music in Streetcar Named Desir

Summary In Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire, Stanley and Stella Kowalski, newlyweds, live in a neglected but amiable part of New Orleans. One day Blanche, Stella's sister, comes to visit, setting up the conflict of the play: an emotional struggle between the tough, harsh, blunt Stanley and the fragile, delicate gentility of Blanche. Blanche and Stella used to live on a Southern plantation, but Stella gave up the ways of the Southern gentry …

…past, which will lead to her undoing, and when she is led off to the insane asylum. In short, the Varsouviana plays at each critical juncture of Blanche's character. And when it does not play, the Blue Piano is often heard, musically describing Blanche's mood. It, like Blanche, is sad, depressed. In short, not one moment goes by in which the music of the play does not work in unison with the character of Blanche.