There are various ways in which Williams skilfully uses his
medium of drama and plays in order to create tension throughout this monologue,
including the use of setting and language. The most prominent feature in the
setting of this scene is the sounds of the trains passing over the sisters
before and after Blanche’s monologue.
The train is used almost as a surreal narrator over Blanche’s
speech- it almost detaches the sisters’ conflict from the world around them due
to the sense of being blocked out by the sound, as the overwhelming noise of
the train is described as a ‘’cover’’. Although this ‘’cover’’ is used mainly
for the allowance of Stanley to enter the scene unnoticed, it additionally
infers a sense of isolationism. In this sense, the scene contains additional
tension due to its relations to the themes of isolationism running throughout
the play. The detachment of conflict from the rest of the world portrays to the
audience how the overwhelming tension between the characters creates a sense of
suffocation. As if they are swathed by the fog of their tensions and desires,
which deafens them from the world around them- prohibiting any attempt of
escape.
The sound of the trains is additionally used to create
tension for the sake of dramatic pragmatisms. The train allows Stanley to
eavesdrop upon the scene and Blanche’s onslaught of cutting insults, ‘’He acts
like an animal’’. In this context, Stanley’s presence throughout the monologue
whilst the sisters are unaware of it creates a sense of dramatic irony for the
audience. This creates further tension and emphasises the sudden shift in the
drama, this is the pivotal moment where Stanley is motivated to utterly destroy
Blanche; and the audience are the only ones to be aware of this.
Furthermore, Stanley ‘’licking his lips’’ further
foreshadows this animalistic desire for domination of Blanche and to attain
control over her. This gesture contains heavy connotations of a primal hunger-
desire. The attitude of which Blanche aptly pointed out to Stella as being
heavily present in him, ‘’something-ape like about him’’. Showing how despite
her irrationality and deteriorating mentality, Blanche nonetheless identifies a
definite primal danger residing within Stanley, one which she is both afraid of
and attracted to. This creates drama for the audience, as again, only they see
Stanley's reaction to the speech, only they can sense the foreshadowing of
Blanche’s imminent doom.
Also, Stanley’s carrying of ‘’packages’’ as he enters refers
to his introduction into the play; carrying packages of meat for Stella to cook
for him. Emphasising his animalistic and primal nature- one which remains
unchanging and constant throughout the play. Creating further tension for the
audience, as the reuse of this technique to portray Stanley as animalistic only
further creates an emphasis upon his potential for violence. In hindsight, this
creates an overwhelming concern for Blanche’s safety, and whether or not she
will survive to the end of the play.
In addition to this, drama is created intensely due to the
hypocrisy of Blanche’s language in regards to her oration and her supressed desires.
Blanche refers to Stanley as a ‘’survivor if the Stone Age!’’. Although she uses it derogatively, nevertheless the fact
that Stanley is a survivor in hindsight- as well as Stella’s comment that he is
the only one likely to get anywhere- neutralises any attempt to degrade him in
regards to this. Blanche further uses the Pre-historic man analogy in order to
portray Stella’s and Stanley’s relationship as primitive, one driven only by
‘’brutal desire’’. She describes their
relationship as Stanley ‘’Bearing the raw meat home’’ with Stella playing the
submissive wife ‘’waiting for him’’.
Although this is a direct challenge towards Stella’s and Stanley’s
relationship, nevertheless it is undeniable that Blanche is likely driven
primarily by jealousy. Her shamelessly open attraction towards him is driven by
her subconscious desire to be in such a relationship.
Blanche lacks the
security of a husband and a socially acceptable relationship, it is in this way
that she is most vulnerable, as her deterioration both in her beauty and her
mind leaves her without the tools she would traditionally use as a Southern
Belle to survive. Although she is driven by genuine concern for her sister, and
her abhorrent relationship with Stanley, it is undeniable she is also driven by
a need to invalidate Stella’s security in said relationship in order to assert
her own romance-less position.
Blanche’s contradiction in her dictations and her desires
throughout the monologue create further tension and drama for the audience.
They are aware of her suggested checked past- the nature of which at this time
is still unclear- however, her desperation appeals to the sympathetic nature of
the audience towards her. The monologue is broken up frequently by caesuras,
emphasising the hysteria which is beginning not only to take hold of Blanche’s
mind, but also to weaken her most powerful weapon- her language. In a tone of
hysteria, Stella is far less likely to take Blanche seriously and to take heed
her warning about Stanley’s true nature, as Blanche’s communicational power
begins to lose its influence over her sister.
Her accusations against Stanley are certainly not invalid;
however they become somewhat hypocritical when she discusses how Stella’s and
Stanley’s relationship is somehow inferior, as his affections towards Stella
are described with ‘’grunt and kiss’’. Due
to her Blanche’s desire for the security of marriage, her distain of Stanley
and Stella’s relationship is somewhat undermined and hypocritical. But, the
definite attachment to Blanche and her anxiety towards this destructive kind of
desire emphasises to the audience how damaging the relationship between Stanley
and Stella is likely to be. Not only presenting tension due to the concern for
the safety of Stella and her baby, but also for Blanche. Whom Stanley has now
identified as a threat to his power, the audience knows that Stanley is never
deterred by violence in order to achieve his goals.
To conclude, Blanche’s monologue and the setting of the
speech in scene 4 uses a variety of techniques and subtle details in order to
emphasise the growing sense of imminent doom. Heightening the audiences
concerns for Blanche’s safety and preparing them for the onslaught of despair
which is to ensue.
