AP+1.+Elysian+Fields

Rofida Khairalla History: Elysian Field The Elysian Field is an avenue located in New Orleans, Lousianna, just outside of the French Quarter. The Elysian Fields is named after the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The Champ-Élysées translated into Elysian Fields, thus revealing the inspiration for the avenue’s name, “In the 16th century this area was nothing but fields outside the center of Paris. In 1616 Marie de Medicis decided to create a long tree-lined path going east from the Tuileries” (//A view on cities//). The Elysian Fields Avenue in the New Orleans took a great deal of inspiration from the Champs-Élysées. Intended to be a elegant and culturally rich avenue, Elysian Fields was portrayed in the play //A Street Car Named Desire//, to be the opposite. Tennessee Williams portrayed the avenue to be the setting of irony because it lacked elegance. Such a negative portray had multiple affects on the fate of the street today. 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). The improvements upon this area after all this time, demonstrate the impact of the William’s play. By demonstrating the area was not the grand and elegant avenue that it was expected to be, Williams inspired today’s effort towards making the Elysian equal to that of the Champs-Élysées. Today the street is seen as a historical site where the streetcar, Desire, once ran.

“Champs-Élysées." a//veiwoncities.com.// n.p. 2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2011.

Donze, Frank. “ Streetcar plans for North Rampart Street and St. Claude Avenue scaled back.” //Nola.com.// n.p. 2011. Web. 9 Nov. 2011.

AIM: Amber George The Elysian Fields Avenue is a street in New Orleans that was based off of a very famous street in Paris. “Champs-Elysees”, as it was called in Paris, is known as “t he most famous avenue in the world” (aviewoncities). became one of the most popular streets due to it’s excessive amounts of cafes, specialty shops, cinemas, as well as it’s expensive real estate. The purpose of the street was to give people a place where they could experiences the exciting world of cinema and restaurants, as well as to honor the victories of Napoleon Bonaparte on the Arc de Triomphe. It was meant as a strip for people to visit and spend their time (and money). The enlarged streets were created so that they could hold parades and festivities at times like the New Year, as well as for military praising. They placed streetcars all up and down the streets for people to use to get around. (Donze). By copying the street in Paris, New Orleans created an easier way for people to get this experience that the French had, and supplied a location for parades and festivles. “Champs-Élysées." a//veiwoncities.com.// n.p. 2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2011.

Donze, Frank. “ Streetcar plans for North Rampart Street and St. Claude Avenue scaled

 back.” //Nola.com.// n.p. 2011. Web. 9 Nov. 2011.

Paige Wellman

Elysian Fields: Cultural

Elysian Fields is a most famously known as a street in Paris translating to Champs-Élysées. The street is used for celebrations or national events, which relates to the Greek word Elysium meaning a resting place for heroes and virtues. The Greeks describe Elysium as a paradise chosen by the gods, relating back to celebration and rest. (Lindemans, Micha). In Homer’s The Odyssey, Elysian Fields is characterized with relaxation stating “ no snow is there, nor heavy storm, nor ever rain, but ever does Ocean send up blasts of the shrill-blowing West Wind that they may give cooling to men…” The story uses Elysian Fields as a meadow of perfect happiness where the worthy dead and gods go to enjoy all of its beauty. (Gill, N.S.). Throughout history the Greek mythology has showed Elysian Fields associated with festivities, merriment, perfection, and heroism.

“Elysian Fields.” Lindemans, Micha F.. 9 November 2011. 1999. @http://www.pantheon.org/articles/e/elysian_fields.html.

Homer, and W.H.D, Rouse. The Odyssey. Signet Classic. 1999.

“Elysian Fields Definition.” Gill, N.S. About.com. 9 November 2011. @http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/aeneid/g/101909ElysianFields.htm

Audience Ally Barton The audience for the Elysian Fields are the many people who come to see the festivities they are the people who celebrate the parades and the military. The family of lost military people would also be apart of this audience because they celebrate “the military parades” for the people who served for their country. Many people celebrate “New Year’s Eve” on this street as well. This street is not what its name suggests, many people will think of it as a “paradise” but it is not. This area is a historical place where people may visit to better understand what the name really means. To understand they would have to visit both the street in Paris that is “a magnificent boulevard” and the one in New Orleans that is “a shabby thoroughfare in a working-class district”. This area could be a place for people to live in the history of a beautiful place. It is important to understand that in the book this place would attract an audience for people who feel like they are looking for lost people. Within the book the name stands for Afterlife so people searching for deceased loved ones would go here.

"Champs-Elysées." //A View On Cities.// 2011. Web. 10 November 2011.

Cummings, Michael. "A Streetcar Named Desire Study Guide." //Cummings Study Guides.// 2003. Web. 10 November 2011.