AP+2014+Elysian+Fields

Audience - Lizzie The audience of Elysian Fields Avenue is the mass of people that come to see the military parades and who commemorate the long history of the street and the fallen soldiers who have served the country. While the avenue’s parallel in Paris is considered a very elegant place with luxurious history, the avenue in America is completely lacking in elegance (Gill, N.S.). In the novel, “A Streetcar Named desire, the street was intended to be a very rich place, but was in reality the opposite. Those who look to the avenue for historical and commemorative value see this gap in perception. Since the book came out, the importance of the quality of this avenue has changed. The updating of the streetcar system was abandoned in order to restore the avenue's quality, as it had a new meaning. According to Frank Donze, “instead, the agency will use money from a 2010 bond sale that netted the agency $79 million to create the service along Rampart and St. Claude to Elysian Fields, a distance of about 1.3 miles” (Donze). This change affects the way the audiences view the avenue’s significance.

Donze, Frank. “ Streetcar plans for North Rampart Street and St. Claude Avenue scaled back.” Nola.com. n.p. 2011. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. “Elysian Fields Definition.” Gill, N.S. About.com. 9 November 2011.

Aim - Aidan

Elysian Fields, as the virtuous place in Greek mythology possesses a different purpose than the Avenue in New Orleans does. In New Orleans, Elysian Fields runs through neighborhoods, acting as a center, and connecting two bodies of water. The history of Elysian Fields might be that, “ Through the lands once the commons...This canal eventually became Elysian Fields Avenue” (Wilson). The purpose for Elysian Fields was not to be a virtuous and beloved place, but to connect water bodies. The name may have been to reflect the Mythological place, but no efforts were made to make Elysian Fields Avenue such a place. The setting of the novel, “A Streetcar Named Desire” being on Elysian Fields draws attention to the fact that, the name was designed to reflect such a lovely place in Greek mythology, and yet, the actual avenue is just that, an avenue. In fact, the avenue has only served to run through neighborhoods, and was never really intended to be a nice place for the righteous people to go.

Branley, Edward. "NOLA History: Faubourg Marigny, New Orleans’ First Subdivision."GoNOLAcom RSS. New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. Wilson, Samuel, Jr., and Sally K. Evans. "Elysian Guest House: Location: History."Elysian Guest House: Location: History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.

Historical - Elijah

The Elysian Fields, otherwise known as Elysium, were a prominent aspect of Greek mythology through early history. It was the Greek equivalent of heaven, serving as a resting place for the souls of those deemed heroic and good. It was divided into “two such realms--the islands of the Blessed and the Lethean fields of Haides” (Theoi). Neither realm of Elysium was viewed negatively, as the islands of the Blessed were for heroes and the fields of Haides were for the virtuous. Any places named after Elysium are meant to be places of righteousness and morality, where individuals are supposed to keep “their souls clean and pure, never letting their hearts be defiled by the taint of evil and injustice, and barbaric venality” (Princeton). Elysian Fields Avenue in New Orleans is one such place. Historically, the avenue holds little significance, but it gained some recognition as it is the street on which A Streetcar Named Desire is set.

"Elysium." Princeton University. Princeton, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.

"ELYSIUM, ISLAND OF THE BLESSED : Greek Mythology." ELYSIUM, ISLAND OF THE BLESSED : Greek Mythology. Theoi, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.

Cultural - Sean

Elysian Fields Avenue in New Orleans is an extremely culturally significant street. When describing the cultural value of the street, Richard Campanella states, “Only one avenue in all of New Orleans connects the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain with a single, straight, north- south line: Elysian Fields Avenue.” Elysian Fields avenue connected these two bodies of water to help develop the city of New Orleans. The first railroad was built off Elysian Fields Avenue and the first visitors to New Orleans came through Elysian Fields Avenue. Running down the middle of Downtown New Orleans just adjacent to the French Quarter, Elysian Fields Avenue separates Downtown into two distinct sides. It provides a ground on which children from either side of the street can congregate and play or socialize. Being the original neighborhood on which the entire city of New Orleans was developed in the 19th century, Elysian Fields Avenue was the road that experienced the first signs of development in the entire city. Songs have even been written about the prosperity and the culture on Elysian Fields Avenue. A popular play “A Streetcar Named Desire” even took place on Elysian Fields Avenue, showing how culturally significant the street is to the city of New Orleans.

Elysian Fields Avenue Charret. New Orleans: AIA Communities, 2007. Print.

Branley, Edward. "NOLA History: Faubourg Marigny, New Orleans’ First Subdivision." GoNOLAcom RSS. GoNOLA, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.