[Blanche is singing in the bathroom a saccharine popular ballad which is used contrapuntally with Stanley’s speech.]
– Tennessee Williams
A Streetcar Named Desire, Scene 7. While Stanley spills the beans to Stella about her sister’s sexually permissive past, an oblivious Blanche is in the bath singing a popular ballad described as saccharine – meaning too sweet or sentimental. So the bathroom becomes Blanche’s refuge from reality. Dramatic irony is used to show that she is not aware of her sordid past being exposed while she sings.