Tennessee Williams’s most influential play was originally called The Moth, then changed to Blanche’s Chair in the Moon, then to The Poker Night, before he lighted on A Streetcar Named Desire. He explained the title’s origin in an essay of 1946: ‘I live near the main street of the Quarter. Down this street, running on the same tracks, are two streetcars, one named “Desire” and the other named “Cemeteries”. Their indiscourageable progress up and down Royal Street struck me as having some symbolic bearing of a broad nature on the life in the Vieux Carré — and everywhere else, for that matter.’ Blanche’s first line in the play is ‘They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, then transfer to one called Cemeteries’: and it seems to be Williams’ conviction that unrestrained desire leads to destruction – a conviction that drives the play towards its terrible end.Consulted:Kolin, Philip C.: The Tennessee Williams Encyclopedia (2004)
Now I feel much better about changing my mind a dozen times before ordering food in a restaurant... The last pick is the good one!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome.
ReplyDeleteThe Poker Night was definitely the best work of Tennessee Williams, one of the best characters I've ever heard in my life.That's good that someone decided to talk about him, because is difficult find people interested in talking about historical characters.
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