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parvathy's review
4.0
I especially loved the Zodiac Sign reference because I was guessing their sun signs in my head too!
geckers's review
3.0
Plays are not meant to be read. These words are instructions, an outline for the actors and crew members. Without the human element there is always something’s missing from a script and I feel very detached in its reading. But, it was very good, and I can imagine it was more than very good to watch.
jaironside's review
1.0
It's undoubtedly a masterful piece of writing, meditating on how the vulnerable - in this case women - survive when the world they were formed and conditioned for, crumbles into something unrecognisable. And on how the secure and strong - in this case men - will exploit the vulnerable. But I HATE this play with the fire of a thousand suns. It's rare that I will actually throw a book at the wall but this one became airborne on at least three occasions. If you have to read Tennessee Williams try the Glass Menagerie instead and avoid this one.
sookieskipper's review
4.0
We gravitate towards stories that resonate a deeper(darker) part of us that we cleverly hide and sculpt a persona, a subterfuge that is constantly evolving. When three people intimately related and weary of one another on some level are stuffed in a dingy apartment, the frail and jagged edges of neatly plastered persona begins to crack.
Blanche tries to leave behind the life she has found herself in and clings to the life she once enjoyed. Stella, her younger sister has married a man for love. Stella's husband Stanley is an everyday man without an ounce of grandness about him. The conflict arises with Blanche's arrival in Kowalski's household as the couple desperately claw for the very reasons they are together. Stanley's alpha male behavior rubs Blanche in the wrong way and their confrontation upsets Stella.
Williams uses musical cues to enhance the temperament of the play. Varsouviana Polka plays a jovial tone while Blanche narrates a terrible tragedy. This juxtaposition is a cinematic experience that one doesn't often expect in a play. The playwright subtly nudges the audience against Blanche while providing shelter to Stella and her newborn. Stanely's abuse is downplayed by Stella and Blanche's personality is continuously attacked.
These three are incredibly flawed and terribly hopeless. They cling on what gives them security without fully understanding repercussions of their actions. They are victims of the standards they have set for themselves. Williams has a knack for writing monologues that stick in your ribs and hurt when you turn the page. This quote sums it all:
Blanche takes a street-car named Desire that ends in a tragedy. Her neatly constructed world of her disillusioned ideas crumble and the crime against her is her proverbial last straw. The sting of harshness is real on the pages.
On a completely unrelated note to the review: If I ever own a pet, I would name him/her "Hey Stella". Just saying.
Blanche tries to leave behind the life she has found herself in and clings to the life she once enjoyed. Stella, her younger sister has married a man for love. Stella's husband Stanley is an everyday man without an ounce of grandness about him. The conflict arises with Blanche's arrival in Kowalski's household as the couple desperately claw for the very reasons they are together. Stanley's alpha male behavior rubs Blanche in the wrong way and their confrontation upsets Stella.
Williams uses musical cues to enhance the temperament of the play. Varsouviana Polka plays a jovial tone while Blanche narrates a terrible tragedy. This juxtaposition is a cinematic experience that one doesn't often expect in a play. The playwright subtly nudges the audience against Blanche while providing shelter to Stella and her newborn. Stanely's abuse is downplayed by Stella and Blanche's personality is continuously attacked.
These three are incredibly flawed and terribly hopeless. They cling on what gives them security without fully understanding repercussions of their actions. They are victims of the standards they have set for themselves. Williams has a knack for writing monologues that stick in your ribs and hurt when you turn the page. This quote sums it all:
“I don't want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don't tell the truth, I tell what ought to be the truth. And it that's sinful, then let me be damned for it!”
Blanche takes a street-car named Desire that ends in a tragedy. Her neatly constructed world of her disillusioned ideas crumble and the crime against her is her proverbial last straw. The sting of harshness is real on the pages.
On a completely unrelated note to the review: If I ever own a pet, I would name him/her "Hey Stella". Just saying.
renoku's review
3.0
Honestly, I love the play, but I hate the characters. That seems to be a common opinion when it comes to this play. Reading this as part of my Literature class, I played the part of Stanley for the majority of the play. Honestly, I was horrified with myself at some points (i.e. horrified by my character) because of his actions. However, the play offers a great insight into abusive relationships, for those that have had the luck to never find themselves within one, and allows good discussion topics for the class. It hit very close to home for me, which is probably why I disliked a lot of it, but overall it's a compelling story with great opportunities for intense acting. Definitely a classic that everyone should at least read.
misskatie's review
4.0
I'm a little late to the game, but I'm writing part of my American Drama essay about Streetcar Named Desire and I always forget how haunting the story is. I'm always a sucker for the symbolism and themes in this play. It's just so much fun to analyze and pick apart!
inkdrinkermal's review
1.0
Yeah, I guess there's something to be said about ensuring characters have redeeming qualities. Because these characters had none. It was painful to read. The ending was painful. I thought the entire thing was distasteful and, honestly, unrealistic of how people actually interact with one another.
abbyizzard's review
4.0
Read it for college and I liked this a lot more than I expected to, it definitely leaves a lot to think about.