A Streetcar Named Desire Masculinity Analysis

When do we overlook malicious behavior? Is our emotional appeal to like a person enough for us to look past deliberate cruelty? Bound up in the play A Streetcar Named Desire is the fundamental question of how the characters are dialectically cruel and the ways they justify their desires. By means of a theme of cruelty when whiteness is evoked, author Tennessee Williams displays when we justify the actions of others to reinforce gender identities, and the emotions which act as a vehicle for judgments.

The evidence of masculinity in scene three is shown through dialogue, stage direction and description of the surroundings. The introduction to the dramatic purpose of the poker party demonstrates Stanley's domination over his friends through the way in which he makes all the decisions about the game. He also shows domination over his wife by hitting her during an argument.

It was not just her self that put her in the lime light of being a victim; it is also her new change of environment and people. Stanley is Stella's husband; he is described to be very masculine and aware of his sexual magnetism. “Strongly, compactly built”. He is mostly at ease with people however, if they lack loyalty and affection to him, he will bully them. Especially women, as he believes them just to be easy conflict. It is seen in scene 3 that Stanley has little respect for women. “I said to hush up!” This is addressed to his wife who is seen emotionless and impassive in this play. As for Blanche how is fussy and at edge, she would be very effected by the crude attitude that Stanley presents and so tries to hysterical take Stella away from her husband. Stanley does not forget of this act of interference and makes him all the more determined to be rid of Stella’s “charity case”. The real reason for Stanley’s bulling is that Blanche immediately received all Stella’s attention. “How about my supper huh? I’m not going to no Galatorires’ for supper” This made Stella dominant in power over Stanley and Blanche, something Stanley was not used to. “I put you a cold plate on ice”.

Tennessee Williams born in 1911 in St-Louis, Missouri, passed away in 1983, was one of the greatest playwrights in the American industry. He worked as a journalist because of his incredible writing. He wrote multiple award-winning plays, including, "A Streetcar Named Desire". Williams was self-destructive when alcohol and drugs came into effect just like the characters in the play. His play is mainly focused after the WW2 and the American Civil War that happened between 1861-1865. Just like in the play, race and social class is being issued throughout the New South era. Stanley's dominance through violence is being portrayed throughout his background behavior revealing his masculinity. Blanche DuBois exhibits the use of alcohol as a way to

Typically, in a relationship from the historical social construct, there is a stereotype amongst gender roles where the male is the dominant figure, and the female tends to be vulnerable and compliant with the male. In the play, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, this relationship is exemplified through the main characters Stanley Kowalski and Stella. Stanley possess the role of “Alpha Male,” and projects this onto Stella who assumes the role of “submissive wife”. She experiences mental and physical abuse, yet unconditionally loves him. In the setting of 1950’s New Orleans, this would be considered part of the norm, despite modern social beliefs. With current social standards, their relationship would push past the boundaries

In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Williams emphasises and explores the roles and representations of both, men and women within the Traditional Period. The playwright highlights the patriarchal and unjust notions of the period through 3 central characters; Stella, a representative of the ideal Traditional gender role; Blanche who contrasts to Stella and pressures the traditional aspects of a woman. And Stanley who is represented as dominant and masculine, symbolising the male dominance and supremacy within society. In the Simpsons episode, ‘Lisa Vs Malibu Stacy’ Lynch represents women as intelligent and independent. The portrayals of women have become less restrictive and women are now able to convey their internal characteristics of independence

Outcasts and dysfunctional characters oftentimes have trouble thriving in a traditional society. In A Streetcar Named Desire, main characters, Stella and Stanley are portrayed with traditional gender roles; however, Blanche, Stella’s sister, is not. Stanley is a rough ordinary man living as the breadwinner for his pregnant wife, Stella. Stella is a homemaker, who accepts Stanley’s rough ways as passion. Blanche, on the other hand, is anything but what a southern bell should be. She breaks boundaries and is appalled with her sister’s choices to be dependent upon an abusive barbaric husband. Tennessee Williams composes this play exposing the truth about gender norms as well as the reality about damaged characters and the roles they play.

These character actions mainly show Stella under the illusion that everything is alright with her relationship with Stanley despite his constant abuse. One part of the play in which this is clearly evident is the day after Stanley beat Stella during a poker game. After Blanche returns to the house, she has a conversation with Stella, and is in disbelief that Stella went back to Stanley after he treated her so poorly. Despite Blanche’s concerns, Stella simply tells her, “I know how it must have seemed to you, and I’m awful sorry it had to happen, but it wasn’t anything as serious as you seem to take it” (1.4.44). Stella is rejecting the concern and fact that Stanley treats her poorly and is abusive.

When Blanche has been sent off to the mental facility, even in a deep time of need for comfort, Stanley just takes what he wants in the form of sexual gratification from Stella, with no regard for Stella’s actual feelings or that of his friend, Mitch, who has just witnessed someone he had feelings for being escorted

She has no choice but to live with her sister because she ran out of money living in a motel. As she’s living in the Kowalski’s household, she a relationship with Mitch Stanley’s friend gets ruined and gets raped by her brother-in-law. She drinks even more after this entire situation because her sister takes her husband’s side. Describing a relationship between two sisters can be complicated. Sisters may argue and pretend to distance themselves, but when it comes to outsiders disrespecting one or the other, sisters stick up for each other. Stella on the other hand did not. Stella was in denial over everything. Stella was in the middle of every conflict that went down with Blanche and Stanley. When Stanley was insulted by Blanche of their living space Stella did not say a word. She’s stuck in between the two because she does not want to seem like she’s choosing sides. Usually a sister would have their siblings back but Stella did not because she was too in love with sexual relationship she had with her husband and she realized that if she took her sister’s side then her husband would leave her meaning the sexual activities would be gone.The relationship between Stella and Blanche seemed off. Ever since Stella moved to New Orleans the relationship between the two have been distanced and was easily able to tell, in the play, that they rarely spoke since the

In the quote, “May I speak plainly?... If you'll forgive me, he's common... He's like an animal.” (page 82), Blanche refers to her sister’s husband with complete disregard for others’ perception. Stella generally ignores these statements, but an eavesdropping Stanley takes these insults to fuel his own retaliation. This quote also shows that Blanche ranks her opinion over all else, and to her it is not an opinion--but a hard fact. Stanley also follows this characteristic in his everyday life. As an “Alpha Male” type figure, Stanley always meets conflicts with violence and will fight with every ounce of his being for what he believes--no matter the consequences. This can be seen by his actions as the man of the house, presiding over Stella and all else that enters the premises. Alike Blanche, Stanley has no cares about collateral damage and if the end justifies the means; he will have no hesitation in doing what he feels is

However, Stella’s denial is because of her powerlessness. Unlike Blanche, Stella has not known any other man beside Stanley and she has no one else. Her sister is psychotic and unable to care for herself, thus Stella ultimately only has Stanley besides her. Stella has no independent financial income and has a roof over her head and food to eat because of Stanley’s income. Also, she is pregnant with his baby and is stable in her terms living with Stanley. Because she cannot care for herself and has no other relatives stable enough to take care of her and the baby, she decides to live in an illusion to maintain her

A tragic protagonist is a character in literary work that faces internal and external conflicts which eventually lead to their downfall. A tragic protagonist from A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams is Blanche. She struggles with multiple internal and external problems that lead to her falling apart. Blanche struggles with deception, lying, living in a fantasy, denial, guilt, promiscuity, and drinking. Outside of her reach she struggles with ex husband’s death and betrayal, and Stanley. Blanche DuBois is a perfect example of a tragic protagonist because all her internal and external conflicts overwhelms her to the point of her destruction by the end of the play.

Lastly, Ethan’s greatest misfortune of being unable to have Mattie’s love due to his wife's domination led to the complete subordination of his character. Wharton emphasizes Ethan’s confinement to his wife Zeena by stating, “the inexorable facts closed in on him like a prison-warder handcuffing. There was no way out-none. He was a prisoner for life” (69). Ethan suffers in silence due to the duty of caring for his ill wife. The lack of being able to express his feelings for the woman he loves because of Zeena’s conniving control causes Ethan to feel trapped inside his own home. Another example that shows Zeena’s superiority towards Ethan when the narrator states, “now she had mastered him, and he abhorred her. Mattie was her relation, not his:

Sometimes, an individual’s instinct for self-preservation significantly influences her response to competing demands as it is necessary for her life to go on no matter what obstacle she must face. In Tennessee Williams’ play, A Streetcar Named Desire, he discussed how an individual’s desire for self-preservation creates bias when she is to respond to competing demands as it is necessary for her to go on with her catastrophic life, no matter what demands she is faced with.