Death and desire

• The liebstod tradition - love death erotic union between lovers achieved through death. streetcars called desire and cemeteries explicitly link sex and death
• Elysian fields- represents the sheer interconnectedness of death and desire: greek mythology= resting place for the 'blessed dead' virtuous heroes. INESCAPABLE FATE destructive sexual passion
• For Stanley elysian fields serves as a sanctuary for his desires, pleasures and masculine dominion- bowling, playing poker and drinking. He can unapologetically satiate his desires
• Blanche's use of equivocious language exposes how difficult it is for her to speak the truth- 'belle reve' facade grandeur of family is fading
• Allan does exert HEGEMONIC masculinity through his homosexuality. Symbol of her traumatic past, his elimination from the play rooted in his outward defiance to social norms of heterosexuality and machistic exploitation.
• The rape scene: Use of expressionist techniques of color in 'lurid reflections' and 'red-letter nighty' foreshadows trauma. Contrast in clothing 'crumpled white gown' vs 'brilliant silk pjamas'
• Stanley's abuse of Stella in scene 3- 'wack of his hand on here thigh' onomateopaic 'wack' pornification of 'thigh' show machistic expoliation in sexual desire. OBJECTIFICATION
• Stella aroused by his bestial bruteness- twisted appreciation for violent demonstrations of masculinity. Stella's submission shows female entrapment
• Blanche's wish to be 'buried at sea sewn up in a clean white sack'