When in High School, I often wondered exactly what Williams was trying to say. Always looking for the story behind the story or hidden symbol, I struggled through scores of reference books trying to make sense of it all for an English paper. Well, years later, here we are... In my mind (and numerous others, I am sure), this wonderfully visual piece of text clearly shows the journey that Blanche is about to take (or is about to finish, as her life has been one long ride of desire and despair.) The nature and consequences of DESIRE (of every sort, carnal or innocent) will surely lead the individual to the physical resting place of CEMETERIES, ultimately resulting in arrival at ELYSIAN FIELDS. We see her haunted with a past filled with pain, while seeking love in every possible form... all leading to death and eventually, Peace... rest. In some sad form, at the end of the play, Blanche may ultimately reach the peace and rest she needs and desires... we can feel that, if we don't think too hard about many of the techniques and 'explorations' of psychiatric medicine during this time period...
Now, as we are continuing the latter part of our text work, we are discovering many other aspects of Blanche's character and potential history to explore. But, that takes us back to the original idea of this post... Elysian Fields... Is Williams' Elysian Fields really the restful 'heaven' Blanche seeks, when she finds her sister. Well, in the current state, I would have to say no. Even textually, Williams allows us the vision of a derelict, decrepit ruin, not far from the ruin of Belle Reve that Blanche just left. Having visited New Orleans many times while playing parent to a Tulane University student, I went in search of 632 Elysian Fields. This is what I found...
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