Literature overview and critical analysis

Tennessee Williams' "Streetcar Named Desire" & social class theories of Karl Marx

This paper presents a detailed examination of Tennessee Williams' "Streetcar Named Desire. The writer of this paper holds the play up to be examined under the light of social and class theories as ascribed to by Karl Marx. There were two sources used to complete this paper.

Marxism in Art

Many times authors use their works o purposely display a social theory or message. In Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, the author appears to have stumbled across a perfect example of the class distinction that Karl Marx, the famous social theorist" wanted denounced with his Marxism theories.

This play is a perfect example of the theory Marx professed for several reasons. It is based in America, which is a capitalist country, it is about the working poor and it depicts a class difference within the same family. Stanley is married to Stella and her sister Blanche comes to stay with them. Immediately we can see the perceived social and class difference between the married couple and the sister. Marxism believed as well that class differences were more of a mental and self-image issue than actual class distinction by class.

In this play Blanche tries to force Stanley to treat her like the debutante she believes herself to be. He in turn is angered by her airs and believes her to be nothing but a loose and washed up woman. This entire play is a perfect backdrop for the beliefs of Marx. Stanley is the typical male of that era. He is a blue-collar worker who drinks heavily and socializes with other blue collar men. Blanche is a female who believes she to be a cut above Stanley and she has a hard time understanding why Stella married out of her "class." Every conflict in this production as well as the mindset of all involved reflect the worldwide debate about classes, gender systems and people equality by virtue of their hard work.

Stanley on the other hand believes that Blanche is no better than he is and he tries to tell his wife that he knows things about her. He does this in an effort to make her stop putting Blanche on a pedestal, but it fails.

The trouble with Dame Blanche was that she couldn't put on her act any more in Laurel! They got wised up after two or three dates with her and then they quit, and she goes on to another, the same old line, same old act, same old hooey! But the town was too small for this to go on forever! And as time went by she became a town character. Regarded as not just different but downright loco-nuts." (Williams, Scene 7, pg. 207).

When he confronts Blanche again the class distinctions that our society seems to refuse to release show again. Blanche, even when faced with her own past is ever the lady, and holding herself to be a queen of sorts which only infuriates Stanley. He is tired of being treated like he is less than she is simply because he works. And he lashes out.

I've been on to you from the start! Not once did you pull any wool over this boy's eyes! You come in here and sprinkle the place with powder and spray perfume and cover the light bulb with a paper lantern, and lo and behold the place has turned into Egypt and you are the Queen of the Nile! Sitting on your throne and swilling down my liquor (Williams, Scene 10, pg. 225-26.) "