Symbolism in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

During the late nineteen-forties, it was common for playwrights such

as Tennessee Williams to use symbolism as an approach to convey

personal thoughts, through the attitudes of the characters and the

setting. Williams' actors have used symbolism to disguise the

actuality of their thoughts and to accommodate the needs of their

conservative audience.

A Streetcar Named 'Desire' has a few complicated character traits and

themes. Therefore, they have to be symbolised using figures or images

to express abstract and mystical ideas, so that the viewers can remain

clueless. Williams not only depicts a clear personality of the actors

but he also includes real-life public opinions from the past (some of

which are contemporary.) These opinions were likely to raise

controversies on issues such as prejudice, social gender expectations

and men and women's roles in society.

There have been numerous occasions when symbolism has taken place in A

Streetcar Named 'Desire.' Firstly, Stanley is insulted several times

by Blanche (his sister-in-law) Stella (his beloved wife) and other

residents of the 'Quarter'.

For example, the term 'animal' has been constantly spoken of, to

define Stanley's malicious and ill-natured conduct. In scene four,

Blanche tries to persuade her younger sister to go elsewhere and leave

her husband. On page 163, she complains:

Blanche: He acts like an animal, has an animal's habits! Eats like

one, talks like one! There's even something - sub-human - something

not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something - ape-like

about him there he is - Stanley Kowalski - Bearing the raw meat

home from the kill in the jungle!

Furthermore, when the play begins, Stanley enters the ground-floor

apartm...

... middle of paper ...

... of the play,

Williams may be hinting that Blanche is gradually being ruined.

Perhaps her 'white radio' being tossed 'out of the window' tells us

that Stanley is already against Blanche and does not like the sound of

her being around.

I shall conclude this essay with a brief understanding of symbolism.

It is a very useful concept and often needed to give the audience a

few suggestions. Symbolism makes people think and broadens their mind

with varieties and ideas. In A Streetcar Named 'Desire', symbolism has

been significantly used to show the roles of men and women in society

and how they expect each other to be treated. It has disguised many

possible sexual scenes; therefore, Williams has succeeded in

transmitting some of his themes or ideas. Some of these are sexuality,

madness, jealousy, racism, cruelty, loyalty, gender relationships and

conflict.