Blanche DuBois Victim Or Perpetrator
To what extent is can the character of Blanche DuBois be regarded as a victim of circumstance or is she a perpetrator of her own downfall?
The play The Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is about people who display cruelty and harshness in their treatment to others, especially those who are weaker and more vulnerable than themselves. The protagonist of the play, Blanche DuBois is portrayed to be both the victim and the victimiser of the play, causing the audience to sympathise with her to different extents throughout different stages of the play.
One thing which makes it very apparent to the audience that Blanche is a victim is her alcoholism and her dependency on it to calm her erratic nerves. Arguably, if Blanche had received the support she needed earlier, then she would not have had to resort to heavy drinking. Not only do her habits sadden the reader but they also sadden the character of Blanche herself and this is clear from her denial and defensiveness. “No coke, honey, not with my nerves tonight”. As one of Blanche’s common traits, she hates facing a problem face on and prefers to cover / hide the truth, and in this case, she talks about the alcohol as if she has not had a drink in years. This proves she is a victim rather than a perpetrator because it could suggest that Blanche doesn’t enjoy drinking but she is doing it out of necessity rather than personal choice. To highlight her desperation and need for it, Blanche is often shown stealing Stanley’s liquor when she is in the flat on her own.
The most influencing factor in showing that Blanche is in fact a victim is the fact that in her past life she has been emotionally traumatised many times which have left her scarred for life, e.g. the death of her mother, the loss of Bell Reeve, the loss of her husband, her prostitution etc… Possibly the most important of these is the death of her husband. Because Blanche married so young to a man she was so infatuated with, when he died she was no longer
The play The Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is about people who display cruelty and harshness in their treatment to others, especially those who are weaker and more vulnerable than themselves. The protagonist of the play, Blanche DuBois is portrayed to be both the victim and the victimiser of the play, causing the audience to sympathise with her to different extents throughout different stages of the play.
One thing which makes it very apparent to the audience that Blanche is a victim is her alcoholism and her dependency on it to calm her erratic nerves. Arguably, if Blanche had received the support she needed earlier, then she would not have had to resort to heavy drinking. Not only do her habits sadden the reader but they also sadden the character of Blanche herself and this is clear from her denial and defensiveness. “No coke, honey, not with my nerves tonight”. As one of Blanche’s common traits, she hates facing a problem face on and prefers to cover / hide the truth, and in this case, she talks about the alcohol as if she has not had a drink in years. This proves she is a victim rather than a perpetrator because it could suggest that Blanche doesn’t enjoy drinking but she is doing it out of necessity rather than personal choice. To highlight her desperation and need for it, Blanche is often shown stealing Stanley’s liquor when she is in the flat on her own.
The most influencing factor in showing that Blanche is in fact a victim is the fact that in her past life she has been emotionally traumatised many times which have left her scarred for life, e.g. the death of her mother, the loss of Bell Reeve, the loss of her husband, her prostitution etc… Possibly the most important of these is the death of her husband. Because Blanche married so young to a man she was so infatuated with, when he died she was no longer