Techniques Used by Playwrite Tennessee Williams
Techniques Used by Playwrite Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams, a famous playwright of the twentieth century, is the author of A Streetcar Named Desire. He is known as a great playwright because of his creative use of literary techniques and his unique style. In particular: Tennessee Williams' use of the literary techniques imagery, ambiguousness and foreshadowing, in A Streetcar Named Desire, allow him to be more affective.
Tennessee Williams uses the technique Foreshadowing in his writing. Giving the audience a hint of what's to come will attract their attention and get them to keep reading. Stanley and Blanch show signs of attractions throughout the play. These relations foreshadow the incident at the end of act III scene IV. "(A cat screams off R., and BLANCH jumps involuntarily toward STANLEY, who is amused.)" (I.I. Pg19). This scene between blanch and Stanley shows signs of attraction,
BLANCHE. Many thanks! Now the buttons! (Turns her back to him, stands D. R. C.)
STANLEY. (Coming to behind her, makes clumsy attempt to fasten hooks.) I can't do nothing with them.
BLANCH. You men with your big clumsy fingers. (Looks at him.) May I have a drag on your cig?
STANLEY. (Giving her cigarette from behind his ear.) Here-have one for yourself.
BLANCH. (Crossing below to L. of STANLEY.) Why, thanks! (I.II. Pg25)
This flirtatious relationship which hints to the audience what is to come, in turn causes the audience to want to pay more attention.
Tennessee uses the technique ambiguity several times within the story. He uses ambiguousness in this scene to leave his readers wondering what going to happen to Stella, "STELLA. (Clutching front door for support says weakly.) Take me to the Hospital… FADE OUT AND CURTAIN" (III.II. Pg80). Leaving the audience hanging in this way will surely heighten their curiosity and gain their attention. Tennessee also leaves this scene ambiguous.
BLANCH. So I could twist the broken end in your face!
STANLEY. I bet you would do that.
BLANCH. I would I will if-
STANLEY. Oh, you want some rough-house! All right, let's have some rough-house! (Springs towards her. She cries out. He seizes her hand holding bottle. Twists it behind her.) Tiger-tiger! Drop the bottle-top! Drop it! (She drops bottle-top. He bends her to his will, picks her...