The Use of Language in A Streetcar Named Desire Essay

The Use of Language in A Streetcar Named Desire Analyse how Tennessee Williams uses language and dramatic techniques to explore attitudes to identity in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Make close reference Analyse how Tennessee Williams uses language and dramatic techniques to explore attitudes to identity in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Make close reference to an extract in the play. Go on to show your understanding of the significance of attitudes to identity in the play as a whole. Williams’ play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ has a full variety of attitudes to identity which are demonstrated through the various characters. Attitudes to identity are important in the play as it gives us a background to the character’s lives†¦show more content†¦Ideas around the identity of Stanley’s character are explored in scene eight. The lexis used in this scene explores how he sees himself and how he is seen by the other characters. The vocative used by Blanche and Stella to address Stanley conveys their, especially Blanche’s feelings towards him, ‘Mr. Kowalski’ they say. This vocative seems quite formal spoken in such an informal setting as their house, and quite out of place, this could show that the women maybe see Stanley as superior, in the way that he is a man and they feel that they should look up to him. As well as presenting attitudes to identity, this could also show attitudes to gender and the differences between the roles of males and females. In this scene, some of Stanley’s utterances contain many exclamatories and interrogatives which seem to make firm statements of what he is saying. For example he says ‘that’s how I’ll clear the table! Don’t ever talk that way to me!’, it seems as though he is shouting these words and this could show his dominating and intimidating character perhaps. Phonology used in Stanley’s utterances could also show his dominating male authority that he feels he has over others, he seems to shout at Blanche; ‘QUIET IN THERE!’, this is intonation of his voice is shown by the use of capital letters. Stella uses a metaphor to describe Stanley’s undesirable behaviour and says that he is ‘too busy making a pig of himself’; this could show that he is not aShow MoreRelatedComparison Between Oedipus Rex and Street Car Named Desire1268 Words   |  6 Pages‘Oedipus Rex’ and ‘Streetcar’       | Similarities | Contrasts | Clever Points | Actions / Events | ï‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both ‘Oedipus Rex’ and ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ have scenes where a character’s past is revealed, whether it is to other characters or to the audience (e.g. Oedipus’ parentage or Blanche’s past). This shows an underlying tone that they cannot fully escape their past, whether it is an eventual surfacing (in A Streetcar Named Desire) or an abrupt revelation (in Oedipus Rex). This is linkedRead MoreTo What Extent Does Williams Present Desire as a Tragic Flaw in Scene Six of ‘a Streetcar Named Desire’1632 Words   |  7 PagesTo what extent does Williams present desire as a tragic flaw in scene six of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ In A Streetcar Named Desire Blanche’s flaws that lead to her downfall are abundant. If we are to view Blanche Dubois as a tragic heroine, then it is in scene six that her tragic flaws are especially evident, and in particular desire. 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