A Streetcar Named Desire - Lecture Notes

Overview

Blanche DuBois: A fragile and destitute woman who moves in with her sister after losing the family estate.
Stella Kowalski: Blanche's younger sister, married to Stanley.
Stanley Kowalski: Stella's husband, characterized as loud, rough, and hedonistic.
Harold "Mitch" Mitchell: Stanley's poker buddy, becomes romantically interested in Blanche.

Blanche arrives in New Orleans after the loss of her family home.
She stays with her sister Stella and brother-in-law Stanley.
Tensions arise between Blanche and Stanley due to their contrasting personalities and suspicions.
Blanche’s past, including her young husband’s suicide, is revealed.
Blanche develops a relationship with Mitch, who shows empathy towards her.
Stanley discovers the truth about Blanche's past and sabotages her romance with Mitch.
Blanche spirals into fantasy and mental instability.
The play concludes with Blanche being taken to a mental institution.

Reality vs. Illusion: Blanche often retreats into fantasy to escape harsh realities.
Desire and Destruction: Characters' desires lead to personal and relational destruction.
Madness: Blanche's mental decline is a central focus.
Class and Social Status: Tensions between Old Southern gentility and New American pragmatism.

Original Broadway Production: Directed by Elia Kazan, featured Jessica Tandy, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden.
1951 Film Adaptation: Directed by Elia Kazan, starring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando.
Various Revivals: Numerous revivals in London and Broadway, featuring prominent actors like Alec Baldwin, Jessica Lange, and Gillian Anderson.

Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1948): Won by Tennessee Williams.
1951 Film: Won four Academy Awards.
Opera (1995): Adapted by André Previn.
Ballet Productions: Several notable adaptations, indicating the play's enduring impact.

The play's exploration of complex themes has influenced various forms of media and inspired adaptations across the globe. It remains one of Tennessee Williams' most popular and critical works, continuing to resonate with audiences today.

The title "A Streetcar Named Desire" refers to a real streetcar line in New Orleans, symbolizing the journey and ultimate downfall of the main character, Blanche.
Williams' life and personal experiences deeply informed the play's characters and themes.