Discuss The Symbolism Of Light In The Play, Particularly The Image Of The Light Bulb. It Can Be Argued That Scene 9 In Which Mitch Forces Blanche Under The Light Bulb Is The Climax Of The Play. Discuss. Refer To The Evolution Of Blanche'S Inner Conflict

Tennessee Williams begins his play, "A Streetcar named Desire", with presenting a reader with esoteric and sensuous woman Blanche, the audience sees the protagonist undone by her illusions. The light in the play can be used to evaluate on Blanches attraction, goals and reveal factor, all these substances help to discuss protagonist conflict in the play. Thetransition of Blanche's inner conflict into an external can be shown through the symbolism of light in this play.

Tennessee Williams deliberately presents the audience with the symbol of light that attracts the protagonist, hence helps to develop external conflict. In stage directions, the playwright compares Blanche with a "moth", a small bug which is always attracted by the light; this metaphore suggests protagonist being very naivete and easily fooled. The moth is also a type of a night butterfly; this clue foreshadows Blanche's desire to go out only at night, hence to hide the truth. Furthermore it characterizes her as a desperate and a sportsmanlike. Tennessee gives this description in the first scene, in order to set the mood and to contrast Blanche with harsh reality. Not only Williams defines her as a moth, be he suggests that Stanley is a fire that attracts Blanche. Playwright gives the desription of Stanley as "28 year old ... carries his bowling jacket", at that time bowling jacket were really bright and shimmery, thus it foretells that Stenley attracts Blanche. However, dramatist uses this device to pave the way for further conflict. ... In scene II, Tennesee proves that Blanche plays with fire, when makes a foolish attempt to woo Stella's husband. However this portarys her as egoistic and vigorous woman and leeds to an external conflict between Stenley and Blanche. More external con...

The author of this play uses the imagery of dim light to emphasize Blanche goals and ideal in her life. In the beginning of scene IX, Tennessee illustrates Blanche's hatred toward light "I like it dark. The dark is comforting to me": this elucidates her attempt to disguise the truth; this also proves her internal conflict, inferiority complex, which is bind with her age. This complex compels her to see in men, a future husband rather then a human. Moreover the author draws a parallel between the naked light bulb and Blanche's tastes in men, "I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action", and in other words she can't stand reality as well as coarse action. This denotes her hostility towards men like Stanley, but still she is attracted by him, so it means she hates reality, but still it's a part of her life. Furthermore, later in the play Blanche summarizes her ideals through the use of light "soft people have got to shimmer and glow - they've got to put on soft colors....and put a - paper lantern over the light" this passage demonstrates her desire towards mystery and incomprehensibility. Author's protagonist is very soft, which proves her "shimmer and glow", this quote it taken from scene V, just before the rape scene, thus illustrates her choice of soft colored clothes. But not only this, Blanche's character is miraculous and "phoney": she wants to pretend to be elegant, rather