While I am reading a modern play, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, again I have found out a lot of animal imageries in the play. Perhaps human's behaviours sometimes do share some similar features like animals, thus many writers like to use animal imageries to portray certain behaviours of a characters. In A Streetcar Named Desire, I was impressed by the description of Blanche's entrance on the stage, in which Tennessee likened her uncertain manner and her clothing to a "moth". I think this must be foreshadowing something that is going to happen to Blanche later in the play. As this animal imagery has aroused my curiosity, I have found out more information about this insect from the Wikipedia. Unlike butterflies, most species of moth are active at night. They frequently appear to circle artificial lights. They are especially attracted to bright lights thus sometimes they are attracted to the flame of fire and harm themselves.
"Like a moth to a flame."
This phrase is a simple illustration of the phenomenon of the attraction that moths have to bright light. It means "irresistibly and dangerously attracted to something or someone." In the 17th century, Shakespeare also used this phenomenon to refer to someone who was apt to be tempted by something that would lead to their downfall in his famous play, The Merchant of Venice.
I think it is very suitable to use the phenomenon of moths being attracted to light to portray Blanche's character. She is attracted to male that could satisfy her sexual desire yet she does not know that this is actually a "flame" that will destroy her life. Her arrival at New Orleans symbolizes that she is drawn nearer to the "flame" that is going to lead to her downfall, that is, Stanley, who destroys Blanche's life to the fullest by raping her and then having her committed to an insane asylum.
Although moths are attracted to light at night but they could not stand the sunlight that is too strong and bright. This also accords well with Blanche's behaviour. Throughout the play, she avoids appearing in direct, bright light so that others would not notice her faded beauty. This shows that Blanche is not willing to face the reality of her age.
3 comments:
Thank you for explaining about the moth imagery.I was trying to understand it through my reading of the play.It's true that Blanche is a moth.She likes to put herself in a dangerous situation and at the end suffered the consequences.
This is impressive. I was able to connect Blanche as the moth as I too noticed that she only wants to go out in the evenings and prefers dim light in the room rather than direct light which is very much like a moth as it is sensitive to light. However, I wasn't too sure about the flame at first. I at first wondered on how could Stanley be the flame as i don't see her getting attracted to him but instead says bad things about him to her sister, Stella. However, the real flame would be the men that were her past lovers. She was attracted to those men for company and to feel loved. However, being with those men destroyed her dignity and she was looked down by the society she was in hence being burnt by her attraction to the men, the flame. Thanks for the explanation which helped me =)
Hi, Sun Mun! Your explanation about the moth is really interesting and informational. I have the same opinion with you regarding the reason why Blanche could not stand with bright light and it's because she was scared that being near with bright light will reveal her faded beauty. Throughout the play she never goes out on a date with Mitch during daylight. In the third scene in which she chatted with Mitch, she suddenly asked him ‘to put the coloured paper Chinese lantern’ because she ‘can’t stand naked bright light’ which suggest that she feels insecure with herself when being near with bright light. Your explanation about the moth being attracted to ‘light’ that only brings harm to it have reminded me of a similar thing that was said by Dr.Edwin which I have been trying to remember for the past few days. So, thank you for helping me to remember that!
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