By Khadija Rida
If you have the time to read a legendary play this month, then you should read A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, originally published on December 3, 1947.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama is now considered one of the classics of American literature. But before getting into the story, it is important to know the author’s personal history as well, to better understand the symbolism he weaves into this work of fiction.
Thomas Lanier Williams III, also known by his pen name “Tennessee” Williams, was born on March 26, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi. He was an American playwright. He moved to New Orleans after college, which was the city that helped inspire the majority of his works (such as this one). His plays were considered controversial because he often addressed “taboo” topics in realistic ways. He abused pills and alcohol, was homosexual, and also suffered from mental illness. He died in 1983.
In A Streetcar Named Desire the decaying southern belle Blanche Dubois, who is delusional and in denial about her situation, shows up in New Orleans and moves in with her sister Stella Kowalski and her sister’s husband Stanley Kowalski’s in their humble little flat. Throughout the book the themes of controversial topics such as gender roles, sexual desires, and love is presented throughout the play.
The story centers around the tension between Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski. Blanche Dubois comes from a higher economic class, and despite having skeletons in her closet, she portrays herself as the finest woman of the century with ideal feminine qualities. On the other hand, Stanley Kowalski comes from a lower class, and embodies raw masculinity and sexual desire. The tension between them starts when Blanche’s delusional thoughts clash with Stanley’s sense of realism and truth. As the story continues, more secrets come to light and may trigger strong emotions from readers when the reactions and actions of these characters are not what you might have expected from them.
This dramatic script—which became a Broadway hit, and later a critically acclaimed movie—deserves your attention if you happen to stumble upon it, or just want to read it. This is because all the plot twists and volatile emotions it contains leave a very deep impression in readers’ hearts.