“A Streetcar Named Desire is a gripping drama, but it does not succeed as tragedy because Blanche never fully engages the sympathy of the audience.” How do you respond to this idea?
- Words:
- 1990
- Submitted:
- Thu Oct 29 2009
- Mark submitted by Author:


... "A Streetcar Named Desire is a gripping drama, but it does not succeed as tragedy because Blanche never fully engages the sympathy of the audience." How do you respond to this idea? My response is that I do not agree with this statement. Indeed there are points in Williams' theatrical piece where Blanche is perceived negatively by the audience. However, it is through his clever dramatic structure, in which we learn about Blanche step by step, her character revealed as sometimes things are revealed against her will which allow the audience to sympathise with her. Perhaps it can be said that our sympathy as the audience is only fully engaged when Blanche finally meets her tragic fate and that that is where the tragedy lies. As Williams reveals the details of Blanche's life we feel that perhaps the events in her life were not all her own fault, perhaps beyond her














