Customer Reviews

A Streetcar Named Desire

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is a play about class and gender, and how they interact in a specific time period and place, much more than it is about individual characters. The main characters embody some of the most stereotypical characteristics of all time. Stanley Kowalski - the male lead - is a working class man who uses strength to succeed in his job and his marriage. His wife, Stella, demurely accepts Stanley's verbal and physical abuse because she loves him. Their world is a perfect balance of male/ female, active/ passive, love/ fear, and rough/gentle, until Stella's sister comes to visit. Blanche is much more rounded character, but she is stereotypically a southern belle and a snob, to the point where she lies about her age and how much she drinks because it is the ladylike thing to do. The play unfolds rather fascinatingly, and it quite well written - dramatic but with enough humor to make it bearable. There are an abundance of very obvious symbols, which might tire the reader after awhile. Desire covers a lot of themes, including, as I said before, class and gender, desire and the south, which may be too much for one play, but Williams pulls it off well. The reader comes away with a good sense of the New Orleans working class after the war. A good play, but probably a better performance than read, as befits a play.

I read this play for school and I had heard of it before but I thought it was a novel, not a play. Before reading this play, the only plays I had read were Cyrano and quite a few by Shakespeare which are plays from before the 20th century I am pretty sure. Luckily for me A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE was written in the 20th century so I found it easy to understand and follow. The characters were well developed (though I am not surprised seeing as Vivian Leigh starred in the film version).

This play was also funny, especially with the character Stanley. Some lines in this play I will not easily forget and some parts I would even like to write down for future reference.

What I really liked about this play was that all or almost all of the scenes were in Stanley and Stella's house (of course they didn't just stay there, there was mention of places they had been off stage). I just found that to be comforting and easy to visualize and I really don't like change so this suited me just fine.

Because this play was so easy to visualize, I could picture it and hear the actors voices. I loved Mitch and Blanche together and all the characters had likable and not likable characteristics, making them realistic.

I read that Tennessee Williams also wrote THE GLASS MENAGERIE, I want to read that as well.

4.5/5

reviewed by Callie at Handle Like Hendrix

I love watching plays but never really enjoyed reading them too much because of the lack of progression in my opinion. But I picked this up and just had to keep reading it! It's simple but interesting to have you hooked. The characters are interesting as well and all have different personalities that I think those reading will get a laugh out of and maybe even frustrated over.

Such a great play. It sucks you in and puts you face to face with Stanley. What an antihero, too. Engrossing and depressing - worth your time.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" is such a raw and captivating play. With luxurious characters full of rage, lust, and refutation, you'll be transported into the realm of Stanley, Stella, and Blanche, and you'll never look back. It's interesting to see Tennessee Williams' writing in this play and "The Glass Menagerie." I recommend.

Yes, this is one of the most brilliant pieces of writing ever to grace the stage of the American theatre. The movie is superb and reading the play, I'm still astounded by the poetry of the piece. The problem comes in when it gets performed. I've seen seven productions of "Streetcar" and none of them worked. Then again, I've seen a handful of "Lears" and none of them did either. Could it be that "Streetcar" is so well-written and difficult that it rarely comes off? Most people prefer to read Shakespeare's "Lear" as they KNOW it can't be performed to the extent it should be. Such is the case with "Streetcar." By all means, buy this play and read it, or watch the movie, and if you come across a production that's good, please let me know!

Also recommended: Angels in America, Bark of the Dogwood, Heart is a Lonely Hunter

This play is simply wonderful. Williams crafts magnificent characters, especially Stanley and Blanche. The play examines the end of the downfall of Blanche DuBois, and they symbolism surrounding her is amazing. I could spend hours analyzing the music, lighting, bathing, etc...everything.

Definitely a must read, even if you have seen the movie or a live production. There is much more to be found in reading the play itself.

It sounds cliched to say this is a masterpiece of American Theatre, but that's exactly what it is. Being privelaged to have seen it on the stage no less than six times, and having read it now after all these years, I'm still amazed at the power of this piece. The range of emotions contained in this one play is staggering and few others, with possibly the exception of "Glass Menangerie" have this much to offer and audiance.

Also recommended: McCrae's Bark of the Dogwood and Russo's Empire Falls

"A Streetcar named Desire" is one of Tennessee Williams' masterpieces,
published in 1947.
The play is about the Southern Belle Blanche duBois who comes to live with
her sister Stella in New Orleans. There she is confronted with her sister's
husband Stanley who wants to destroy Blanche's life. The conflict between
Stanley and Blanche gets worse and it comes to a rape.
In the following scenes Stella has to decide whether she believes in her
sister or in Stanley.
The play gets more and more exciting and your interest will b e caught by
the development of the plot.
In his book Williams tries to assimilate his own life which was dominated by
his brutal father. Also the autobiographical aspect makes the play worth
reading.
Further I would recommend you to read the book because it contains numerous
themes which are still relavant today. So love, lonliness and cruelty play an
important role. Moreover easy and colloquial language is used.
All in all the play "A Streetcar named Desire" is really recommendable.

It amazes me how few people young people have actually read through "A Streetcar Named Desire". Tennessee Williams is certainly one of America's trademark playwrites of the past century, along with Arthur Miller. His stories are timeless and his characters are unforgettable.

The immortal character of Blanche DuBois is a classic icon, a woman who's lost not only her material wealth but her virtue. In her last attempt to hold onto some shred of happiness, she goes to stay with her sister, Stella, and Stella's working class husband, Stanley Kowalski. Blanche's fortune has been lost, but she attempts to maintain her dignity and stature as a debutant. Stanley however, is repulsed by the fallen woman, convinced she is not only snobby, but hiding Stella's share of the family fortune. What he discovers is that Blanche has created quite a reputation by having numerous affairs with random men in the surrounding communities. To spite her, he ruins her last chance at getting married and pushes her into the realm of insanity.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a blunt look at the violence of lower class life and how it clashes with the upperclass. Everyone should read this American classic once, if not for the historical benefit, but for amazing dialogues that have been quoted over the years. At this point, pretty everyone knows the phrase, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers", but few realize its origin or the context in which it was spoken. I think its about time everyone knew.

Happy Reading!