A Streetcar Named Desire: Blanche

The page references are for my edition.  I have left them in so that you can perhaps find them rather more easily.

Epigraph: Hart Crane on love

Audience allegiance moves from Stanley to Blanche

Colour, images and Light:

Blanche’s name being Blanche ; 147 225 Miss Dubois; 117 Moth; 117 Delicate beauty to avoid strong light; 144 fresh as a daisy; 147 yellow streak of light; 150 paper lantern; 223 cries as if the lantern was herself; 177 lights candle; 182 blinding light of love; 184 searchlight turned off; 196 blue candles on white cake; 196 electric light see too plainly; 203 I don’t want realism; 119 122 whisky 117; 219 Della Robia blue of Madonna pictures

Life, Desire and Death:

117 longing for death; 162 brutal desire re Stella; 173 approaches the young man; 174 Mitch with roses; 177 couchez avec moi; 205 flowers for the dead; 206 death the opposite of desire;

Vulnerability:

118 Sleeps on folding bed; 169 wants protection; 198 people like you abused her; 205 a cleft in the world a little peace; 209 Shep Huntleigh; 217 mental institution mixed with Shep; 165 deplores the animal; 213 Stanley onto her from the start; 215 this date; 126 Belle Reve lost;

Lack of independence:

124 does not wish to be alone; wants Mitch; 217 refuge in art music & gallantry

125 grapples with superior force; 213 222 the jungle; 225 inhuman cries die out; kindness of strangers;

Music

130 183 Polka; 151 dances with romantic gestures; 198 199 218 Varsouviana; 222 Varsouviana distorted; 201 polka tune stopped 202 stops after the shot; 132 Bathing purification & song; 186 sings ballad in bathroom contrapuntally; 192 rested after hot bath; 207 not clean; 219 cathedral bells are clean; 220 buried in clean white sack;

Clothes:

133 Clothes; Dressing up box; 135 218 satin red robe; 208 soiled satin gown; 219 Della Robia blue of Madonna pictures;

Letters

139 Letters insulted; 139 burn them; 139 hurt him

Truth

167 Truths: The Flamingo; 204 Tarantula Arms; 184 Disgust

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