of essay topics related to the play
A Streetcar Named Desire is a classic play written by Tennessee Williams in 1947 The play follows a fractured Southern family, the Monsiers, and their struggles with a variety of personal and social issues related to their post-war life in New Orleans. The story centers around the character of Blanche, a troubled woman who comes to stay with her sister, Stella, and her brother-in-law, Stanley. Throughout the play, Blanche and Stanley's clashing personalities and conflicting views of the world create a tension that is at the heart of their conflicts.
The play is full of complex characters and issues. Exploring the conflict between Blanche and Stanley and its implications for the rest of the Monsier family is a great way to write a thought-provoking essay. Below are five essay topics related to A Streetcar Named Desire that could be used to explore issues of conflict and other thematic elements of the play in more detail.
1. Analyze the ways in which the conflict between Blanche and Stanley personifies the divide between the Old and New South in the post-war period.
2. Examine the ways in which Williams uses the characters of Blanche and Stanley to show the struggle between the sexes during the post-war period.
3. Explore the idea of Stanley as a “heroic” figure in the play and how his actions help to resolve the conflicts between the characters.
4. Analyze the ways in which the other characters in the play are affected by the conflict between Blanche and Stanley.
5. Look at the ways in which gender roles in post-war New Orleans are impacted by the conflict between Blanche and Stanley.