On Blanche’s Illusions in A Streetcar Named Desire Through Adler’s Psychological Perspective文献综述

 2022-08-15 10:42:52

On Blanchersquo;s Illusions in A Streetcar Named Desire Through Adlerrsquo;s Psychological Perspective

Abstract：A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams, is highly praised and eulogized for its delicate construction, refined writing, vivid characters and provoking thoughts, and its controversial heroine, Blanche, always occupies the center of attention and debate. In this thesis, with the application of Alfred Adlerrsquo;s Individual Psychology, the author will analyze the illusions of this fragile southern female in terms of their manifestations, causes and functions to present a new idea that Blanchersquo;s retreating into illusions can not be explained as a negative attitude towards life, but an acceptable alternative to survive.

Key words: A Streetcar Named Desire; Blanche; Illusion; Individual Psychology; Inferiority Complex

II. Literature Review

Thomas Lanier III(1911-1983), later changing his name to Tennessee Williams, is an important and controversial dramatist in 20th-century America. During his nearly 30 yearsrsquo; dramatic career, Williams has created an extensive canon of 70 plays, all of which are significant contributions to the American and world theatre. A Streetcar Named Desire has widely been regarded as Williamsrsquo; masterpiece and his most influential play. It premiered in 1947, just three years after his first success of The Glass Menagerie, won him a Pulitzer Prize, a Donaldson Award, and a Drama Criticsrsquo; Circle Award and brought him commercial and professional success. When Streetcar was adapted to film in 1951, starring Vivien Leigh as Blanche, and Marlon Brando as Stanley, it became a film classic. Blanche Dubois, the pivotal character in this play, is a sensitive delicate moth-like member of the fading Southern aristocracy who has lost her teaching position as a result of his promiscuity. She lives in a fantasy world, lying to herself as well as to others in order to recreate the world as it should be.

Compared with other characters, Blanche is unquestionably most famous character of Tennessee Williams and perhaps his “finest creation” (Tischler 140). From a psychoanalytic approach, this project aims to have a thorough understanding of Blanchersquo;s illusions. In this play, Blanche spares no effort to create, and then to preserve her illusions through all kinds of tricks, such as lies, deliberate concealment, and avoidance reach a psychological balance. However, retreating into illusions is not the best way to reach her rebirth. What she should do is not building her self-centered world, but venture out of it with compassion and understanding. Actually, aside from Blanche, other major characters in Streetcar, including Stella, Stanley, and Mitch, are all struggling in their quest for balance of mind. No one in the play has received their desired results at the end of the story. The solution Williams proposed is mutual compassion and understanding. This happens to coincide with the theory of Adlerrsquo;s “social interest” that individuals and society are interrelated and interdependent, and people may function well constructively with others for the good of us all. Individuals should nourish their caring for others, for family, for society, for humanity, even for life if they want to reach their perfection and self-actualization.

Lack of compassion and understanding is an obstacle not only among the characters in Street, but also among individual of the whole universe nowadays. The author hopes this thesis will arouse readerrsquo;s mediation on how to face the feeling of inferiority and how to respond when desires encounter stressful situations. Therefore, not only does the interpretation of Blanchersquo;s illusions from the perspective of Individual Psychology have a theoretical meaning but also have an important practical significance.

In this thesis, with the application of Alfred Adlerrsquo;s Individual Psychology, the author will analyze the illusions of this fragile southern female in terms of their manifestations, causes and functions to present a new idea that Blanchersquo;s retreating into illusions can not be explained as a negative attitude towards life, but an acceptable alternative to survive.

As one of the most famous dramatists in the 20th century, Tennessee Williams created the play A Streetcar Named Desire which won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama and has had great influence in society. The heroine Blanche attracts a lot of attention in literary circles for her tragic fate. This thesis aims to give an analysis to Blanchersquo;s tragic fate by stating her illusion and disillusion in different aspects. A woman who ended up with tragedy has great significance of reality and makes the writer think deeply. The thesis is also expected to bring some more innovative thoughts and make some contribution to the study of Tennesseersquo;s works.

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