What is A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams about?

Blanche DuBois is a single lady in her thirties that must go and live with her sister Stella and Stella’s husband Stanley in New Orleans. Stanley is a gruff man and they live in a very poor area of town. Blanche is used to living a much fancier lifestyle and begs Stella to run away with her.

Blanche is a drunk and meets one of Stanley’s friends Mitch, who she intends to marry. As the story unfolds we find out that not only did Blanche lose the family home, but she has been run out of town for being with many men. But she is hoping to marry Mitch and become respectable again.

Stanley does not like Blanche and when he has to take Stella to the hospital to deliver their baby, he returns home only to argue and rape Blanche. No one believes Blanche’s story and they have Blanche committed