A Streetcar Named Desire
(Tennessee Williams)

A Streetcar Named Desire is an eleven-scene play that documents the interactions between Blanche DuBois, her sister Stella, and Stella’s husband Stanley Kowalski. The play begins one evening in May when Blanche arrives at Stella’s home in New Orleans for an unexpected visit. The differences between Blanche and the residents of Elysian Fields are evident immediately: Blanche was raised in a large Southern plantation with many luxuries, while the local neighbors come from much simpler upbringings. Blanche and Stella are happy to be reunited, but the real reason for Blanche’s visit is soon revealed: she has lost their family plantation Belle Reve to foreclosure because of all the debt she incurred from various funeral expenses.

Stella’s husband Stanley, a working class man of Polish descent, does not like or trust Blanche at all. He accuses Blanche of selling Belle Reve to pay for expensive clothing but is proved wrong when Blanche hands over legal documents for him to inspect. That evening Stella takes Blanche out on the town while Stanley hosts a poker party at the home. When Blanche and Stella return, the party is still going on. Blanche meets one of Stanley’s friends, Mitch, and begins to flirt with him. But the men have been drinking heavily, and tensions quickly escalate. Stanley strikes Stella, who is expecting a baby. Shocked at Stanley’s violent outburst, Blanche takes Stella upstairs to stay with their neighbor Eunice. But Stella returns to Stanley the same night and the two resolve their fight.

The next morning, Blanche still can’t understand why Stella went back to Stanley. Stella thinks Blanche is making a tremendous deal over nothing. Blanche wants to write to an old suitor of hers named Shep Huntleigh. Shep is a wealthy man whom Blanche is sure will help the sisters out. In the meantime, Blanche begins to date Stanley’s friend Mitch. She lies to him about how old she is and how experienced she is with men. She also won’t let Mitch see her in the dark. More is also revealed about Blanche’s past and what was going on in her life prior to coming to New Orleans. Blanche married as a teenager, but her husband committed suicide after Blanche discovered he was gay. This trauma seems to have stuck with her for many years.

On Blanche’s birthday, Stanley comes home and tells Stella that Blanche is full of lies. For the past two years, she has been living out of a hotel in Mississippi known for rather improper rendezvous. Additionally, he has discovered that Blanche was not on leave from her teaching position as she originally said. Rather, Blanche was fired for getting involved with one of her high school students. Stanley has already told Mitch this news, and Mitch doesn’t show up for Blanche’s birthday dinner. Stella goes into labor the same night. While she and Stanley are gone, Mitch comes by to see Blanche but can’t forgive her for lying to him about so much.

Stanley returns home late at night. Stella is still in labor at the hospital so it is just Stanley and Blanche at the apartment. Both are drunk, and Stanley attacks Blanche and sexually assaults her. Weeks later, Blanche’s nerves and lunacy seem to have worsened. Stella and Stanley send Blanche to a mental institution. There is a struggle when the doctor comes to collect Blanche. But ultimately Blanche succumbs, telling the doctor that she has always relied on the kindness of strangers.