Text and Commentary
[In Eunice’s apartment]
Blanche: I can’t go in there right now. He’s all over her. [1]It’s disgusting. That animal!
Eunice: That’s alright honey! Can I get you anything, [2]water? A glass of milk? Or something?
Blanche: Thank you. [3]I’m so rattled, my nerves are all shot right now. I don’t suppose you have any liquor around the place do you? [4]I hardly touch the stuff.
Eunice: Yes of course I’ve got some of Steve’s whisky. That should calm you.[Blanche reaches out for the bottle [5]with both hands – slightly shaking]
Blanche: Thank you for your[6] kindness. [7]I’ll just take one little nip for medicinal purposes, nothing else. I had a drink [8]earlier in the evening but that’s worn off now. And besides this has been such a shock. [9]I’ve never seen such behaviour in a man before…drunk and violent and so passionate. [10]I don’t know how she can bare to spend a moment with him. There must be something I can for her, especially in her condition. Did you know Stella was pregnant?
Commentary Notes
[1]Blanche articulates her feelings about Stanley. She will use this attitude and this lexis to Stella in the next scene.
[2]Eunice considers Blanche of a higher refined class. She suggests drinks that she imagines a woman of that class might drink.
[3]Blanche’s nerves are a recurrent motif through the play. She uses alcohol and bathing as a way of soothing her nerves. Refer to Sc 1, 2, 3, 5, 7.
[4]Echoes Stanley’s comment in Sc 1. But also supports what Blanche says to Stella in Sc 1 about alcohol. It also shows Blanche to be a liar.
[5]The stage direction shows Blanche’s eagerness or desperation for the bottle. It also highlights her nervousness. It may link to Blanche’s clumsiness – almost dropping a bottle in Sc 5 where Stella has to help Blanche.
[6]Kindness is a key word in the play. She uses it to describe Mitch’s behaviour to her in Sc 3 and Blanche uses it again in the final words at the end of the play.
[7]See the note on [4]
[8] Refers to the opening of Sc 3 the conversation between Stella and Blanche.
[9]She has seen men like this before at the hotel Flamingo referred to in Sc 5 and Sc 10
[10] Blanche is beginning to rehearse with Eunice the speech she is going to make to Stella in Sc 4
