A Streetcar Named Desire: Theme & Key Quotes: Love

The love theme in A Streetcar Named Desire is often turbulent, destructive and based on illusions rather than authentic connections.
Stanley and Stella’s relationship is filled with raw passion yet tainted by socio-physical violence, revealing a precarious balance of love and power.
Blanche’s distorted perception of love, shaped by past tragedies and turned into a desperate need for validation, contrasts with the brutal, uncomplicated love between Stella and Stanley.

Love and Illusion: Blanche romanticises love as a refuge, an illusion that is continually shattered by the harsh reality of her experiences.
Marital Love: Stanley and Stella’s love demonstrates a bond that endures despite its toxicity, depicting the challenging reality of marriage, particularly in their socioeconomic context.
Obsessive Love: Blanche’s past affair with her young student represents obsessive and transgressive love which led to her downfall.
Love and Power: The power dynamics in Stanley and Stella’s relationship significantly contributes to their perception and manifestation of love.

“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers” - Blanche, this quote underscores her desperate reliance on others for emotional validation and love.
“Stanley doesn’t give a damn about you. All he wants is to keep you here” - Blanche to Stella, critiquing Stella’s love for Stanley, and implying it’s more about dominance than love.
“I pulled you down off them columns and how you loved it!” - Stanley to Stella, here Stanley claims their love is passionate and elemental, almost animalistic.

Symbolism: The poker game Stanley plays with his buddies symbolises male dominance, including his relationship with Stella which is based on power rather than love.
Dramatic Irony: The audience is aware of Blanche’s distorted perception of love before the other characters, adding a layer of dramatic irony.
Foreshadowing: The description of Blanche’s dead husband foreshadows her own inevitable downfall due to her relentless pursuit of romantic love.
Juxtaposition: The contrasting representations of love - Stanley and Stella’s lustful yet volatile love, and Blanche’s romanticised yet destructive love - intensify the play’s tragic nature.
Use of Music: The recurring ‘blue piano’ and ‘Varsouviana’ polka music help to signify the characters’ emotional state, particularly Blanche’s illusion of love.