A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is considered one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. However, in its time, the play was quite controversial and ended up being banned in several places due to its sexual content and portrayal of mental illness and domestic violence.
Opening Summary
A Streetcar Named Desire tells the story of Blanche DuBois, a Southern belle who moves in with her sister Stella Kowalski and Stella’s working-class husband Stanley in New Orleans. Blanche is a fading relic of the old South, while Stanley represents a new brutish form of masculinity. The two have an immediate conflict over their differences in social class and views on sexuality and gender roles. Over the course of the play, Blanche’s fragile psyche unravels as details about her past and promiscuous behavior come to light, leading to her eventual mental breakdown. Stanley rapes Blanche, causing her to fully lose touch with reality. In the end, she is sent to a mental hospital and loses everything.
The play contains fairly explicit depictions of sexuality, rape, mental illness, and domestic abuse for the time period when it premiered in 1947. As a result, it faced censorship challenges and bans in various cities in the United States as well as in Europe due to concerns over public morality.
Reasons for Banning
Here are some of the main reasons A Streetcar Named Desire was banned or challenged:
- Sexual content – There are discussions of promiscuity and infidelity along with suggestive language. The rape scene, though not explicitly depicted, was considered too shocking and obscene.
- Portrayal of mental illness – Blanche’s descent into madness was viewed by some as offensive and stigmatizing toward those with mental health issues.
- Domestic violence – Stanley’s physical and psychological abuse toward Stella and Blanche was controversial for directly portraying domestic violence.
- Use of profanity – The play contained vulgar language, especially in Stanley’s dialogue, which was unacceptable to many at the time.
- Sympathetic portrayal of homosexuality – Blanche’s young husband commits suicide after she catches him with another man, and her subsequent promiscuity is explained as a reaction to this. This was one of the first sympathetic gay characters in modern theater.
- Sexism – Many saw the play as misogynistic in its portrayal of women primarily as victims and sex objects.
- Racism – Stanley’s racist rants against Blanche were insensitive by today’s standards but reflected views still common when it was written.
- Negative portrayal of immigrants – Stanley as an immigrant blue-collar worker is portrayed as violent, vulgar, and lacking culture and refinement.
Locations where banned
Here are some key places where A Streetcar Named Desire was either banned or challenged due to its content:
Location | Details |
---|---|
Italy | Banned in 1948 under the Fascist government for “offending public morals.” |
United Kingdom | The London city council refused to grant a license for the first production in 1949 due to sexual content. |
Ireland | Banned in the 1950s by theater censors. |
San Francisco | Police temporarily closed the play in 1956 because of its suggestive content. |
Dallas, TX | Police arrested cast members on obscenity charges during a 1956 performance and shut the play down. |
New England | The play was banned in Boston and provincial areas in the late 1950s. |
Apartheid South Africa | Banned for racially integrated casting in the 1950s. |
Soviet Union | Banned by state censors until 1989 for its humanism and individualism. |
There were also challenges and proposed bans in Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities, though the play was never outright prohibited anywhere in the United States after initial bans expired.
Reasons for Controversy
Why exactly was A Streetcar Named Desire so controversial and challenged in its time? Here are some key reasons it pushed boundaries:
- Sexual norms – Open discussion of sexuality and promiscuity challenged conservative sexual mores. Blanche’s nymphomania and Stanley’s carnal desires were depicted vividly.
- Social norms – Critics saw the play as upending class hierarchies, gender roles, and authority figures of the time period it depicted.
- Gay themes – Homosexuality was still highly stigmatized, so the sympathetic depiction of Blanche’s husband was groundbreaking.
- Violence – Unflinching portrayal of mental, physical, and sexual abuse was unprecedented. Especially the rape scene pushed boundaries.
- Immorality – Blanche is an extremely flawed protagonist whose downfall is brought upon by her own vices and inability to conform to expected standards of feminine virtue.
- Realism – The gritty realism of Williams’ language and characterizations departed from theatrical conventions and escapist entertainment.
Overall, A Streetcar Named Desire refused to shy away from topics most Americans were not yet ready to see presented so starkly on stage. Its complex characters and unsentimental portrayal of sexuality, mental illness, gender roles, and domestic violence challenged social mores and generated significant controversy as a result.
Conclusion
A Streetcar Named Desire was banned or challenged in the late 1940s and 1950s because it pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable on stage and screen at the time. Its frank depictions of sexuality and domestic abuse went against conservative sexual norms and views on gender roles. The sympathetic portrayal of homosexuality and mental illness was also groundbreaking. Powerful institutions like the government, police, theaters, and the Catholic church tried to censor the play for fear of corrupting public morals or promoting social change. While certainly tame by today’s standards, A Streetcar Named Desire had a lasting cultural impact by challenging taboos around mental illness, sexual abuse, homosexuality, and gender dynamics. After initial bans expired, the play went on to become a celebrated part of the American theatrical canon and had a profound influence on drama and social narratives. Its controversy upon release reflects just how provocative and mold-breaking Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece was in its historical context.