The title of Tennessee
Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire" has great significance and
is a metaphor for the central themes and conflicts of the play.
The streetcar named
Desire is the one that brings Blanche DuBois to New Orleans to stay with her
sister Stella and her husband Stanley. The streetcar is a symbol of Blanche's
journey, her desires, and her struggles. It is also symbolic of the social
changes happening in the country at the time, as streetcars were being replaced
by buses and cars.
The title also
highlights the themes of desire and longing that run throughout the play.
Blanche is driven by her desire to escape her past and create a new life for
herself. Stanley is driven by his desire for power and control over his wife
and his environment. Stella is torn between her love for her sister and her
loyalty to her husband.
The title can also be
seen as a commentary on the idea of the American Dream, as Blanche's desire to
start a new life represents the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment that is at
the core of the American Dream.
Overall, the title
"A Streetcar Named Desire" is a powerful metaphor for the themes and
conflicts of the play, and it captures the complex desires and struggles of the
characters as they navigate their way through the shifting social and cultural
landscape of mid-century America.