An Analysis of Blanche’s Tragedy in A Streetcar Named Desire_英语论文

摘要

田纳西·威廉斯是美国有史以来最著名的戏剧家之一，在美国戏剧界享有崇高的地位。他创作了许多剧本，这些作品都与他的人生经历和时代背景有关，经常以美国南方为背景。《欲望号街车》是田纳西·威廉斯的代表作之一。1948年，威廉斯凭借这部戏剧获得了普利策奖。该剧讲述了美国南部美丽的女主人公布兰奇因不适当的行为被解除教师职务后，来到新奥尔良投靠妹妹，但又与妹夫斯坦利粗暴的生活方式格格不入，继而遭妹夫强奸，最后被送进疯人院的悲剧故事。本文从性格缺陷、家庭桎梏和社会环境三个不同的方面分析布兰奇悲剧的具体成因，指出人的命运是环境和性格共同作用的必然结果，从而让人们更深地体会到男权社会对女性的压抑和束缚以及北方工业文明对南方文明的摧残。

关键词：《欲望号街车》；悲剧；性格缺陷；家庭桎梏；社会环境

Abstract

Tennessee Williams was one of the most famous American playwrights, who had the lofty status in the theatrical circles in America. He wrote a number of plays, all of which were related to his life experiences and historical background and was often set in American South. A Streetcar Named Desire is one of Tennessee Williams’s representative works. In 1948, Williams won the Pulitzer Prize for this drama. This drama tells the story of a beautiful southern heroine, Blanche, who went to New Orleans to seek refuge with her sister after she was dismissed due to inappropriate behaviors as a teacher. But she didn’t adapt to rude lifestyle of Stanley, who was her brother-in-law. Finally, she was raped by Stanley and sent to a lunatic asylum. This thesis analyzes the specific causes of Blanche's tragedy from three aspects of character defects, family bondage and social environments, pointing out that Blanche’s fate was the inevitable result of interaction of environment and character. And people could deeply realize the oppression and restraint of patriarchal society to women and destruction of the northern industrial civilization to the southern civilization.

Key words: A Streetcar Named Desire, tragedy, character defects, family bondage，social environments

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Demonstration. 2

2.1 The defects in Blanche’s character2

2.1.1 Blanche’s levity.2

2.1.2 Blanche’s blind superiority3

2.1.3 Blanche’s illusion4

2.1.4 Blanche’s hypocrisy5

2.2 The bondage of family6

2.2.1 Allan’s betrayal6

2.2.2 Stanley’s brutality7

2.2.3 Stella’s submission9

2.3 The influences of social environment11

2.3.1 The oppression of patriarchal society.11

2.3.2 The conflicts between Old North and New South.12

Conclusion13

Works Cited .15

Bibliography .16