Key Quotations

Act 1

"They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off at—Elysian Fields!"

• Blanche describes her literal journey to her sister's home, reflecting her metaphorical journey driven by desire leading to her current downfall.
• This quote employs allegory, where street names symbolize stages in Blanche's life journey: desire, death (cemeteries), and the afterlife (Elysian Fields). It foreshadows Blanche's ultimate fate, driven by her desires leading to her metaphorical death and her arrival at her sister's home as a final refuge.
• Key themes: Desire, fate, downfall.

"Stella, oh, Stella, Stella! Stella for Star!"

• Blanche expresses her deep affection and desperation upon reuniting with her sister.
• The repetition and exclamatory nature of this quote convey Blanche's emotional instability and her need for a guiding figure. The metaphorical use of "Star" symbolizes Stella as a beacon of hope and stability in Blanche's chaotic life.
• Key themes: Family, hope, desperation.

"I let the place go? Where were you! In bed with your–Polack!"

• Blanche accuses Stella of abandoning their family estate, Belle Reve, and marrying below their social class.
• This quote uses accusatory language and racial slur ("Polack") to emphasize Blanche's resentment and class prejudice. It highlights the conflict between Blanche's old Southern aristocracy and Stella's new life with Stanley.
• Key themes: Class conflict, resentment, and family duty.

"Since earliest manhood, the center of [Stanley's] life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it, not with weak indulgence, dependently, but with the power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens."

• This description establishes Stanley's raw, animalistic masculinity and sexual dominance.
• The simile and animal imagery ("richly feathered male bird among hens") emphasize Stanley's virility and dominance. It contrasts with Blanche's delicate, moth-like fragility, setting up the tension between their characters.
• Key themes: Masculinity, dominance, sexuality.

Act 2

"I never met a woman that didn't know if she was good-looking or not without being told, and some of them give themselves credit for more than they've got."

• Stanley dismisses Blanche's attempts to flirt with him, asserting his perspective on women's self-awareness and vanity.
• The quote uses a blunt and dismissive tone to highlight Stanley's straightforward, unromantic view of women, contrasting sharply with Blanche's coquettishness. It underscores Stanley's dominance and lack of respect for Blanche's pretensions.
• Key themes: Reality vs. illusion, gender dynamics, vanity.

"Now let's cut the re-bop!"

• Stanley demands Blanche stop her coy behaviour and be straightforward.
• The colloquialism and abruptness of this quote reflect Stanley's impatience and his desire for transparency. It signifies his rejection of Blanche's pretences and his imposition of control over their interaction.
• Key themes: Reality vs. illusion, power dynamics, confrontation.

"After all, a woman's charm is fifty percent illusion."

• Blanche admits to Stanley that part of her allure is based on creating an illusion.
• This quote uses the metaphor to convey Blanche's self-awareness about the deceptive nature of her charm. It highlights her dependence on illusions to maintain her identity and allure, a central aspect of her character.
• Key themes: Illusion vs. reality, femininity, self-perception.

"Oh, I guess he's just not the type that goes for jasmine perfume, but maybe he's what we need to mix with our blood now that we've lost Belle Reve."

• Blanche reflects on Stanley's roughness and its potential to blend with their refined lineage.
• The quote uses the metaphor ("mix with our blood") to illustrate the blending of social classes and the necessity of adapting to survive. It also reveals Blanche's begrudging acceptance of Stanley's influence.
• Key themes: Class conflict, adaptation, survival. "Red-hot!"

• A tamale vendor's cry in the background adds to the atmosphere and symbolism of the scene.
• The interjection serves as an auditory metaphor for the rising sexual tension between Blanche and Stanley. It also reflects the vibrant, sensual environment of New Orleans.
• Key themes: Sexual tension, environment, symbolism.

Act 3

"The kitchen now suggests that sort of lurid nocturnal brilliance, the raw colors of childhood's spectrum."

• This description of the kitchen sets the scene for a poker night, reflecting the vivid and intense atmosphere.
• The use of vivid imagery and metaphor ("childhood's spectrum") conveys the raw and unrefined energy of the setting, contrasting with Blanche's desire for refinement and control.
• Key themes: Reality vs. illusion, environment, conflict.

"I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action."

• Blanche explains her need to cover the light bulb, reflecting her aversion to harsh realities.
• This quote uses the metaphor to express Blanche's need to soften and mask the truth. The naked light bulb symbolizes harsh reality, which Blanche tries to conceal with the paper lantern, representing her illusions.
• Key themes: Illusion vs. reality, fragility, self-deception.

"STELL-LAHHHHH!"

• Stanley's primal cry for Stella after hitting her and realizing she has left.
• The quote's use of capitalization and repetition emphasizes Stanley's raw, animalistic desperation and need for Stella. It contrasts with Blanche's refined speech, highlighting Stanley's brute force and emotional intensity.
• Key themes: Masculinity, power, dependence.

Act 4

"There are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark–that sort of make everything else seem–unimportant."

• Stella justifies her relationship with Stanley, emphasizing the importance of their sexual bond.
• The quote uses ellipses to convey Stella's hesitation and complexity in articulating her feelings. It underscores the theme of sexual desire as a powerful force that overrides other considerations.
• Key themes: Sexual desire, justification, complexity.

"What you are talking about is brutal desire–just–Desire!–the name of that rattle-trap street-car that bangs through the Quarter."

• Blanche criticizes Stella's relationship with Stanley, equating it with the destructive power of desire.
• This quote uses repetition and capitalization to emphasize Blanche's disdain for raw, unchecked desire. It connects to the play's title and overarching theme of desire leading to downfall.
• Key themes: Desire, destruction, conflict.

"Don't–don't hang back with the brutes!"

• Blanche, Act 4, Scene 1
• Blanche implores Stella not to align herself with Stanley's brutish behaviour.
• The quote uses repetition and emotive language to convey Blanche's desperation and fear. It highlights the tension between Blanche's refined ideals and Stanley's raw masculinity.
• Key themes: Class conflict, fear, desperation.

"Young man! Young, young, young man! Has anyone ever told you that you look like a young Prince out of the Arabian Nights?"

• Blanche flirts with a young newspaper collector, projecting her fantasies onto him.
• The quote's repetition and reference to "Arabian Nights" illustrate Blanche's tendency to escape into fantasy and illusion. It foreshadows her attraction to youth and her need to feel desired.
• Key themes: Fantasy, desire, projection.

"Sometimes–there's God–so quickly!"

• Blanche exclaims this after sharing an intimate moment with Mitch, revealing her vulnerability and hope.
• This quote uses ellipses to convey Blanche's emotional intensity and sudden feeling of divine intervention. It reflects her desperate need for connection and salvation.
• Key themes: Hope, vulnerability, connection.

Act 5

"It's only a paper moon, Just as phony as it can be–But it wouldn't be make-believe If you believed in me!"

• Blanche sings this song from the bathroom while Stanley reveals her past to Stella.
• The lyrics of the song serve as a metaphor for Blanche's life, built on illusions and requiring others' beliefs to sustain them. It contrasts with the harsh reality Stanley exposes, highlighting the theme of illusion vs. reality.
• Key themes: Illusion, reality, deception.

"I told you already I don't want none of his liquor and I mean it. You ought to lay off his liquor. He says you've been lapping it up all summer like a wild-cat!"

• Mitch confronts Blanche about her drinking, reflecting his disillusionment.
• The use of animal imagery ("wild cat") and direct language illustrates Mitch's anger and Blanche's loss of control. It marks a turning point in their relationship, highlighting the theme of deception.
• Key themes: Deception, disillusionment, conflict.

"I don't want realism. I want magic!"

• Blanche pleads with Mitch to maintain the illusions she has created.
• The quote uses contrasting terms ("realism" vs. "magic") to emphasize Blanche's refusal to face reality. It encapsulates her character's struggle and reliance on fantasy to cope with her past.
• Key themes: Illusion vs. reality, coping, denial.

"Tiger–tiger! Drop the bottle-top! Drop it! We've had this date with each other from the beginning!"

• Stanley confronts Blanche, leading to the climactic moment of violence.
• The repetition and animal imagery ("Tiger") underscore the raw, predatory nature of their interaction. It foreshadows the impending violence and highlights the destructive power of desire.
• Key themes: Violence, desire, inevitability.

"Please don't get up. I'm only passing through."

• Blanche's final attempt to maintain her dignity as she is taken away to the asylum.
• The quote's polite tone and irony reflect Blanche's detachment from reality and her tragic fall. It underscores the theme of illusion, as Blanche continues to cling to her genteel facade.
• Key themes: Tragedy, dignity, illusion. "Whoever you are—I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."

• Blanche's final line, reveals her ultimate reliance on others for validation and support.
• This quote uses a plaintive tone and highlights Blanche's vulnerability and dependence. It serves as a poignant end to her character arc, emphasizing her tragic reliance on illusion and others' perception of her.
• Key themes: Dependence, vulnerability, illusion.