1. A Streetcar Named Desire
Major Themes and Forms

2. Themes and Forms in Williams’ Plays
Psychological and spiritual displacement
Loneliness
Self deception
Retrogression into sexual hedonism

3. More to look out for
In many of Williams’ plays, the audience tend to see the ‘hero’ in a different way. The protagonist appeared to be an alienated tragic hero seeking to belong in an “eroded jungle society.”

4. Form Such themes required new designs:
experience in the stream of consciousness provided extra ideas for structural patterns.
the beginning of Impressionism, Surrealism and Expressionism inspired evocative imagery and symbolism into diction and technical directions

5. Changes in form
The following became significant parts of scripts, characterisation, theme, tension and the intensity of presentation
Lighting
Music
Visual props
Set design
These significantly contributed to the dramatic power of William’s plays.

6. Female characters in Williams’ plays:
usually are psychologically trapped in myths and pretentions of the agrarian “Cavalier” past
are like the “Southern wench” variety

7. Male characters are: Lusty, self- serving “red-necks” “Poet realists”
dull, unimaginative types – those who have brought into the “herd mentality” of the American “shoe-world”

8. So, what themes have you spotted in the play so far?
Here are some of them:
Fantasy and illusion
The old South and the new South
Cruelty
Desire
Loneliness

9. Bibliography
Themes:
Please feel free to visit - it is an amazing site which could greatly help with the analysis of the play.
Images:

10. This presentation was completed by Bhavisha Patel
Thank you!
This presentation was completed by
Bhavisha Patel