And what is a greater crime than making women hate themselves for reasons that they cannot change? The “anti-narcissism” that men have made consists of women not liking anything about them and wishing that they were the opposite sex just to get more respect. They don’t have any self-respect for themselves because of the nonsense that the “dominant” males have fed them their whole lives. This makes everything hostile for women and while men are busy controlling what the rules are and what can be published, women are struggling with this internal conflict that they’ll never get far in life because of their sex. Cixous boldly declares that women have been “kept in the dark.” What is this darkness you may ask?
One of the major conflicts in “A streetcar named Desire” is the battle between Blanche’s need for “magic” and illusions, and Stanley’s need to see the world as real, stark, brutal and honest. Explain the reasons why Blanche and Stanley need to see life the way they do and then decide where you consider Williams final view toward illusion and reality lies. Does he align himself with Stanley’s reality and brutal honesty, or with Blanche’s illusion and pretense. In this play William’s has made Blanche a romantic even though she is the play’s protagonist. Stanley on the other hand has a life that is all about gambling, bowling, sex and drinking.
In Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire, main antagonist, Stanley Kowalski, can be described as an unrefined alpha male. Unlike the other characters, which we have somewhat of a background on, we only have his every day actions and words to judge him upon. The conflict of the play arises when Mrs. Kowalski’s sister, Blanche stays at their flat. Stanley's defining actions in the play all stem from his hatred for Blanche, who he sees as a threat to his normal way of living life and his relationship with his wife. What Stanley wants more than anything is for his world to go back to the way it was before Blanche arrived and he is willing to do anything in order for that to happen, even destroy her.
Her unhealthy self-love can be seen in her relationships in which she uses sex to control men and always appears to have a hand on them, especially turning to sex when the man gains any sort of will or power to insult or leave her. Because of this narcissism she is extremely self-centered, trusting no one and even attacking her family when they disrupt her perfection. Her damaging and corrosive psyche was likely caused by the pressures of the movie industry in which she claims to have worked her up form nothing. The pressures of competition and treachery have caused her to from extremely egotistical defense mechanisms that prevent her from normal interaction with other people, even her own children. As for her insecurities and ensnaring of men for her own benefit it is possible that she may have had an abusive father or a domineering mother who was likely divorced, abandoned, or abused, obsessing her with the need to have power over men either as compensation for her powerless childhood or as a result of her mother’s teachings and distrust of men.
A streetcar named desire presents a sharp critique of the attitudes towards woman and their roles within society at post-war America. Blanche’s and Stella’s dependence on male companions are strong as they depend on men for both their sustenance and their self-image. Self-appearance is Blanche’s dominant characteristic, she believes to win male attraction and acceptance; a female must act and look a certain way. Inequality in sexes is also a big issue within this play as the male figure is seen to over-power the female figures. Stan is shown as the Alpha male; he holds the position arrogantly within his relationship, which sparks tension between the sexes, typically between Blanche and Stanley.
She stands higher in the hierarchy, and feels that she has power over Jean. Jean is cautiously hesitant, and understand the risks involved in a love relationship with the count's daughter, but when Miss Julie finally almost offers herself, he can not resist the temptation, he starts flirting back, which means that they have sex with each other. Afterwards, it is up to the two possible consequences and the drama reaches its tragic point. Jeans inviting charm instead goes over to a very nasty tone and the mood becomes suddenly much worse. They begin to despise each other.
A Streetcar Named Desire Critical Essay ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ written by Tennessee Williams is a play which the dramatist explores the conflict between reality and illusion. Blanche DuBois, a character who represents illusion and fantasy, goes to stay with her sister, Stella, and her husband Stanley, who represents brutal reality. From the start, Williams portrays the conflict between Blanche and Stanley and uses various techniques, such as costume, characterisation and symbolism, to convey their ongoing battle. Blanch lies as her desire to be loved and protected from her traumatic past is overpowering, and, in the end, she is defeated by the harsh reality that is Stanley. This resolution is satisfying as it shows that desire is destructive, and that merciless reality wins over illusion every time.
She chases him up to the point of exhaustion, and as much as he tries to avoid her she is persistent. In the end, Demetrius falls under a love potion and she finally gains his affection. The whole story is a horrible example for women. She completely throws herself to a man , up to a point of disgusting desperation and in the end she obtains her goal. In real life, true love would rarely be the outcome.
The final line “Who could not say, ‘Tis pity she’s a whore?” can be seen as directed towards her and so she is blamed for everything that has occurred. Throughout the play she is seen as quite powerful and headstrong by refusing many marriage proposals and being quite stubborn in doing so. However, she is reduced to a weak being however upon dying which is a culmination of her passions. It is perceived that women are a danger to men and to society as a whole and so Giovanni’s actions are to be blamed not on himself, but on Annabella because of the beauty she possesses. Giovanni states that Annabella’s “lips would tempt a saint” thus showing the corruption her presence inflicts upon even the supposed innocent of men.
Blanche is also shown to avoid bright because of her “delicate beauty” [15]. The audience has created an image of Blanche as a wealthy woman with high pretensions, but that image is doubted when Blanche reveals more about her life, thus creating more tension. After she describes how she “stayed and struggled” through “all of [the] deaths” of their relatives and how Belle Reve “slipped through [her] fingers” [27], the audience learns that Blanche had difficulties in her past, making her