Streetcar stage directions

• ‘the atmosphere of decay’ 


  What this area of New Orleans feels like
• ‘the centre of his life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it’ 


  Early description of Stanley - outlines his character
• ‘of a background obviously quite different from her husbands‘


  Stanley as a lower class, immigrant compared to Stella
• ‘Her appearance is incongruous to this setting’ 


  Blanche is out of place as a faded southern belle
• ‘Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light’ 


  first example of the light motif
• ‘Her uncertain manner, her white clothes, suggests a moth’


  Blanche as a moth - attracted to danger and causes decay
• ‘Blanche utters a sharp, frightened cry and shrinks away’ 


  Described as a timid and fragile person
• ‘He stalks into the bedroom’ 


  Example of Stanley‘s animalistic traits
• ‘He crosses through the drapes with a smouldering look’ 


  Display of his dominant masculinity
• ‘Stella returns the embrace with a convulsive sob’


  Shown as emotional
• ‘The poker players wear coloured shirts, solid blues, a red-and-white check’ 


  The men in primary colours - just as Blanche likes
• ‘They are men at the peak of their manhood’ 


  Dominance of masculinity in the Dubois-Kowalski household
• ‘Blanche looks after him with a certain interest’ 


  Blanche is always looking for a man to suit herself with
• ‘Stanley stalks fiercely through the portiers into the bedroom‘ 


  Display of his animalistic masculinity
• ‘He throws his head back like a baying hound and bellows his wife’s name’ 


  A display of Stanley’s more vulnerable and emotional side
• ‘Her eyes glistening with tears’ 


  Stella as an emotional person
• ‘Her eyes go blind with tenderness as she catches his head‘


  Stella’s forgiving nature and sexual desire are revealed
• ‘Mitch is delighted and moves in with awkward imitation like a dancing bear’ - scene 3


  Presented to be the opposite of Stanley, shy and approachable
• ‘Her eyes and lips have that almost narcotised tranquility‘ 


  Stella and Stanley’s arguments are only resolved through sex
• ‘Stella has embraced him with both arms fiercely‘ 


  Same descriptive language as Stanley - shows his influence on her
• ‘Stanley hesitates, licking his lips. Then he turns stealthily‘

  Predatory and animalistic language
• ‘Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche’


  Signalling his importance to Stella over Blanche
• 'Stella accepts the child, sobbingly'


  choosing her new family over her Blanche
• 'he places his hand on her waist and tries to turn her about' - Mitch


  Mitch's change in character - aggressive to Blanche, like Stanley