topic Test - Stella, Mitch & Others
4

Key Ideas

4.1

Sex & Gender

4.1.1Sex & Desire4.1.2Masculinity & Femininity4.1.3End of Topic Test - Sex, Desire & Gender
4.2

Appearances, Fantasy & Reality

4.2.1Outer & Inner Appearances4.2.2Fantasy & Reality4.2.3End of Topic Test - Appearances, Fantasy...
5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure & Stage Design5.1.2Linking Devices5.1.3Recurring Motifs
5.2

Genre, Form & Language

5.2.1Genre5.2.2Form & Language5.2.3End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques
6

Critical Debates

6.1

Early & Modern Reception

6.1.1Interpreting Blanche & Self-Pity6.1.2Contemporary & Modern Reviews
6.2

Feminist, Psychoanalytic & Marxist Approach

6.2.1Feminist Approach6.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach6.2.3Marxist Approach6.2.4End of Topic Test - Critical Debates
7

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1.1Tragic Ideas & Villain7.1.2Tragic Structure & Language
8

Recap: Main Quotes

8.1

Main Quotes by Scene

8.1.1Scene One - Quotations8.1.2Scene Two - Quotations8.1.3Scene Three - Quotations8.1.4Scene Four - Quotations8.1.5Scene Five - Quotations8.1.6Scene Six - Quotations8.1.7Scene Seven - Quotations8.1.8Scene Eight - Quotations8.1.9Scene Nine - Quotations8.1.10Scene Ten - Quotations8.1.11Scene Eleven - Quotations

Practice questions on Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Which adjective is used to describe the birthday supper for Blanche?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Events of Scene Eight:Put in order
  3. 3
    Key events in Scene Eight:True / false
  4. 4
    Which biblical event does Blanche's birthday supper reference? Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What does the ongoing conflict between Blanche and Stanley foreshadow?Multiple choice
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Scene Seven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas

End of Topic Test - Scenes Five-Eight