Sex & Desire

Sex and Desire

Desire is a central strand of the play. It is this strand that provides the title. Feelings of desire, sexual desire, thwarted desire and achieved desire are the driving force of the play.

Role of Blanche DuBois

The play is centred around Blanche DuBois, who is aware that she is subject to male desire.
Even though she is an older woman, she is still physically attractive.
From when we first meet her in the drama, she seems to be preoccupied with flirtation and being charming. She ignites a desire in men in ways that other women do not.

Stanley's desire for Blanche

Blanche's flirtatious ways ignite a sexual desire in Stanley - probably because his life with Stella has become hum-drum and uneventful.
Blanche is the 'exotic other' and for her to take notice of him means that he must respond in some way.
First of all, this comes out as hate, but later on, we discover that he desires her too.
Stanley smoothes over this flirtation to Stella, but the audience is always keenly aware of the brutal desire between them.

Mitch and Blanche's desires

When Blanche meets Mitch, he desires to be with her.
Blanche seems different from all the other women he has encountered.
In the end, however, it turns out that Blanche’s need for Mitch was on a more emotional level than a sexual one.
Mitch still has a sexual desire for her, even though he realises that he cannot marry her. His emotional desire and physical desire for her remain latent until the end of the play when he lashes out at Stanley for causing him to dump her.

Blanche's first husband

Blanche’s first husband was, in fact, homosexual.
His lack of desire for her seems to have caused her to think that she has lost her desirability.
Finding this again gives her a reason to live and is the reason why she then has sex with multiple other men.
The Young Man who is out collecting perhaps reminds Blanche of her young husband and she hopes that he will not be homosexual in the same way that her husband was. She imposes her sexuality upon him, which scares him away.

Sex and Desire

Desire is a central strand of the play. It is this strand that provides the title. Feelings of desire, sexual desire, thwarted desire and achieved desire are the driving force of the play.

Blanche's clothing

Blanche manages to create sexual desires in men through her bathing and her flirtation but also through her satin and silk clothing.
This flowing clothing calls attention to her femininity and body.

Stanley and Stella's desire

Stella's desire for Stanley is much more traditional. Stanley’s desire for her is not as overt, but it must have been there because they are having a baby together.
Here, Stanley is conflicted because his desire for Stella is for domesticity, stability and motherhood; very different to the kind of glamorous desire offered by Blanche.

Punishments

It's significant that while Blanche is punished for her desire, Stanley is not.
Stella continues to be his wife, without question.
Men are violent towards women and this violence ultimately goes unpunished.
Sexual desire brings about Blanche's downfall – with her husband, the student at Laurel and with Stanley.
Eventually, she is completely removed from society – seemingly for her desire.

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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