Key Quotes

• 'There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her white clothes, that suggests a moth.'

  Stage directions, Scene 1: suggests Blanche's sensitivity and fragile nature, in comparison to how Stanley is presented when he first appears. Williams' initial title for ASND had been 'The Moth'
• 'They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at - Elysian Fields!'

  Blanche, Scene 1: foreshadows the plot of the play - desire leads to death, and Elysian Fields is a reference to the Ancient Greek form of heaven. The use of this place name makes death and desire inextricably linked
• 'And turn that light off! Turn that off! I won't be looked at in this merciless glare!'

  Blanche, Scene 1: quickly highlights Blanche's vanity and concerns over her physical appearance
• 'Only Poe! Only Mr Edgar Allan Poe! - could do it justice!'

  Blanche, Scene 1: references Poe's poem Ulalume, highlighting just how dark and decrepit Blanche finds the Kowalski's apartment. This quote also shows Blanche's high level of education, as well as her possible dark mental state being reflected in Ulalume's themes
• 'No, one's my limit'

  Blanche, Scene 1: Blanche lies right to Stella's face, and hides the fact that she is having to drink to cope
• 'Stanley is Polish, you know' 'Oh, yes. They're something like Irish, aren't they?' 'Well-' 'Only not so - highbrow'

  Stella and Blanche, Scene 1: the sisters' high level of education is reinforced, but through damaging racial stereotypes that will fuel Stanley's frustration. Shows the class snobbery of the Old South
• 'I stayed and fought for it, bled for it, almost died for it!'

  Blanche, Scene 1: shows Blanche's self-pitying nature - the triplet makes her sound reproachful and manipulative of Stella's feelings. Could also suggest Blanche's guilt at putting in all this effort but still losing Belle Reve
• 'He sizes women up at a glance, with sexual classifications, crude images flashing into his mind and determining the way he smiles at them.'

  Stage directions, Scene 1: shows the animalistic nature of Stanley, and potentially foreshadows his tensions with and rape of Blanche
• 'Have a shot?' 'No, I - rarely touch it.' 'Some people rarely touch it, but it touches them often.'

  Stanley and Blanche, Scene 1: Stanley is immediately able to determine that Blanche is lying to him, and seems to see through her in a way that Stella doesn't
• 'My clothes're stickin' to me. Do you mind if I make myself comfortable?'

  Stanley, Scene 1: immediately asserts his dominance over Blanche, and seems as though he is marking his territory
• 'How about my supper, huh? I'm not going to no Galatoires' for supper!'

  Stanley, Scene 2: controlling of Stella and appears upset that she won't be around to cater to him, despite the fact that its his poker night and his friends are taking over their apartment
• 'Have you ever heard of the Napoleonic code?'

  Stanley, Scene 2: Stanley feels as though he has been swindled out of Belle Reve, furthering his annoyance with Blanche
• 'Since when do you give me orders?'

  Stanley, Scene 2: Stanley can't tolerate being challenged, and this quote suggests that he is the one who is used to giving orders
• 'Now that you've touched them I'll burn them!'

  Blanche, Scene 2: feels as though her privacy and past have been tainted by Stanley's touch
• '...our improvident grandfathers and fathers and uncles and brothers exchanged the land for their epic fornications'

  Blanche, Scene 2: all the blame for the loss of Belle Reve goes to the men of the DuBois family, leaving out Blanche's own role - blames the relatives' hedonism to create drama
• 'Please don't get up.' 'Nobody's going to get up, so don't be worried.'

  Blanche and Stanley, Scene 3: shows the tensions between them, even in front of Stella and Stanley's friends, also highlighting the class and etiquette differences between them
• 'Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh.'

  Stage directions, Scene 3: shows Stanley's aggression towards Stella, in an environment where it is entirely excused
• 'It makes me so mad when he does that in front of people.'

  Stella, Scene 3: suggests that Stella is subjugated by Stanley, although she doesn't really berate him for his actions. This quote also suggests that he is violent towards her publicly and privately
• 'Why, that's my favourite sonnet by Mrs Browning!'

  Blanche, Scene 3: reinforces her higher level of education
• 'I'm not accustomed to having more than one drink. Two is the limit - and three! Tonight I had three.'

  Blanche, Scene 3: shows her over-compensation and ability to lie to maintain a facade
• 'I call her little in spite of the fact she's somewhat older than I.'

  Blanche, Scene 3: lies about her age in order to appease her vanity and have a better chance with Mitch
• 'Poker should not be played in a house with women.'

  Mitch, Scene 3: almost excuses Stanley's violent behaviour and makes it seem as though it's the women's fault
• 'You whelp of a Polack, you! I hope they do haul you in and turn the fire hose on you, same as the last time!'

  Eunice, Scene 3: implies that Stanley's violence against Stella is consistent
• 'Her eyes and lips have that almost narcotised tranquility that is in the faces of Eastern idols.'

  Stage directions, Scene 4: suggests that Stella is sexually satisfied by Stanley and is in a state of almost drug-induced bliss
• '...this morning he gave me ten dollars to smooth things over.'

  Stella, Scene 4: not only is Stanley financially controlling, he thinks that giving Stella money will make up for his violence against her
• 'A man like that is someone to go out with - once - twice - three times when the devil is in you. But live with! Have a child by?'

  Blanche, Scene 4: Stanley is clearly very different to the men Stella and Blanche interacted with growing up, and Blanche sees Stanley for exactly what he is
• 'Stella has embraced him with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche. He laughs and clasps her head to him. Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche.'

  Stage directions, Scene 4: shows Stanley's animalistic nature and the threat he poses to Blanche
• 'What's Virgo?' 'Virgo is the Virgin.'

  Stanley and Blanche, Scene 5: this is ironic to Stanley and the audience, as they know that Blanche isn't a virgin
• 'Run along now! It would be nice to keep you, but I've got to be good and keep my hands off children.'

  Blanche, Scene 5: foreshadows the reason she was fired from her teaching position and shows her desire to be young and beautiful
• 'Is that streetcar named Desire still grinding along the tracks at this hour?'

  Blanche, Scene 6: being suggestive towards Mitch, perhaps revealing something about her past and her true self
• 'I guess that it is just that I have - old-fashioned ideals!'

  Blanche, Scene 6: continued irony, as the audience knows that this isn't true
• '...perhaps in some perverse kind of way he - No! To think of it makes me...'

  Blanche, Scene 6: recognises Stanley's magnetism
• '...unable to stop myself - I'd suddenly said - 'I know! I know! You disgust me...''

  Blanche, Scene Six: highlights Blanche's guilt and role in her husband's death
• 'Sometimes - there's God - so quickly!'

  Blanche, Scene Six: presents Mitch as Blanche's saviour
• ''Say it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea - But it wouldn't be make-believe If you believed in me!''

  Blanche, Scene Seven: shows Blanche's reliance on fantasy and outlook on life
• 'They kicked her out of that high school before the spring term ended - and I hate to tell you the reason that step was taken! A seventeen-year-old boy - she'd gotten mixed up with!'


  Blanche, Scene Seven: reveals that Blanche isn't as high-strung as she attempts to portray, and shows that she has ended up in the situation she has because of her own actions
• 'Just to make sure I bought her ticket myself. A bus ticket!'

  Stanley, Scene Seven: shows his determination to get Blanche off his territory
• 'Don't ever talk that way to me! 'Pig - Polack - disgusting - vulgar - greasy!' - them kind of words have been on your tongue and your sister's too much around here!'

  Stanley, Scene Eight: shows the impact of Blanche's presence and taunting on Stanley, as well as reinforcing his violent and explosive nature
• 'Remember what Huey Long said - 'Every Man is a King!' And I am the King around here'

  Stanley, Scene Eight: highlights Stanley's knowledge and understanding of lower class culture, and his belief in the power of men over women
• 'But what I am is one hundred per cent American, born and raised in the greatest country on earth and proud as hell of it, so don't ever call me a Polack.'

  Stanley, Scene Eight: shows Blanche and Stella's backwards racial stereotypes and the extent to which they offend Stanley, fuelling his determination to get rid of Blanche