Desire, to crave or want something or someone so deeply that it becomes the beacon of one’s existence. Following one’s desires is what makes one human, and having desire will lead to a reality in which was not originally foreseen. Essentially leading to the demise of the individual as portrayed in Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire through the character Blanche. Pointing to the theory that one’s desires will inevitably lead to self-destruction through sexual oppression.
“They told me to take a street-car names Desire, and then transfer to one old Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at -Elysian Fields” (Blanche, 6). Blanche desires love but after being subjected to a multitude of males using her in her desire for love throughout her life has had such a great effect on her that it consequentially leads to her own self-destruction. From the beginning of her experiences with her husband, then which then lead to her search for love in many other men, Blanche’s journey for love contributed to her downfall. Throughout A Streetcar Named Desire, she would often create alternate realities to compensate the reality in which she was living as a means of acquiring what she desired. Fundamentally, creating the path to her own cliff to fall from.
Blanche’s first love in her husband was the epitome of the relationship the desired. They found love in each other at a very young age and were childhood sweethearts. He helped her discover the true meaning of love, and showed her the light that she had been searching for. Nonetheless through all this love, he kept a large secret from her about his sexual identity. It was not until she began to notice a difference in him, she said, “…I knew I’d failed him in some mysterious way and wasn’t able to give the help he needed but couldn’t speak of!... I loved him unendurably but without being able to help him or help myself” (Williams, 114). She couldn’t pin point the problem that was occurring with her love until she walked in on him with another man, who had been close friends with the couple for many years prior. As her entire world came shattering down on her, she pretended nothing occurred and chose to continue in their relationship. This was to preserve the love that she had finally acquired. This love however was shattered during a drunken get together soon after when he committed suicide. This was the last straw in the camel’s back that broke Blanche emotionally.
During this time, to be unmarried and single was highly frowned upon, therefore love was the largest desire Blanche possessed. In yearning to be loved, she often gave herself away to any man that would have her. However, these men where not looking for love, she states, “I, I, I took the blows in my face and in my body!” (Williams, 21). These men only used Blanche for their own sexual desire, and using her vulnerability and craving for love to gain something from her. As quoted by Stanley, “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” (Williams, 121). These men would have a few encounters with Blanche, then thy would toss her to the curb as if she were nothing special. This is portrayed when she is in dire need of one of her past men to come rescue her from her hell but she is left with no response. Blanche was sure the man she made love with would love her and take her away from her reality. Shep Huntleigh, from Dallas, Texas, was the man Blanche hoped to love her and bring her back to the reality in which she desired to live in. Blanche however was met with silence and no response from Shep. Blanche knowingly put herself in these positions because she was succumbing to this to satisfy her need and lack of love.
She attempts to cover her past, so she can find love once again. At first it works for her, and has all those but Stanley believing her. She even came close to finding a husband in Mitch. He was close to marrying her, that was until he found out the truth from Stanley. Even after not showing up to Blanche’s birthday party, she found it within her to forgive him when he shows up days later. She expresses to him, “Mitch! You know I shouldn’t let you in after the mistreatment I have received from you this evening! So utterly uncavalier! But hello, beautiful!” (Williams, 139). She is so concerned on being loved and wanted that she allows this mistreatment from him because she does not want to lose him. She sees Mitch as potential for love, and refuses to let it go. She tells him, “I don’t want realism. I want magic!” (Williams, 145). Blanche no longer wanted to live in a world of the truth but a world of magic. Where fairy tales are real and everything goes right. This on the other hand is not the reality that Mitch lives in. He then tells her, “I don’t think I want to marry you anymore” (Williams, 150). This confirmation send Blanche for a whirlwind and then she comes even closer to the cliff of her demise.
Blanche being aware of her promiscuity and her infatuation for finding love affirms as she rolled her eyes, “I guess it is just that I have old fashion ideals” (Williams, 108). Using irony to portray the values of her nature, Blanche realizes the person she has become. She went from innocent and in love to promiscuous and alone. The nature of her being and her desire for love is what directly lead to her ruin. Stanley, like all the other men, will never love her. She declares to Mitch, “the first time I laid my eyes on him I thought to myself, that man is my executioner! That man will destroy me…” (Williams, 111). Blanche is aware of his aggressive nature and his own personal desire to find the truth. Furthermore, leading to the climax of the novel and Blanche’s downfall. After admitting her promiscuity to Stanley, he forcefully rapes her. As inhumane and despicable of an action this is, Stanley is no different from all those other men who exploited Blanche’s vulnerability. Although none of this was her direct doing or intention, it was her desire to be loved that lead her to this place.
Being used by a person multiple times can have various affects on one’s mind, as evidently seen in Blanche’s case. Her affects were so vast and overbearing she began to create alternate realities for herself. She sings, “It’s a Barium and Bailey world, just as phony as it can be. But it wouldn’t be make believe if you believed in me” (Williams, 120). Blanche has delved so deeply into this alternate reality that it has become her reality. She has chosen to ignore the fact that her world has come crashing down on her and that she has lost everything she loved. In her world, none of this exists. In her phony world of delusion, she is happy. She is the Blanche she always aspired to be. Yet under the surface of this act lies sadness. Often Blanche hears a blue piano. This piano signifying the blues. The blues being an expression of sadness and depression. Although in this other reality in which she created, she is still deeply saddened and affected by it all.
Everyone is born with inherent desire. Even in the Buddhism Four Noble Truths it is stated that with desire comes suffering (Four Noble Truths,1). It is these desires that makes one human. This suffering comes hand in hand with self-destruction, as see in Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Blanche who desires love uses her promiscuity to compensate for her lack of love which leads to her downfall.
Works Cited
Williams, Tennessee. The Theatre of Tennessee Williams. New York: New Directions Pub.
Corp, 1971. Print.
Mohn, Elizabeth. "Four Noble Truths." Salem Press Encyclopedia (January 2016): Research Starters, EBSCOhost (accessed May 7, 2017).
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