【Abstract】A Streetcar Named Desire is Williams’s all-time masterpiece. This paper analyses themes of fantasy， reality and desire through different characters and plots in the play. And shows how these factors interact with each other. By analysing themes in the play， the paper provides a picture of world in the transition of the 20th America to readers.

【Key words】Tennessee Williams; A Streetcar Named Desire; Theme

Introduction

Tennessee Williams is regarded as the greatest American playwright after the second World War. His psychological realism boosts American theatre. A Streetcar Named Desire is regarded as Williams’s greatest achievement. The eleven-act play mainly depicts Blanche’s experience at Stella’s home in New Orleans. The paper analyses themes of fantasy， reality and desire in the play. It provides a picture of world in the transition of the 20th America to readers.

I. Fantasy

The theme of fantasy is mainly embodied in the character of Blanche. She tries to escape the tormenting reality and seeks refuge in illusion. However， She lives her later life in asylum at last.

She is an old-style lady of the decayed southern plantation. She remains her aristocratic manners which make her cannot come to term with social changes. Filthy experience is a heavy burden in her mind. Stella’s home is her only whither. In New Orleans， She pretends to be an elegant and educated lady. Alcohol and baths are her best ways to escape reality. She believes baths can take away her ugly past. She is afraid to be exposed in the light. In order to hide her real age， she adds the paper around bulb in the room. However， Stanley sends Blanche a ticket to Laurel and rapes her. In the end， She pays for her fantasy with entering into asylum.

II. Reality

The theme of reality is mainly embodied in the character of Stanley. He is coarse and uncivilized. He is the man of the New South who celebrates the present and enjoys concrete joy. Dominance is his nickname. He dominates all things in the play， such as his wife， friends， car， radio even Blanche.

He wants to get the profit of Belle Reve and ruffles Blanche’s cloth to search the bill of sale; He cannot control his temper and fights with his pregnant wife; He wants to revenge Blanche and tells all her filthy past to Mitch who wishes to marry to her; In order to meet his sexual need， he rapes the frail Blanche; What’s worse is， he safeguards his family and drives Blanche to asylum in the end. What he displays the image is brute animal and what Stanley shows to us is the cold reality.

III. Desire

The theme of desire is mainly embodied in the character of Blanche and Stella. They are both southern gentlewomen， but they take totally different attitudes to desire which lead to different life.

For Stella， she has a healthy attitude to her desire by embracing a common but real life with Stanley. More importantly， she is able to adjust to reality and desire which Blanche cannot. She does not hesitate in longing for Stanley’s love. She abandons the family to live with Stanley. Facing Stanley’s violence， she chooses to adapt to him even gives a birth to the baby. In the eye of Blanche， she considers her sister has gotten into a material dilemma and writes a letter to ask for help. However， Stella is defensive of Stanley and their family. Even if Stella knows Blanche is raped by Stanley， she still lives with Stanley.

For Blanche， she bears the same attitude to desire as her ancestors. Her moral cannot come to term with her desire， and she chooses to erupt in epic fornication. However， her daydream is destroyed by Stanley. She pays with her sanity. Blanche’s tragedy is mainly due to she has never reconciled her identity with her desire. She makes up a illusive reality where ignores her need for desire.

Conclusion

Fantasy， reality and desire are three main themes in the play. Events have happened between Blanche， Stella， Stanley and Mitch illustrating these themes greatly. Blanche is the embodiment of illusion， ending in the asylum; Stanley is brave to chaste for reality， succeeding in the conflict between Blanche and him; Stella gives up her genteel identity to defence her love. All characters and events work together to show how different people live during the transition of the 20th American.

References：

[1]A Streetcar Named Desire.New York:New Directions，1947.

[2]Li Ying.“A Psychoanalytic Critique of Desire in Tennessee William’s Play.” Ph.D.diss，Shangdong University，2006.