This document contains an essay proposal and outline comparing the presentation of transgressive behavior leading to the downfall of characters in three works: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, and Miss Julie by August Strindberg. It lists the chosen texts, themes of desire, destruction, and morality. The proposed essay title and 6 points are provided with brief examples and references from each text to support each point. The points discuss fate fueling desires, women as instigators of transgressive acts, characters' blindness to such acts, desire as the root cause, women's acts seen as more serious, and social influence on downfalls.

1. A2
COURSEWORK
ESSAY
PROPOSAL
PRESENATION

2. Chosen texts for study
TEXT 1:
(Core text)
A Streetcar Named Desire
Play by
Tennesse Williams

3. Chosen texts for study
TEXT 2:
Lolita
Novel by
Vladimir Nabokov

4. Chosen texts for study
TEXT 2:
Miss Julie
Play by
August Strindberg

5. Desire
Destruction
THEMES
Morality

6. Essay title
Using your knowledge of the contexts in which
these texts were written and the reactions of
readers over time, compare the ways in which
Tennessee Williams in ‘A Streetcar Named
Desire’, August Strindberg in ‘Miss Julie’ and
Vladimir Nabokov in ‘Lolita’ present
transgressive behaviour of characters leading
to their downfall.

7. Accessing
the
AO’s

8. Essay points
Point 1: Fate is ultimately at blame for the downfall of characters as it is fate that
fuels their desires..
Point 2: Women are treated as the main instigators or culprits of transgressive
behaviour.
Point 3: Transgressive behaviour in the eyes of the main characters, leading to
their blindness and subsequent collapse.
Point 4: Desire is the route cause of transgressive behaviour.
Point 5: Transgressive behaviour of women is deemed far more serious than
that of men.
Point 6: The downfall of characters, is not only due to their transgressive
behaviour but the influence of social laws on them.

9. Examples of
essay points plans

10. Essay points
Point 1 AO1
AO2
AO3
AO4
A
Streetcar
Named
Desire
Tennessee
Williams
Fate is ultimately
at blame for the
d o w n f a l l o f
characters as it is
fate that fuels
their desires..
“They
told
me
to
take
a
street-­‐
car
named
Desire,
and
transfer
to
one
called
Cemeteries,
and
ride
six
blocks
and
get
off
at—
Elysian
Fields!”
Blanche
to
the
negro
woman
Scene
1
the
play
shows
us
two
people
who
move
inexorably
forward
to
their
respecFve
fates
through
acFons
they
take
under
the
influence
of
a
sequence
of
circumstances
at
once
random
and
of
their
mutual
making.
Directors
notes,
Miss
Julie
A
woman’s
role
was
not
down
to
fate
but
social
construct.
Lolita
Vladimir
Nabokov
Fate is ultimately
at blame for the
d o w n f a l l o f
characters as it is
fate that fuels
their desires..
“As
for
me,
although
I
had
long
become
used
to
a
kind
of
secondary
fate
(McFate's
inept
secretary,
so
to
speak)
peRly
interfering
with
the
boss's
magnificent
plan.”
the
play
shows
us
two
people
who
move
inexorably
forward
to
their
respecFve
fates
through
acFons
they
take
under
the
influence
of
a
sequence
of
circumstances
at
once
random
and
of
their
mutual
making.
-­‐
Directors
notes,
Miss
Julie
Miss
Julie
August
Strindberg
Fate is ultimately
at blame for the
d o w n f a l l o f
characters as it is
fate that fuels
their desires..
“I
curse
the
moment
I
was
concieved
in
my
mother’s
womb!”
Miss
Julie
to
Jean
the
play
shows
us
two
people
who
move
inexorably
forward
to
their
respecFve
fates
through
acFons
they
take
under
the
influence
of
a
sequence
of
circumstances
at
once
random
and
of
their
mutual
making.
–
Directors
notes,
Miss
Julie
A
woman’s
role
was
not
down
to
fate
but
social
construct.

11. Essay points
Point 2 AO1
AO2
AO3
AO4
A
Streetcar
Named
Desire
Tennessee
Williams
Women are treated as the
main instigators or culprits
of transgressive behaviour.
‘Yep,
it
was
pracFcally
a
town
ordinance
passed
against
her!’
Stanley
to
Stella
Scene
VII
‘She
[women]
could
take
him
without
giving
herself
into
his
power.
Rather
she
could
use
this
sex
thing
to
have
power
over
him.’
Lady
Cha]erlys
Lover
D.H.
Lawrence
“Hysteria
was
historically
considered
a
female
disease,
and
in
the
late-­‐nineteenth
century
was
defined
as
an
illness
brought
on
when
a
woman
failed
or
refused
to
accept
her
sexual
desires
and
did
not
become
a
sexual
object”
Lolita
Vladimir
Nabokov
Women are treated as the
main instigators or culprits
of transgressive behaviour.
‘I
would
shed
all
my
masculine
pride—
and
literally
crawl
on
my
knees
to
your
chair,
my
Lolita!’
Miss
Julie
August
Strindberg
Women are treated as the
main instigators or culprits
of transgressive behaviour.
‘And
when
I’d
seen
you
returned
home,
I
was
determined
to
die.’
Jean
to
Miss
Julie
Ballet

12. THANK
YOU