Streetcar Named Desire Essay

In A Streetcar named Desire by Tennessee Williams, fantasy vs. reality is where Blanche’s life could be characterized as a tragedy because of the combination of her personal failings and circumstances she had no control over, which ultimately force her her to not live in this world, but survive in it.

To begin, in A Streetcar named Desire by Tennessee Williams, fantasy vs. reality is where Blanche’s life could be characterized as a tragedy because of her personal failings. It was evident throughout the entire play that she was in love once, but never again. Her 16 year old marriage was the highlight of her life until she found him with another man. This is where Blanche’s first failure occurred, when it was brought to her attention that she was not good enough. Even though the reality was her husband is gay, she chose to take the fantasy realm and ignore it. Secondly, once her marriage ended, she became a prostitute. This alone indicates how she will be “good enough” for not only one man, but multiple. This delusional image of desire she created led her to a reality of filth and disgust with herself. Thirdly, her want for love only directed her towards a life with no job and shame on her name, due to the teacher-student relationship she pursued. The fantasy world of having young love again was shattered by the brutal truths of life, and how alone she actually was. Lastly, Blanche desperately shows how much she wants to move on through Mitch. Her will to “be at rest” is broken once her lies catch up with her, and only disappointment is evident at this point. Blanche may have survived most of her life as a tragedy, but there is only so much an individual can endure before they finally break.

Furthermore, in a Streetcar named Desire by Tennessee Williams, fantasy vs. reality is where Blanche’s life could be characterized as a tragedy because of the circumstances she had no control over. Being Blanche, her hometown, appearance, and family meant the world to her....