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1. Elysian Fields

Josh Wilson



In Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields were the final resting place of the heroic and the virtuous. Also known as the Elysian Plains, it was a section of the Underworld that lay on the western margin of the Earth. According to Homer, “the Elysian Fields were where the mortal relatives of the king of gods were transported, without tasting death, to enjoy an immortality of bliss” (Crystal). It was also thought that in Elysium were fields of pale trees and other plants, as well as the gates that led to the house of Hades. Throughout the Renaissance, many poets began to interpret the Elysian Fields a little differently. Some described it as a paradise, while others found the Elysian Fields to be more of a place of torture. Today, many Neopagans see the Elysian Fields in a “new-age” view. They believe it to be a multilayered paradise similar to Heaven. Some have said that it is a place of beautiful fields and green grass and great fountains of water and wine. From the late Greeks to the Neopagans of today, the Elysian Fields are seen generally as a place similar to heaven filled with peace and beauty.

Crystal,. //Elysium – Elysian Fields.// Ellie Cyrstal. 1/4/10. Web. 1/6/10.

2. Tennessee Williams

Josh Wilson

Tennessee Williams was born on 1914 in Columbus, Mississippi. He original name was Thomas Lanier Williams, but later changed his first name to “Tennessee” in 1939 after the state of his father’s birth. Not much is known about his parents except that his father was a shoe company executive and his mother was a Southern belle. As a child, Williams was very happy and carefree. That changed however when his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri. Discouraged by the very urban environment, Tennessee Williams began to spend time by himself and write. According to Williams, “…I found life unsatisfactory” (American Masters). He later went on to spend his early adult years going to college at three different universities and working at his father’s company for a little while. In 1939, Williams moved to New Orleans. It was there where he wrote his most famous play, A Streetcar Named Desire. He also continued to write other critically acclaimed plays such as “ Camino Real” and “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.” As his life went on, Williams slowly began a long spiral downward until his death. The 1960’s were especially rough for him, with events such as the death of his long time companion Frank Merlo and receiving harsh criticism from many people. In 1969 his brother, because of the constant abuse of alcohol and drugs, hospitalized Williams. Later released in the early 70’s, Williams spent the decade writing more plays, poems, short stories, and a memoir. Slowly he continued to abuse more and more alcohol and drugs until his death in 1983. At the age of 69, Williams was found dead in a New York City hotel surrounded by half finished bottles of wine and pills. Tennessee Williams will be known for many years to come for his genius in his literature, with plays such as A Street Car Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie.

Educational Broadcasting Corporation. //American Masters – Tennessee Williams.// Thirteen. N.d. Web. 1/7/10.

3. Belle Reve

Josh Wilson

The Belle Reve was an estate in the play __A Streetcar Named Desire.__ It belongs to the characters Blanche and Stella. ‘Belle Reve’ is French for ‘beautiful dream’ and it was named that because it is a huge estate that is known for its beauty. The Belle Reve is Blanche’s and Stella’s ancestral home and is located in Laurel, Mississippi. Later in the story it is revealed that they lose the Belle Reve. According to Tim Dirks they lost the Belle Reve because of “ …the family squandering its fortune, it was lost to creditors” (AMC). Not only is it a loss in property, but it is also a loss of their childhood. It was in the Belle Reve where Blanche and her family grew up.

Dirks, Tim. //A Streetcar Named Desire (1951).// American Movie Classics. 1/3/10. Web. 1/7/10.

4. Tragedy Daniel Kron Tragedy is an essential part of any type of writing. Some of the greatest writers such as Shakespeare and Sophocles have mastered the form of tragedy and used it to advance their careers to the stature it is now. Some thing that may not be known by many people is that there are many different forms of tragedy. Classical Tragedy would most likely end in a disaster due to the hero’s error of judgment; these forms of tragedies are of the more serious type. The next form of tragedy is the romantic tragedy, as obviously pointed out by the title; the romantic tragedy’s downfall is almost always due to excess of love or passion. Throughout this form of tragedy the story typically focuses on the character rather than the plot. On a lighter note comes the tragic comedy, this blends both tragedy and comedy together, the final form of the story most likely does not end in a disaster. In this form of story the author uses humor to lighten the seriousness of the tragedy. Those are the main forms of tragedy that authors use to write in their books. Of course there can be combinations of the different styles and those can change the outlook on the book or play, but for the most part, those are the mains type of tragedy in today’s society.

5. New Orleans 1940-1950 Daniel Kron Today when people talk of New Orleans the things that most commonly come up in conversation would have to be the New Orleans Saints, and Mardi Gras. However it was not always known as the party city that it has established itself as nowadays. In the 1940’s the city of New Orleans was undergoing a drastic change, which would help turn it into the city it is today. Jazz was a very popular form of music, and still continues to be to this day. This is the time period where jazz really started becoming what it is today. Music such as Dixieland started in New Orleans and eventually spread to Chicago and New York City. Instead of driving cars around the busy city people decided to use streetcars to get from place to place, which rides on rails built into the road to get from place to place. Streetcars have shaped the way people get around New Orleans, without it the streets would be crowded and cramped. (Wales).

Wales, Jimmy. Dixieland //Wikipedia.// Jimmy Wales, 2007. Web. 6 Jan. 2010

 6. The Varsouviana Polka Daniel Kron The Varsouviana Polka happens to have a major part in the play, whenever Blanche thinks of her husband; this song always plays in her head. The song itself is always distorted and seems like it comes out of a horror movie; this sets the tension that the wife is going to have to live with for the rest of her life. Blanche and her husband have a lot of history surrounding them, for instance they are married. Things go well for a little while and then Blanche finds her husband cheating on her with another woman. As usual for the majority of husbands that get caught cheating on their wife, they deny it and then say that they were doing things that did not cross the line. Later on in the play Blanche’s husband says he is disgusted of her and proceeds to leave her and eventually go on and kill himself, (The significance of Music). This is a major part in the entire play as in it sets the mood as one of tragedy, but also gives the novel a chance for hope and happiness in the end.

“The Significance of the Music in “A Streetcar Name Desire” –“ //Associated Content – associatedcontent.com.// Web. 07 Jan. 2010

7. Napoleonic Code Daniel Kron The Napoleonic Code is another word for the French Civil Code, Napoleon I put this code under affect in 1804. According to wikipedia the code itself allows three things to happen; “it forbade privileges based on birth, it allows freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs go to the most qualified,” (Wikipedia). After the French Revolution this code was put against the royal family so Napoleon then made the code to put the people to “ease” about the born privilege. The Napoleonic Code itself is mentioned often throughout the play, A Streetcar Name Desire.

Wales, Jimmy. The Napoleonic Code. //Wikipedia.// Jimmy Wales, 2007. Web. 6 Jan. 2010

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