English Final Essay

Culture

A play or a story in theatre is normally more than “just a story”. In theatre, it seems that a play generally reflects or mirrors a specific background or important time in history. In these three plays, A Streetcar Named Desire, Topdog/Underdog, and Oedipus the King, the author definitely tries to give the readers and audiences something to relate to. At the time the plays were written, the authors seem to be relating to similar experiences or important times in history, which then gives us readers an idea of what the cultures were like for people back then. If an anthropologist discovered A Streetcar Named Desire, Topdog/Underdog, or Oedipus, he or she would definitely pick up a little bit of information on what their culture may or may not have been like.

If an anthropologist discovered the play A Streetcar Named Desire he or she would probably reveal that its culture is in a time where the people are separated into upper and lower classes. The story opens up in Elysian Fields in the city New Orleans. This section of New Orleans is poor, “but unlike corresponding sections in other American cities, it has a charm.” Stanley, one of the books main characters grew up in this poor little town. He was uneducated and did not grow up having nice things, unlike his wife, Stella. Stella’s background is much different than Stanley’s. Stella and her sister Blanche grew up in a wealthy family. They lived on a large southern plantation in Laurel named Belle Rev. Blanche, however, has now lost Belle Rev and it is no longer in the family name and she has no one there to take care of, nor no one there to take care of her. So she heads down to see her sister and her husband in Elysian Fields. When Blanche comes to visit, Stanley has a hard time liking and understanding her because of her “better- than- everyone” personality. As previously said, the two obviously have two completely different backgrounds. The whole time Blanche is with Stanley and Stella, she and...