How Symbols Elucidate Themes In A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) has written a violent and fascinating story of the disintegration of a Southern belle in his play A Streetcar Named Desire, into which he has put some earthly characters, jolting humor and pungent writing so that it becomes a rare masterpiece filled with high tension and incredible charm.Most critics have evaluated the play from the perspective of culture, such as gender analysis, masculine autonomy or feminism, but few have focused their attention on, or attach enough importance to, the technical aspect of the play. As I believe the study of craftsmanship can lead to a better understanding of the themes, this thesis aims to reveal how symbolism enhances the major themes of the play.The thesis consists of five parts. Part one serves as an introduction, which justifies the aesthetic-rhetorical approach of literary criticism and defines symbolism in addition to presentation of the thesis statement. Part two shows how Blanche comes to function as an embodiment of the Old South and how Stanley as an epitome of the New Order. And other symbols highlighting the conflict between the old values and the new order are also listed. Part three demonstrates how the heroine serves as a symbol of desire for love while the male protagonist that of the desire for sex. A series of other symbols are discussed to show how both get to be seen by the audience as victims of desire. Part four concentrates on the theme of illusion vs. reality. Blanche's life experience is proven to dramatize illusion while Stanley's gruffness reality. A further examination of symbols clarifies the theme of clash between the two and the painful consequences of it. The conclusion reiterates the main points of the previous parts and further points out that symbolism superimposes the female protagonist on the play and reveals how both tie imagination to reality through action.