The first principle character in this play is Blanche DuBois. She is a neurotic nymphomaniac that is on her way to meet her younger sister Stella in the Elysian Fields. Blanche takes two 2 streetcars, one named Desire, the other Cemeteries to get to her little sisters dwelling. Blanche, Stella and Stanley all desire something in this drama. Blanche desired a world without pain, without suffering, in order to stop the mental distress that she had already obtained. She desires a fairy tale story about a rich man coming and sweeping her off her feet and they ride away on a beautiful oceanic voyage.
The most interesting part of Blanche is that through her unstable thinking she has come to believe the things she imagines. Her flashy sense of style and imagination hide the truly tragic story about her past. Blanche lost but, moreover, she lost the ones she loved in the battle. The horror lied not only in the many funerals but also in the silence and the constant mourning after. One cant imagine how it must feel to lose the ones they love and hold dear but to stay afterwards and mourn the loss of the many is unbearable. Blanche has had a streak of horrible luck.
Her husband killing himself after she exposed her knowledge about his homosexuality, her advances on young men that led to her exile and finally her alcoholism that drew her life to pieces contemplated this sorrow that we could not help but feel for Blanche throughout the drama. Blanche’s desire to escape from this situation is fulfilled when she is taken away to the insane asylum. There she will have peace when in the real world she only faced pain. Stella represents an important part in this drama by providing a contrast to how life can change people when they go down different paths. In Contrast to her sister, Stella is bound to love. Although she fell in love with a primitive, common man, she most definitely loves him.
Stella desires only to make Stanley happy and live a beautiful life together. She wants to find peace between her sister and her husband yet instead she finds conflict afflicting her on both sides. Blanche uses her dilutions and tries to sway Stella away from Stanley yet Stella takes all these slanders and belittles them. Stella does this because she loves Stanley and since she is pregnant with his baby. When Blanche tells Stella the truth about Stanley raping her Stella decides not to believe her sister and remain with Stanley. This proves that Stella only desires to be with Stanley and make him happy.
Stella’s character proves to be weak and futile because she relies on Stanley and this is one of the reasons that she is attracted to his brawny personality. The third principle character is Stanley the brute. Stanley shows desire for money, lust and then finally Stella. Throughout the play I began to hate this selfish, conniving animal. Stanley resembles an animal because of the way he approached Blanche. At first he felt her out and saw what she was like.
It was like an animal stalking his prey before he goes to attack. Then Stanley confronted Blanche about the mansion in Belle Reve. He used the Napoleonic code as an excuse to see what money or property he could obtain. After seeing that Blanche was not lying about the loss of the Belle Reve mansion Stanley took a pursuit in finding out and revealing the truth about Blanche. Like an animal he ripped open her wounded heart and confronted her with her past revealing it to Mitch, her only chance for a normal life.
Stanley is unpredictable and cruel. In one of the conflicts between him and Blanche he decides to rape her. His image portrays the middle class commoner, whereas, Stella and Blanche were raised upper class. This becomes evident throughout the play. Although in seems that he is not good enough for Stella, it is apparent that he loves her and also relies on her for moral support. His need to be with Stella turns out to be his greatest desire throughout the play.
The play combines these characters into a dialogue that flows naturally and eloquently. The play shows an extreme passion that is carried out by the characters individual needs and desires that turn this play into an electrifying drama.