Destruction of Culture by Barbarism in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williams is one of the greatest playwrights of America which breathed life to both American drama and Broadway in the twentieth century. He also has been influential in the formation of American Drama identity which revolves around family affairs analyzed from psychological, social, and economic prism, albeit artistically. One of his plays which earned him respect and fame in the eyes of both drama critics and play goers was his masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire which is a domestic tragedy. This play is well-known for the richness of its symbols and themes, and superb characterization, along with the artistic combination and interplay of the aforementioned elements by the playwright. Accordingly, this article endeavors to show how the playwright intermingles symbols and characterization in the play to move forward the theme of the destruction of culture by barbarism.

Keywords:

Theme , Symbol , Character , Interplay , Culture , Barbarism , Destruction