An Analysis Of Blanche’s Tragic Fate In A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williams is well known as one of the most important dramatists in thetwentieth century America. During his thirty years of dramatic career, Williams has wonthe Pulitzer Prize twice and numerous other honors. A Streetcar Named Desire isregarded as Williams’s masterpiece and it has shocked the world and caused a lot ofarguments in the critics since it premiered at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in New York.Blanche Dubios, the heroine of the play, has been the focus of these controversialarguments.A large number of studies are centered on A Streetcar Named Desire abroad, but thestudies in China are quite limited. When it comes to the tragic fate of Blanche, the authorof thesis finds that most of the studies are too superficial, not objective andcomprehensive enough. This thesis centers on Blanche’s tragic fate and tries to dig outthe causes of Blanche’s tragic fate thoroughly. Meanwhile, the author of this thesis hopesthat modern people who are trapped in the similar situations can get some enlightenmentfrom this thesis.This thesis consists of an introduction, the main body and a conclusion. Its maincontents are as follows:The first part is introduction, which provides some fundamental information aboutTennessee Williams, the main plot of Streetcar, the current studies both at home andabroad, the viewpoint of this thesis and the great significance of this study.The second part is the main body, which is made up of three chapters:Chapter One discusses Blanche’s doomed tragedy. As a representative of the OldSouth, Blanche clings desperately on her aristocratic identity in order to reborn.Comparing with Stanley, the representative of the newly emergent working class, whatBlanche cherishes is old and out of date. When conflicting with Stanley, Blanche isdoomed to be a loser. Stanley finally rapes Blanche and destroys her both spiritually andphysically. The symbols that Williams uses in the play such as Blanche’s travel fromDesire to Cemeteries then to Elysian Fields, the moth imagery and the appearance of theMexican woman all indicate Blanche’s tragic fate. Meanwhile, this chapter also discussesBlanche’s revolt against her fate. Her fate bundles her just like a rope, but she neversurrenders toward her fate. Blanche insists on pursuing her ideals and pure love and finally she walks to the mental asylum without turning back.Chapter Two analyzes Blanche’s shattered inner world, namely the internal causesof Blanche’s tragedy. The internal cause is the driving force for the development ofthings, and it decides the the direction of the development of things.The author putsforward that Blanche’s tragedy mainly lies in her personal defects. Blanche is stuck indelimmas because of her mental disorders, split character as well as her confllict betweendesire and reality. In order to escape from the harsh reality, Blanche builds a beautifulworld of fantasy for herself. However, her world of fantasy is finally crushed by theharsh reality and she is doomed to be sent to the mentle asylum. Before coming to NewOrleans, Blanche has suffered the pain of losing her family members, beloved husbandand Belle Reve. All these painful experiences have driven Blanche on the verge of lunacy.Her mental health has already been in a shaky status and her delicate inner world hasbegun to shatter. Blanche is a very complicated person with split character, the reflectionof her inner struggle. Her split charater often drives her from one extrme to another. Inaddition, Blanche is tortured by the conflict between the desire and reality. She seperatesthe desire and reality unreasonably and creates a make-believe world for herself to escapefrom the harsh reality. However, the illusions are finally crushed by the cruel reality, andBlanche’s tragedy is inevitable.Chapter Three analyzes the broken outer world that Blanche lives in, namely theexternal causes of Blanche’s tragedy. Blanche is a victim of this broken world. Both thesouthern plantation and the industrial New Orleans belong to the broken world. Thesouthern background has a strong influence on Blanche’s life and she is trapped in the oldsouthern traditions and values. She does not know the law of the ruthless jungle in NewOrleans and can not adjust herself in the new environment. Besides, her relationshipswith other characters in the play also trigger her tragedy. Stanley is regarded as Blanche’sexecutioner, and he destructs Blanche both physically and spiritually. He regards Blancheas an intruder who threatens his dominant position and attacks her maliciously. He finallyrapes Blanche and sends her to the mental asylum, and thus he kicks Blanche out of histerritory forever. Stella always tries to protect Blanche from her husband’s destruction,but she lacks the ability to save Blanche because she lives on Stanley’s salary. She has nochioce but betrays her sister and goes on living with Stanley. Mitch is a fake gentleman who can not save Blanche either. His cruel refusal destroys Blanche’s dream to make anew life completely.The last part is conclusion, which makes a summary to the preceding critique, andpoints out the significance of this thesis. Blanche’s tragedy is doomed. Her personaldefects and the external environment determine her tragic fate. Blanche’s tragedy is not aunique one, instead, it reflects human beings’ predicament which universally exist inreality. In this modern society which changes at a very fast pace, if people choose to clingto the past and refuse to accept the reality, they will not survive in the realistic world.While confronting the predicaments which universally exist in the lives of human beings,people should abondon the old traditions and concepts, accept the changing and progressof the society, and never live in the world of fantasy. Anyone who denies to face thereality bravely will finally be denied by the reality. Besides, in the indifferent andalienated society, people should understand each other and stretch their helping hands.