02 scene 1
Notable for long stage directions.
- clue to themes which will be important.
"Elysian fields", "Stella for star"
The play goes from May to September, throughout the summer.
- When you read the play you feel the heat.
Everything takes place in evening. Dark.
Not just two or three people involved in a stiuation.
- microcosm for society, the people upstairs, going by on the streets etc.
The stage directions are communicating to the audiences senses.
When we see characters we don't know who they are.
- first two characters are white and black; women.
- integration of white and coloured because the society of new orleans is advanced more than anywhere else in america.
Multicultural society
Jazz is played in New orleans, emotional undercurrent
- glimpse into the family home
"his dog to lick her" physicality
"Red hot! Red hot!"setting up a scene before the main characters come in.
The main Characters are rapidly established in context of money, relationships.
Binary of play is movement.
Blanche is static.
- "Her appearance is incongruous to this setting" Blanche is already established as a fish out of water.
Blanche doesn't know this society.
Friday, 4 December 2015
John Mcrae's lectures on "A Streetcar named Desire" 01
01 introduction to "A Streetcar named Desire"
It was first performed on stage in the late 1940's and was considered very modern.
This is less than a hundred years after the Civil War.
- The American Civil War was about slavery and was North America vs South
America.
Williams always sets his plays in the South.
The South is seen as another Country.
- Williams takes a lot of inspiration from southern literature (mentioned in the play Poe, Whitman etc)
- Also a world removed from traditional America
The play is a tragedy without a death, even thpough there is a significant one.
Many cliches in the play, Williams being gay (an outsider to society), his sister being institutionalised.
- However the play goes much deeper than that.
The tragedy is Blanche's
- Of time and loss, it focuses on the disintergration of mind, society, what family is and was, old families of the deep south, love and sex.
This is important because the play culminates with an act of sexual violence, but when it was first shown it wasn't seen as sexual but it is now.
It's tragedy of gender and power
- Who rules, what people want and what (most importantly) people desire.
It was first performed on stage in the late 1940's and was considered very modern.
This is less than a hundred years after the Civil War.
- The American Civil War was about slavery and was North America vs South
America.
Williams always sets his plays in the South.
The South is seen as another Country.
- Williams takes a lot of inspiration from southern literature (mentioned in the play Poe, Whitman etc)
- Also a world removed from traditional America
The play is a tragedy without a death, even thpough there is a significant one.
Many cliches in the play, Williams being gay (an outsider to society), his sister being institutionalised.
- However the play goes much deeper than that.
The tragedy is Blanche's
- Of time and loss, it focuses on the disintergration of mind, society, what family is and was, old families of the deep south, love and sex.
This is important because the play culminates with an act of sexual violence, but when it was first shown it wasn't seen as sexual but it is now.
It's tragedy of gender and power
- Who rules, what people want and what (most importantly) people desire.
Maude Clare
The poem "Maude Clare" by Rossetti is about a woman, Maude Clare who had a relationship with Sir Thomas, but he has married another woman, Lady Nell. Throughout the poem we hear Maude Clare's account of their relationship, however the poem ends with Lady Nell telling Maude Clare "he's my Lord for better and worse," which is Nell telling Maude Clare that her husband's past does not matter to her because he is her husband now.
One of the most interesting aspects of the poem "Maude Clare" is the order in which the narrator and speakers talk. For instance, Rossetti has decided that the first stanza should be the narrator speaking, this is because she wants to reflect the author's power and control over the poem. It also means the poem begins with a neutral speaker, who has presumably no bias, although at one point in the fourth stanza the narrator says "My Lord" so it could be inferred that perhaps the narrator is a servant or maid who was aware of Maude Clare's and Lord Thomas' relationship.
One of the most interesting aspects of the poem "Maude Clare" is the order in which the narrator and speakers talk. For instance, Rossetti has decided that the first stanza should be the narrator speaking, this is because she wants to reflect the author's power and control over the poem. It also means the poem begins with a neutral speaker, who has presumably no bias, although at one point in the fourth stanza the narrator says "My Lord" so it could be inferred that perhaps the narrator is a servant or maid who was aware of Maude Clare's and Lord Thomas' relationship.
Monday, 30 November 2015
Up-Hill and Good Friday by Rossetti
Up-Hill
Up-Hill is a poem about someone on a spiritual pilgrimage, searching for somewhere to seek refuge from the darkness in their life. Significantly, throughout the poem Rossetti uses a Christian catchism (question and answer format) which could be to represent the fear we feel about death, and that God is always a guide through life to help us.
One of the most notable aspects of this poem is the way in which Rossetti uses landscape as a metaphor for a spiritual journey. For instance, "the road" is symbolic of life's path and "that door" represents the space between the living and the death.
Good Friday
- Important Christian day because it's the day Jesus died.
- Jesus is crucified along with thieves.
- Peter denies his friendship with Jesus.
The poem is about the speakers self-doubt because they realise their lack of emotions about Christ's death isolates them from everyone else because they're grieving.
Up-Hill is a poem about someone on a spiritual pilgrimage, searching for somewhere to seek refuge from the darkness in their life. Significantly, throughout the poem Rossetti uses a Christian catchism (question and answer format) which could be to represent the fear we feel about death, and that God is always a guide through life to help us.
One of the most notable aspects of this poem is the way in which Rossetti uses landscape as a metaphor for a spiritual journey. For instance, "the road" is symbolic of life's path and "that door" represents the space between the living and the death.
Good Friday
- Important Christian day because it's the day Jesus died.
- Jesus is crucified along with thieves.
- Peter denies his friendship with Jesus.
The poem is about the speakers self-doubt because they realise their lack of emotions about Christ's death isolates them from everyone else because they're grieving.
Tuesday, 17 November 2015
How does Rossetti explore human emotion in "Good Friday" and other poems you have studied?
At the beginning of the first stanza of 'Good Friday', Rossetti explores human emotions of self doubt and insecurity by using an ontological verb "am" to illustrate the insecurity she feels about her own identity. This is reiterated with the use of a metaphor "stone" which Rossetti is using to express that she is feeling insentient and almost unfeeling, however this metaphor also allows Rossetti to explore feelings of guilt because she is unable to express her emotions at the death of Christ. However, in "In the round tower at Jhansi" Rossetti explores human emotions such as love and intimacy, through the use of repition in the final stanza to show how desperate the characters were for human contact and intimacy in the face of death "It is not pain thus to kiss and die, one kiss more." this is a stark contrast to "Good Friday" where the speaker is completely unemotional and detached.
Monday, 16 November 2015
A critical view of "A Streetcar Named Desire"
Title, author and Date of publication
Firstly, the title of the article is "Old south versus New America - A Streetcar Named Desire", this is heavily referencing the end of the civil war which started in 1861 and finished in 1865 which happened because President Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery and the South of America was strongly apposed to this because it meant that they would lose a lot of money, whereas the North of America was more forward thinking and agreed with the end of slavery. Furthermore, Tennessee Williams uses the characters of Blanche and Stanley as literary devices to represent "Old America" and "New America" and the conflict that happens between the two of them explores how during Post World War Two America was losing "traditional" values and modernising.
The article was written by Gabi Reigh who is a teacher and in the article she looks specifically at the conflict which happens throughout the play due to the cultural differences between Blanche and Stanley and the "Power Struggle" for Blanche to maintain her Old world. Also, the article was published in September 2015.
Summary
Overall, the article focuses on the conflict between Blanche and Stanley, who are representations of "Old" and "New" America, Blanche symbolises tradition and old values and has a love for art poetry and literature whereas Stanley is symbolic of new America, which is immagration, working hard and enjoying things like sports rather than literature. Throughout the article, Reigh examines the way in which Williams has shown conflict in the play, such as with their costumes, Blanche arming herself with pretty white clothing whilst Stanley wears his blue work uniform.
Firstly, the title of the article is "Old south versus New America - A Streetcar Named Desire", this is heavily referencing the end of the civil war which started in 1861 and finished in 1865 which happened because President Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery and the South of America was strongly apposed to this because it meant that they would lose a lot of money, whereas the North of America was more forward thinking and agreed with the end of slavery. Furthermore, Tennessee Williams uses the characters of Blanche and Stanley as literary devices to represent "Old America" and "New America" and the conflict that happens between the two of them explores how during Post World War Two America was losing "traditional" values and modernising.
The article was written by Gabi Reigh who is a teacher and in the article she looks specifically at the conflict which happens throughout the play due to the cultural differences between Blanche and Stanley and the "Power Struggle" for Blanche to maintain her Old world. Also, the article was published in September 2015.
Summary
Overall, the article focuses on the conflict between Blanche and Stanley, who are representations of "Old" and "New" America, Blanche symbolises tradition and old values and has a love for art poetry and literature whereas Stanley is symbolic of new America, which is immagration, working hard and enjoying things like sports rather than literature. Throughout the article, Reigh examines the way in which Williams has shown conflict in the play, such as with their costumes, Blanche arming herself with pretty white clothing whilst Stanley wears his blue work uniform.
Thursday, 12 November 2015
A streetcar named desire context
Southern belle - southern belle is derived from the French word belle, 'beautiful' and is a character which represents a young woman from the American south's upper class.
immigration from other countries into the USA in the twentieth century increased greatly after the great depression of 1873. immigrants from western Europe, Canada and Latin america etc went to America because they were seeking asylum from racial, political and religious persecution or looking for more economic opportunities.
New Orleans is a city in the state of Louisiana which sits just along the mississippi river. In the twentieth century New Orleans was struggling to integrate witch lead to many white residents leaving the city, which lead to an increasingly African American and impoverished residency. However, New Orleans was culturally booming with jazz music and new technology.
Tennessee Williams wrote several plays throughout his life, his first work 'The glass menagerie' (1944) was a four character play that was slightly autobiographical, it was also his first successful play. Next came 'A streetcar named desire' (1947) as well as 'Cat on a hot tin roof' (1955) and explores the family of a wealthy cotton tycoon. Finally, 'Sweet bird of youth' (1959) was his final play which looks at the life of a fading gigolo.
Tennessee Williams was born on March 26, 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi. After college he moved to New Orleans which would be the inspiration for many of his plays. Williams had a good childhood, but once his family moved to St Louis things became strained, also Williams relationship with his father wasn't the best due to his alcoholic tendencies and preference for work. Although his parents would become inspiration for his writing.
Unfortunately, Williams struggled with personal demons such as his sexuality, which would lead to a lengthy addiction to drink and drugs which would ultimately lead to his death on February 25, 1983.
immigration from other countries into the USA in the twentieth century increased greatly after the great depression of 1873. immigrants from western Europe, Canada and Latin america etc went to America because they were seeking asylum from racial, political and religious persecution or looking for more economic opportunities.
New Orleans is a city in the state of Louisiana which sits just along the mississippi river. In the twentieth century New Orleans was struggling to integrate witch lead to many white residents leaving the city, which lead to an increasingly African American and impoverished residency. However, New Orleans was culturally booming with jazz music and new technology.
Tennessee Williams wrote several plays throughout his life, his first work 'The glass menagerie' (1944) was a four character play that was slightly autobiographical, it was also his first successful play. Next came 'A streetcar named desire' (1947) as well as 'Cat on a hot tin roof' (1955) and explores the family of a wealthy cotton tycoon. Finally, 'Sweet bird of youth' (1959) was his final play which looks at the life of a fading gigolo.
Tennessee Williams was born on March 26, 1911 in Columbus, Mississippi. After college he moved to New Orleans which would be the inspiration for many of his plays. Williams had a good childhood, but once his family moved to St Louis things became strained, also Williams relationship with his father wasn't the best due to his alcoholic tendencies and preference for work. Although his parents would become inspiration for his writing.
Unfortunately, Williams struggled with personal demons such as his sexuality, which would lead to a lengthy addiction to drink and drugs which would ultimately lead to his death on February 25, 1983.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)