NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Loud mouthed, opinionated, sexist, aggressive and anomalistic- all overriding characteristics of Stanly Kowalski the man who in no small part is responsible for the dramatic collapse of Blanche. On first impression there is very little reason for the audience to feel sympathetic towards Stanley, but in my opinion it is unfair to hate Stanley for actions and characteristics that he has little or no control over. Stanley's actions are largely motivated by his wish to protect his wife and unborn baby, surely a natural reaction for which he should not be judged so harshly. Stanley sees Blanche as a threat, an invasion of territory, something that needs to be dealt with. Stanley is continuously described as bestial by Blanche a fact that he never protests, why then are we shocked even horrified by the rape of Blanche when Stanley is only in-keeping with a pattern of behaviour over which it is obvious he has little or no control. In my opinion Blanche is as much if not more to blame for her eventual downfall at the hands of Stanley.
From very early on Stanley establishes himself as a symbol of the old World, whereas Blanche remains a symbol of the old world of white houses, frilly dresses and slaves. From the beginning we see that Blanche does not fit in with the people of her new community, nor her physical surroundings in her new home. We can see that she did not fit in with the people of the community by comparing the manner in which women in the story handle their social life with men. Much of Blanche?
s attitude shows how she is unwilling to accept the new world and so also unwilling to accept Stanley. In my view Blanche seals her own fate by encouraging the mutual attraction that exists between the two from the start. Stanley seems right when he says? We? ve had this date from the beginning?
Blanche must have been able to see that her behaviour towards Stanley from the first moment they met was forcing Stanley into his later actions. it appears clear that Blanche needs a person like Stanley to survive but she also has no choice but to fight him for survival, this is a dilemma that is never solved. I believe that Blanche? s inability to decide about Stanley is what eventually forces Stanley to find a new level on which Blanche has no way of beating him. The scene when Stanley rapes Blanche is the beginning of the end for Blanche.
Sex is her most obvious weakness. That is the reason why she ran to New Orleans in the first place. Since she had come to New Orleans she had tried to avoid it. But, once again, Stanley is in direct contrast to this. Blanche is almost a direct contrast to Stanley. Blanche loves living in an idealistic world, while Stanley strictly relies on facts.
In the story Blanche makes up a good portion of her past for the majority of the play. When she was young she lived an eloquent life in a mansion, but she eventually lost it due to unpaid bills. She tells everyone this part of her history but neglects to tell them what she had done during the interim period, before she came to Elysian Fields. Ms. DuBois never told them about the promiscuous life she lived before she came. Stanley, on the other hand, persisted in trying to find out her true past throughout the story.
Considering that this is Stanley's house, his domain, it is easy to see that this spells doom for Blanche. The difference between Blanche and Stanley would not be so bad if it were not for one of Blanches flaws. This harmful trait is Blanches inability to adapt to her surroundings. This is seen by noting a play on words used by Williams.
In the first scene Blanche is described as daintily dressed and mentions that she is incongruous to her setting Blanche cannot adapt to her surroundings, but instead tries to change them. Later in the story she says You saw it before I came. Well, look at it now! This room is almost-dainty!
By using the word dainty in both places Williams shows us how Blanche tries to change her surrounding to match her, instead of adapting to them. This will not work with Stanley. When looking at Stanley and searching for his redeeming features it is obviously important to look at his relationship with Stella. One of the biggest factors in their relationship, the thing that attracts Stella most to Stanley, is the very thing that Blanche and the majority of the Audience hate so much, his anomalistic nature.
Stella makes her feelings for her husband very clear showing her desire saying? when he? s away for a week I nearly go wild? Lines like this illustrate the principal emotion that will shape Stella?
s later decision as to where her loyalties lie. Stella, the link between the two, must listen to the facts given to her by Stanley, and the virtues of idealism given to her by Blanche and decide who she wants to side with, predictably she sides with Stanley, ? I couldn? t believe her story and go on living with Stanley? . It seems difficult to separate love and lust in Stanley? s relationship with Stella, however the animal passion that obviously attracted Stella disgusts her later in the play.
The fact Stella and Stanley are mutually dependent on each other is very evident throughout the play. What is also evident is that the two have achieved a balance that is disrupted by the arrival of Blanche. In the third scene Stella is beaten by Stanley an event that obviously traumatizes Blanche but Stella, who ends up spending the night with her husband, sees no problem with it, Blanche asks her How could you come back in this place last night? Stella answers Youre making much too much fuss about this Stella also goes on to say that this is something that people do sometimes. We see that this is actually a common occurrence by the fact that the same exact thing happens to the neighbors a few scenes later. It is difficult to say weather the words and actions of Stanley are motivated by true love for Stella or by selfish need to keep her for himself and no-one else.
It seems to me that Stanley? s feelings for Stella change between love and need and lead him to attempt to protect her from Blanche. Although it is clear that many of Stanley? s actions are done out of Self-defence, equally many are done out of malicious cruelty. For example Stanley?
s exposure of Stella? s pregnancy, which is arguably for a calculated and deliberate effect, makes it clear that the bond between the couple is stronger then Blanche had previously thought. Stanley Knows how strong Blanche? s attachment to Stella is and often uses her to weaken Blanche for example Stanley often waits until Blanche is around before showing acts of real affection towards his wife.
Another example of how cruel Stanley can be is the way that he clearly takes pleasure in humiliating Blanche when he discovers truth about her. His disregard for peoples feelings is also illustrated by the way in which he tells Mitch about Blanche. Many of Stanley? s allegations and insults however can still be traced back to his protection of Stella and his territory.
Stanley is without doubt the only true survivor in the play. It is the prevailing characteristics that set him apart from everyone else in the play. Stanley? s survival instinct is so powerful that in the end it turns out that the only people who manage to emerge from the play relatively unscathed are the ones that latch themselves on to him and are subsequently pulled through by him, those that try to stand against him are the ones who ultimately fall. Perhaps the most telling characteristic of Stanley is that he remains totally unchanged by the end of the play. He is the survivor, and whilst Blanche is taken away and Stella is emotionally destroyed, Stanley believes that he can re-enter the pattern of life that he previously enjoyed, the play ends with the extremely disturbing image of continuity, in this one image Williams is able to completely sum up what Stanley represents.
I think that it is wrong to think that Stanley is the only person responsible for the downfall of Blanche and as such should not receive all of the blame. Stella? s involvement in Blanche? s decline, although not as clear as Stanley? s, is certainly there. Without Stella pledging her future to Stanley he would have been unable to launch such attacks on Blanche, the fact that Stella never openly questions or attempts to stop Stanley makes her, in my view, equally to blame.
Even Mitch must accept some of the blame, the way he dumps and subsequently treats Blanche must contribute to her downfall, it is worth noting that Blanche? s descent is hastened after she split up with Mitch. Mitch, shows that he is no different on the inside to Stanley by yelling at her and trying to rape her, but she does not let him. Afterwards, she tells Stanley that she would never forgive him because deliberate cruelty is unforgivable To have someone who seemed so close to her turned against her must have hurt just as much if not more then many of Stanley?
s taunts and attacks. Stanley is primitive in his instincts which makes him more defensible. The extent to which he is acting out of self-defence determines how we should feel about him. However there are very clearly cruel intentions behind many of his actions.
Stella says that her husbands animal emotions are that he has and indeed the natural reaction to the invasion of territory both physically and the intrusion into his way of life is understandable. Stanley says that? be comfortable is my motto? and Blanche clearly makes him feel uncomfortable. Stanley? s eventual victory is not only his personal victory but a victory of the new world over the old.
Just as an animal should not be judged by human standards, if Stanley really is nothing more then an animal he should escape blame and indeed he should receive some degree of sympathy from the audience. However Stanley often appears too human to be reduced to the level of an animal. He deals with Blanche not only with natural instincts but with cruel actions motivated by his own selfishness. Something no animal is capable of and so demands our judgement.
Free research essays on topics related to: stanley , stella , blanche, blanche , stanley
Research essay sample on Stanley Blanche
