Blanche

• Blanche Analysis


  • At the start Blanche is a fallen woman in society's eyes. Her family fortune is lost, and her husband committed suicide.
  • Southern Belle who desperately clings onto the persona of vulnerability, femininity and innocence. She panics about her deteriorating beauty.
  • Clothes present her as wealthy and sophisticated.
  • Hides from the light throughout the play to avoid her façade being discovered.
  • Depends on male validation to maintain her sense of self esteem.
• "daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace, and ear-rings of pearl, white gloves."


  • "white" outfit conveys purity and innocence.
  • Formal attire suggests wealth and high social status.
  • "pearl" is expensive, shows off assets.
  • Overall extravagant appearance contrasts the decayed, rundown New Orleans. Clearly an outsider.
  • "daintily" suggests carefully crafted appearance of a delicate Southern Belle. Blanche does this to appear attractive for male validation.
• "her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light."


  • Blanche remains in the shadows/semi-darkness, avoiding the "light." Prevents her façade from being revealed.
  • "delicate" may refer to her fake persona of purity and innocence, which is fragile and foreshadows future discovery.
  • Blanche's avoidance of light may also be fear of aging or tanning to remain pale, keeping up with beauty standards of the Old South.
• "Something about her uncertain manner, as well as her white clothes, that suggests a moth."


  • Blanche is uncomfortable and "uncertain" in this new, cosmopolitan environment.
  • "moth" attracted to light AKA Stella which means star or guiding light. After losing Belle Reve and the family fortune, Blanche goes to Stella.
  • This idea contrasts to Blanche's avoidance of light on stage.
• "her legs pressed together and her hands tightly clutching her purse as if she were quite cold."

  • Body language reflects feelings of uncomfortableness and anxiety. Although she knows it is her sister's apartment, she still feels out of place.
  • Blanche closes in on herself "tightly" and "pressed together" to try and close herself off from the New South, as she clings to desperately to the values of the Old South she grew up with at Belle Reve.
• "She springs up and crosses to it, and removes a whiskey bottle."


  • Verb "springs" contrasts Blanche's previous anxious behaviour and body language which immediately shifts once she sees the "whiskey bottle."
  • Blanche uses alcohol as a coping mechanism.
• "Turn that over-light off! Turn that off!"

  • Imperative verbs suggest a power dynamic between Blanche and Stella, in which Blanche needs a sense of control.
  • Repetition and exclamations illustrate a sense of desperation as Blanche doesn't want her façade to be revealed.
  • Avoids light on stage throughout the play.
• "This has got nothing to do with New Orleans."


  • Blanche desperately tries to hold on to the values of the Old South, while Stella has moved on and created a new identity for herself in a diverse, cosmopolitan community of New Orleans.
  • Blanche is upset with Stella rejecting the values of the Old South which they grew up with.
  • She focuses on the roughness and poverty of the area, whereas Stella sees it in a much broader sense - a diverse community.
• "I, I, I took the blows in my face and my body!"

  • Repetition suggests panic, presenting Blanche as a victim.
  • Exclamations highlight her sense of despair.
  • Hyperbole shows the extent of Blanche's suffering after the deaths of her family members.
  • Personification reflects the "blows" as representations of the deaths rather than physical pain (trauma).
  • Repetition of "my" shows how alone she felt.
• "The Grim Reaper had put up his tent on our doorstep. Belle Reve was his headquarters!"


  • Metaphor of the "Grim Reaper" suggests people kept dying at the plantation, death lingered at Belle Reve.
  • Imagery of camping and work-places conveys the endless suffering Blanche has to endure.
  • Exclamations show despair, anger, pain.
• "Where were you. In bed with your - Polak!"


  • Uses derogatory term for Polish people against Stanley. Conveys her anger at Stella for leaving her all alone at Belle Reve.
  • Blanche may be angry at Stella for leaving and marrying a man which she thought was below her - a foreigner.
  • Blanche uses the term to place herself in a position of superiority.
• "Would you think it was possible that I was once considered to be - attractive?"

  • Blanche flirts with Stanley while Stella is outside. She fishes for a compliment as she seeks male validation to maintain her sense of self-worth and self-esteem.
  • Blanche does not know how to communicate with men other than by using flirtation and seduction. She presents her sexuality to men as a way to control the situation.
  • Shows extent of Blanche's promiscuity as she flirts with her sister's husband.
• "These are love letters, yellowing with antiquity."


  • "yellowing" suggests they are old with time.
  • "antiquity" suggests high value. They hold a lot of sentimental value for Blanche so she has kept them for years.
• "Poems a dead boy wrote."


  • Refers to her ex-husband as a "boy" which highlights the fact that he died young. Blanche will always see him as young and vulnerable.
• "One that's been picked a few days."

  • Blanche says this after Stella reassures her about her appearance.
  • Internalised insecurity as Blanche believes her beauty is deteriorating and fears she won't be seen as an object of attraction for men anymore.
• "I think I will bathe."

  • Blanche does this every time she feels anxious or overwhelmed, and bathes to soothe her nerves.
  • Bathing may also refer to her keeping up with Southern beauty values.
• "Big, beefy things."


  • Blanche says this about other women/wives while joking around with Stella.
  • "Big" and "beefy" were adjectives used for the traditional masculine man, suggests Blanche judges these women, saying they aren't feminine or attractive.
  • Judgemental attitude shows Blanche's insecurities, she brings others down to lift her sense of self-esteem up. Link to her mean comments about Stella's appearance upon arrival.
• "I'll show you a shuperficial - Listen to me! My tongue is a little - thick! You boys are responsible for it."


  • "shuperficial" indicates how Blanche says this on-stage. She slurs her words and pauses because she is drunk (or acts drunk to show she has a low alcohol tolerance, as if she doesn't drink a lot).
  • "I'm not accustomed to having more than one drink."
  • Blanche blames the men as she is unable to take responsibility for her alcoholism.
• "We are French by extraction. Our first American ancestors were French Huguenots."


  • Blanche lies about her heritage and the origins of her name to appear more attractive to Mitch.
  • States her name is of French origin as France was known for its sophistication and wealth.
• "I call her little in spite of the fact she's somewhat older than I."


  • Blanche lies about her age to Mitch and states Stella is older than her. She may do this to appear more attractive and desirable as youth is linked to appealing qualities.
• "I can't stand a naked light-bulb."


  • Repeated avoidance of light, links to Blanche hiding her façade.
  • "naked" may have connotations of it being unfinished and cheap, which is what Blanche does not want to present herself as.
• "that's from my favourite sonnet by Mrs Browning!"


  • Shows off literature knowledge and bonds with Mitch on similar interests.
  • Literature knowledge may link to sophistication.
• "[Blanche waltzes to the music with romantic gestures.]"


  • "waltzes" shows she knows how to dance well, suggests she is knowledgeable and sophisticated.
  • "romantic gestures" links to Blanche's tendency to control the situation with flirtation and seduction when men are involved.
• "I'm not properly dressed."

  • Blanche thinks she needs proper dressing for a casual activity such as smoking with Mitch.
  • She tries to maintain her Southern values and sophistication.
  • Blanche ignores the culture of New Orleans, and draws her attention to the "pretty silver case" instead.
• "I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I can't be alone! Because - as you must have noticed - I'm - not very well..."

  • Blanche explains to Stella that she can't stay in a hotel because she can't bear being alone.
  • After this the audience understand that most of Blanche's actions are due to her extreme loneliness.
  • Links to Blanche's attraction towards Mitch, which is mainly motivated by the desire to not be alone.
• "What you are talking about is brutal desire - just - Desire! - the name of that rattle-trap streetcar."


  • Oxymoron of "brutal desire", which is normally positive.
• "Virgo is the Virgin."


  • Links to Blanche's façade of an innocent, pure, and delicate Southern Belle. She does this to appear "prim and proper" and desirable and attractive to men.
  • "Virgin" is what she portrays, suggests she doesn't know promiscuity and sexual 'deviancy.'
• "The odour of cheap perfume is penetrating."

  • Links to previous quote which judges Stanley for his lack of sophistication and being unable to enjoy expensive "jasmine" perfume.
  • "cheap" suggests that Blanche would never go near such an establishment like the hotel Flamingo, due to her high class, wealth, and sense of superiority.
• "I'm afraid he does have me mixed up with this "other party." The Hotel Flamingo is not the sort of establishment I would dare to be seen in."


  • Blanche denies any connection with Hotel Flamingo and a man named Shaw from Laurel.
  • This lie is the first of a series about Blanche's past. Foreshadows more truths coming to light.
  • The Hotel Flamingo becomes a symbol of promiscuity that Blanche left behind, and her struggles to come to terms with her past.
• "Have got to be seductive - put on soft colours, the colours of butterfly wings, and glow - make a little - temporary magic."


  • Blanche expresses her struggles with her deteriorating beauty and need for male validation.
  • She feels a need to be "seductive" and flirtatious due to the lack of control she has in every element of her life. She feels a sense of security by controlling men with her sexuality.
  • "soft colours" emphasise her need to be perceived as delicate and desirable, innocent and youthful like a "butterfly."
  • "magic" may reflect Blanche's inability to tell reality from fantasy.
• "The soft people have got to - shimmer and glow - put a - paper lantern over the light... But I'm scared."


  • Repetition of "soft" emphasises her need to be delicate and desirable.
  • "shimmer and glow" highlights Blanche's desire to seem attractive to men, to catch their attention.
  • Repeated motif of light and Blanche's avoidance of it, desperately upholds the façade she portrays.
  • Blanche reveals her true emotions to Stella, she's "scared" of being alone and her deteriorating mental state.
• "You've got to be soft and attractive. And I - I'm fading now!"


  • Punctuation shows scattered speech, nerves, and a stream of consciousness being revealed to Stella.
  • Repeated ideas of the need to be beautiful and desirable.
  • "fading" refers to Blanche's supposed deteriorating beauty and attractiveness, she fears that she loses desirability from men after she ages and is no longer youthful.
• "[It foams over and spills. Blanche gives a piercing cry.]"


  • Blanche's drink spills and almost stains her white dress. Reflects her Southern Bella façade being tainted, as the colour "white" is easily stained.
  • The spill is a visual reminder for Blanche that she cannot present herself as pure and innocent forever.
  • "piercing cry" conveys imagery of pain, as if this physically hurts Blanche. Shows the importance of Blanche's persona, and her poor mental state as she very quickly overreacts.
• "I want to rest! I want to breathe quietly again! Yes - I want Mitch... very badly!"


  • Repeated demands suggest a sense of desperation.
  • The idea of "resting" and being able to "breathe" suggests security and happiness. This reflects the traditional expectations placed on women to get marriage, which was said to be their only hope for fulfilment.
  • Blanche expresses her desire for Mitch to marry her, to comply to these expectations and live her life of fantasy. She states she "wants Mitch" but she just wants the security of marriage, with Mitch being her most convenient and accessible option.
• "Come here! Come on over here like I told you! I want to kiss you - just once - softly and sweetly on your mouth."

  • Imperative verbs show Blanche's desire and need for control, due to the lack of control she holds over her life. As the man is young, she feels superior to him.
  • Blanche makes sexual advances towards the young man as a form of self-validation, she wants to convince herself that she is still attractive, desirable, and youthful by kissing this seventeen year old boy.
• "I've got to be good and keep my hands off children."

  • This seemingly humorous statement from Blanche contrasts to her previous emotional conversation with Stella. Once she sees the young man she becomes flirtatious and up-beat.
  • Clearly mentally unstable.
• "Look who's coming! My Rosenkavalier! Bow to me first! Now present them."


  • "Rosenkavalier" referencing German opera. Blanche does this to appear intellectual and sophisticated to Mitch.
  • Imperative verbs show Blanche's desire for control, which Mitch gives into.
  • Blanche's kiss with the young man seconds before Mitch's arrival is a risk for Blanche, which could have completely sabotaged their relationship and her chances of marriage with him.
• "[The utter exhaustion which only a neurasthenic personality can know is evident in Blanche's voice and manner.]"


  • "neurasthenic personality" meaning she suddenly gets tired very easily, also known as a 'weakness of the nerves.'
  • Blanche clearly maintains a façade with Mitch to present herself as desirable to him, and to ensure he views her as attractive.
  • Shows they are not compatible, foreshadows the end of their relationship.
• "It was like you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow."

  • Blanche refers to Allan Gray as this "blinding light" who she fell in love with at 16 years old.
  • Allan's death snuffed out the light in Blanche's life and started her mental decline due to the traumatic events she went through.
• "Never for one moment since has there been any light that's stronger than this - kitchen - candle."

  • Mitch is metaphorically the "dim light" of the candle. He cannot offer her the "blinding light" that Allan gave her, and this "dim light is also a reminder of what could've been between Blanche and Allan.
  • Suggests Blanche is willing to settle for a subdued version of happiness.
  • The pauses show Blanche's emotional state as she reveals events from her past which she would like to escape from.
  • The setting of 2am in this scene of darkness reflects Blanche's hopeless situation.