ASND Context
- Created by: ruksana6795
- Created on: 30-01-20 11:44
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- Tenesse Williams
- ASND: Context
- New Orleans and the Deep South
- Still remained heavily racist and resisted change even after war.
- Those prejudiced beliefs are evident in the character of Blanche who repeatedly refers to Stanley as a 'Polack'
- Civil war between North and South States of USA
- North won the war in 1965
- Stanley (opposing to Blanche) represents this new, modern America.
- Everyday American, a hard working and self made man in pursuit of the American Dream.
- Stanley (opposing to Blanche) represents this new, modern America.
- Due to issues of slavery in the south.
- South heavily depended on agricultural work carried out by slave labour.
- North won the war in 1965
- Southern Belle
- Stock Character created in period before civil war.
- Depicted as a young, beautiful woman part of the upper class in the deep south
- Southern Hospitality- flirtatious yet chaste demeanour
- Blanche's character captures these traits perfectly
- Still remained heavily racist and resisted change even after war.
- Genres
- Southern Gothic
- Damage, delusional characters
- Takes Gothic archetype characters and portrays them in a realistic, modern manner
- Often has a self righteous, bigoted character that has enough good traits for reader to still empathise with them.
- Character is often rejected by society due to to unusual traits or scandalous rumors about them
- Blanche fits into this as the mentally unstable women in society and rumors of her sordid nature.
- Deals with those who are ostracized by traditional southern culture
- Deals with those who are ostracized by traditional southern culture
- Blanche fits into this as the mentally unstable women in society and rumors of her sordid nature.
- Could fit in with Stanley whom is quite arrogant yet due to his working class background and perhaps even his looks may gain him some appreciation from the audience.
- Character is often rejected by society due to to unusual traits or scandalous rumors about them
- Modern Tragedy
- Unity of place and action- takes place across one location (Elysian fields) and one main plot.
- Southern Gothic
- Plastic theater
- Use of props, noises, stage direct to convey a blatant parallel with characters' state of mind.
- ASND one of the earliest and most famous plays of such.
- Varsouviana Polka- music only heard by Blanche. Reflects her psychology
- Locomotives- Stanley associated with the sound of the train- modern, impressive, raw
- Could also be seen as Blanche's desire to escape.
- Light represents truth and fittingly Blanche avoids the light to prevent her lies coming to the surface
- Blanche's Bathing is a reoccurring motif throughout the play coneys how she will never be able to clean herself from the past.
- New Orleans and the Deep South
- Born 1911- Died 1983
- Alcoholic and abusive Father
- Abusive relationship with Will's Mother
- Reflected in couples in the play
- Neglected his role as father
- Loathed his father but grew to appreciate the tough,survival instincts he gave him
- Reflected in Stanley
- Abusive relationship with Will's Mother
- Mental health
- His sister Rose, whom he was very close to, was mentally ill and her institutionalisation deeply affected Will.
- Will's guilt reflected in Stella's guilt for sending Blanche off to asylum.
- Will himself had mental health issues especially after Frank died.
- Link to Blanche's spiral into poor mental health began with the death of her Husband
- His sister Rose, whom he was very close to, was mentally ill and her institutionalisation deeply affected Will.
- Homosexuality
- He was homosexual at a time where not only was it widely unaccepted but considered a mental illness
- Mental health
- His sister Rose, whom he was very close to, was mentally ill and her institutionalisation deeply affected Will.
- Will's guilt reflected in Stella's guilt for sending Blanche off to asylum.
- Will himself had mental health issues especially after Frank died.
- Link to Blanche's spiral into poor mental health began with the death of her Husband
- His sister Rose, whom he was very close to, was mentally ill and her institutionalisation deeply affected Will.
- Mental health
- William's himself never fully came to terms with his own sexuality.
- Inner conflict between his morality and sexuality
- He was never openly nor flaunted being gay- repressed this part of himself
- Although Will never openly discussed issues surrounding being gay at the forefront of his plays, there is often a sense of condemnation regarding it.
- 'I am not about to limit myself to writing about gay people'- quoted from William himself.
- Allan Grey in ASND- suicide
- Brick and Skipper(dead) in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- Had a 14-yr long relationship with Frank Merlo
- He died of lung cancer, leaving Will depressed and an addict.
- He was homosexual at a time where not only was it widely unaccepted but considered a mental illness
- ASND: Context
- Due to issues of slavery in the south.
- South heavily depended on agricultural work carried out by slave labour.
- Tragic Hero
- Anagnorisis- Blanche's ****
- Peripetia- When Blanche reveals the truth about her past to Mitch.
- Modern Tragedy
- Unity of place and action- takes place across one location (Elysian fields) and one main plot.
- Harmatia: Blanche's fantasies and escapism from reality prevents her from moving forward.
- Catharsis: There isn't any in the play otherwise quite a tragic and none resolving end to the play.
- Only relief comes from dissipation of sexual tension between Stanley and Blanche that has been building from the beginning of the play.
- ASND's cyclical nature prevent characters and audience from gaining true sense of catharsis as character's do not learn from mistakes.
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