American Dramatic Values Reflect the Society from Which They Spring.
Summary:
America's national identity has been mirrored through its arts programs and use of drama and theatre. "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder and "Streetcar named Desire" by Tennessee Williams are reflections of society's values, concerns and issues from the era they were sprung.
America's national identity has been mirrored through its arts programs and use of drama and theatre. "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder and "Streetcar named Desire" by Tennessee Williams are reflections of society's values, concerns and issues from the era they were sprung. "Streetcar" written in the late 1940s was a response to Post 2nd world war. America was in an Industrial Revolution. The main themes of the play are Class Distinctions, racial tensions, domestic tension, violence, ideals of American family-changing while hinting on homosexuality. These issues of the play are reflective of the values of the late 1940s.
The Characters in the play are symbolic of these issues. Blanche is a representation of the decay of 'old' American ideals. Blanche, thus, resists the pull of time, terrified of the first signs of age, aware that something has ended and that it can only be recovered at the level of story, only through roles that she so desperately performs and which finally offer her no immunity. Blanche is damaged emotionally and sexually, hypersensitive of her surroundings, she frequently treads the boundaries of insanity. Her affairs with young boys and homosexual husband leave her violated or at least untroubled by consequences.
She is acutely aware of loss and passage of time; she spends much of her time trying to conceal what she assumes to be the depredations of time and experience. Blanche and possibly the world from which she comes have lost something; her original vivacity has given way to trickery. Her marriage to a homosexual husband had in effect been a logical extension of her desire for preference of style over function. Her entirely natural but cruel exposure of him is itself evidence of that neurotic recoil from the real which is the essence of her life. Trying to purge herself of her relations and her exposure to change, Blanche takes long baths. These baths symbolizing the cleansing and therapeutic women of the 1930's. Blanche DuBois posses a very old American name; 'DuBois' which symbolically hints to her connection to the 'Old South'. Stanley, however, is the polar opposite to Blanche. When Stanley and Blanche face each other, class and gender are in ambiguous confrontation. This clash with characters is representative of the clash of America's working class' lifestyle opposing the rich and their lifestyle. For Blanche is powerfully attracted by the social crudity and masculine directness which she simultaneously despises, as Stanley is fascinated by those very qualities of aristocratic arrogance and neurotic sexuality which he affects to hold in contempt. Stanley embodies the values of the new south and new ideals. Stanley represents instinct, embodying physically, an appreciation of human fundamentality. Married to Stanley, sister to Blanche is Stella. Stella, pregnant with life, represents change and moving on from her old lifestyle; symbolic of the Old South. Stella and Stanley are symbolically representing the ideals of the ever-changing American family. The realistic play through is setting, dialogue and characters reflect social context of the 1940's.
Similarly in 'Our Town', the play is illustrative of the themes and issues that were present in the 1930's. The play was written in an industrial revolution after the war, so the theme of the play mainly has to do with the way that life has been taken for granted by the citizens of America in the 1930's. The main themes of the play are that life itself is an endless lifecycle, that the ordinary is an untapped beauty and appreciation of the simple things in life. The fact that 'Our Town' can be any rural town of America greatly promotes these themes. The characters, apart from the stage manager, are emblematic of average everyday characters of real life rural America. The stage managers role is to unify everything, while being a social commentator, narrator and symbolizing the omnipotent, all knowing, god of the play. Expressionist techniques of mime, minimalism and interaction of audience provide a key part of the plays success. The stereotypical dialogue and realistic techniques also prove to be typical and realistically provide context for the American audience of the 1930's.
American Drama has been shaped by the ideals and identity of American society of that time.
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