7.1.2

Tragic Villain

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Presentation of the Tragic Villain - Stanley

Through a certain lens, Stanley can be seen as a tragic villain. Stanley works to uncover the truth about Blanche’s past – on the way, ruining her chances with Mitch.

Blanche's opponent

Blanche's opponent

Stanley is Blanche’s opponent. He is her opponent because he believes that she is lying to him and her sister, Stella.

Torn between love and hate

Torn between love and hate

Despite his hatred of Blanche, Stanley is also sexually attracted to her, which is purposeful on Williams’ part, showing that we can both love and hate at the same time.

The rape

The rape

The drama culminates in the revelations Stanley makes and his raping of Blanche.
The rape causes Blanche to descend into madness. Her end different from Classical or Shakespearean tragedies, where death marks the end of the tragedy.

1

Context & Overview

1.1

The Author

1.1.1Tennessee Williams

1.2

Social Context & Setting

1.2.1Social Context 1.2.2Social Issues 1.2.3Setting

1.3

Tragedy

1.3.1Overview of the Tragic Genre 1.3.2Modern Domestic Tragedy 1.3.3End of Topic Test - Author, Context & Tragedy

2

Scene Summaries

2.1

Scene One-Two

2.1.1Scene One: Summary 2.1.2Scene One: Tragedy Ideas 2.1.3Scene Two: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.1.4End of Topic Test - Scenes One-Two

2.2

Scene Three-Four

2.2.1Scene Three: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.2.2Scene Four: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.2.3End of Topic Test - Scenes Three & Four

2.3

Scenes Five-Eigth

2.3.1Scene Five: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.3.2Scene Six: Summary 2.3.3Scene Seven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.3.4Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.3.5End of Topic Test - Scenes Five-Eight

2.4

Scenes Nine-Eleven

2.4.1Scene Nine: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.4.2Scene Ten: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.4.3Scene Eleven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.4.4End of Topic Test - Scenes Nine-Eleven

3

Character Profiles

3.1

Blanche 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

3.2

Stella Kowalski & Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.2.1Stella Kowalski 3.2.2Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.3

Minor Characters

3.3.1The Hubbels 3.3.2Other Characters 3.3.3End of Topic Test - Stella, Mitch & Others

4

Key Ideas

4.1

Sex & Gender

4.1.1Sex & Desire 4.1.2Masculinity & Femininity 4.1.3End of Topic Test - Sex, Desire & Gender

4.2

Appearances, Fantasy & Reality

4.2.1Outer & Inner Appearances 4.2.2Fantasy & Reality 4.2.3End of Topic Test - Appearances, Fantasy...

5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure & Stage Design 5.1.2Linking Devices 5.1.3Recurring Motifs

5.2

Genre, Form & Language

5.2.1Genre 5.2.2Form & Language 5.2.3End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

6

Critical Debates

6.1

Early & Modern Reception

6.1.1Interpreting Blanche & Self-Pity 6.1.2Contemporary & Modern Reviews

6.2

Feminist, Psychoanalytic & Marxist Approach

6.2.1Feminist Approach 6.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach 6.2.3Marxist Approach 6.2.4End of Topic Test - Critical Debates

7

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1.1Tragic Ideas 7.1.2Tragic Villain 7.1.3Tragic Structure & Language 7.1.4Tragic Plots & Sub-Plots

8

Recap: Main Quotes

8.1

Main Quotes by Scene

8.1.1Scene One - Quotations 8.1.2Scene Two - Quotations 8.1.3Scene Three - Quotations 8.1.4Scene Four - Quotations 8.1.5Scene Five - Quotations 8.1.6Scene Six - Quotations 8.1.7Scene Seven - Quotations 8.1.8Scene Eight - Quotations 8.1.9Scene Nine - Quotations 8.1.10Scene Ten - Quotations 8.1.11Scene Eleven - Quotations

Jump to other topics

1

Context & Overview

1.1

The Author

1.1.1Tennessee Williams

1.2

Social Context & Setting

1.2.1Social Context 1.2.2Social Issues 1.2.3Setting

1.3

Tragedy

1.3.1Overview of the Tragic Genre 1.3.2Modern Domestic Tragedy 1.3.3End of Topic Test - Author, Context & Tragedy

2

Scene Summaries

2.1

Scene One-Two

2.1.1Scene One: Summary 2.1.2Scene One: Tragedy Ideas 2.1.3Scene Two: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.1.4End of Topic Test - Scenes One-Two

2.2

Scene Three-Four

2.2.1Scene Three: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.2.2Scene Four: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.2.3End of Topic Test - Scenes Three & Four

2.3

Scenes Five-Eigth

2.3.1Scene Five: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.3.2Scene Six: Summary 2.3.3Scene Seven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.3.4Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.3.5End of Topic Test - Scenes Five-Eight

2.4

Scenes Nine-Eleven

2.4.1Scene Nine: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.4.2Scene Ten: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.4.3Scene Eleven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas 2.4.4End of Topic Test - Scenes Nine-Eleven

3

Character Profiles

3.1

Blanche 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

3.2

Stella Kowalski & Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.2.1Stella Kowalski 3.2.2Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.3

Minor Characters

3.3.1The Hubbels 3.3.2Other Characters 3.3.3End of Topic Test - Stella, Mitch & Others

4

Key Ideas

4.1

Sex & Gender

4.1.1Sex & Desire 4.1.2Masculinity & Femininity 4.1.3End of Topic Test - Sex, Desire & Gender

4.2

Appearances, Fantasy & Reality

4.2.1Outer & Inner Appearances 4.2.2Fantasy & Reality 4.2.3End of Topic Test - Appearances, Fantasy...

5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure & Stage Design 5.1.2Linking Devices 5.1.3Recurring Motifs

5.2

Genre, Form & Language

5.2.1Genre 5.2.2Form & Language 5.2.3End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

6

Critical Debates

6.1

Early & Modern Reception

6.1.1Interpreting Blanche & Self-Pity 6.1.2Contemporary & Modern Reviews

6.2

Feminist, Psychoanalytic & Marxist Approach

6.2.1Feminist Approach 6.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach 6.2.3Marxist Approach 6.2.4End of Topic Test - Critical Debates

7

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1.1Tragic Ideas 7.1.2Tragic Villain 7.1.3Tragic Structure & Language 7.1.4Tragic Plots & Sub-Plots

8

Recap: Main Quotes

8.1

Main Quotes by Scene

8.1.1Scene One - Quotations 8.1.2Scene Two - Quotations 8.1.3Scene Three - Quotations 8.1.4Scene Four - Quotations 8.1.5Scene Five - Quotations 8.1.6Scene Six - Quotations 8.1.7Scene Seven - Quotations 8.1.8Scene Eight - Quotations 8.1.9Scene Nine - Quotations 8.1.10Scene Ten - Quotations 8.1.11Scene Eleven - Quotations

Practice questions on Tragic Villain

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

1
Why does Stanley make himself Blanche's opponent?Multiple choice
2
What makes Blanche's fate different from those of Classical or Shakespearean tragic heroes/heroines? Multiple choice
3
What does the drama of _A Streetcar Named Desire_ culminate in?Fill in the list

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Tragic Ideas

Tragic Structure & Language