In their day and age these characters would be judged by many factors including social and cultural backgrounds, crimes committed and personal traits. Both of these writers seem to conjure their audience into a state where it compels them to relate to certain characters. Lady Macbeth certainly loses or suppresses her feelings of cowardice. Throughout her appalling invocation to the spirits of evil to “unsex her”, proving her ambition to attain her goal. In Jacobean times women were seen as inferior and even in the Victoria era, thus she required external forces to crush her conscience to allow her to fulfil her ambition.
Her boisterousness and hostility is epitomised in the stage direction [She strikes him]. This indicates that Katherina employs physical abuse as a self defense mechanism against Petruchio. Such violent behavior was classed as shrew-like and highly unorthodox in the Elizabethan Era, particularly towards a male suitor of a high social class. Thus, Katherina challenges the values of courtship and marriage, in a way that is relevant to her society. Correspondingly, in 10 Things I Hate About You, Kat rebels against the social expectations of the permeating values of courtship and dating.
These abrupt, declarative statements demonstrate her utter contempt for Stanley. While this syntax reveals Blanche’s distaste for Stanley, it also brings out a conflict in the old society versus the new society. One of the main reasons for Blanche’s anger is the fact that Stanley does not fit into her old societal standards, he is not a gentleman, he is neither good nor wholesome, and yet he seems to be ruling over Stella and the new society. It is Stanley’s demeanor in a new society that has Blanche speaking in an
These two contradicting part inside her made her struggle between the self that she wanted to be and the self that she had to be. The external cause was the outside world, including the environment around her and the people she made contacts with. It initially started with Blanche’s first and only husband’s suicide. It was undeniable that Blanche was responsible for this accident. Although she was not the direct perpetrator, she still felt guilty for her husband’s death.
She deems the misfortune of herself and the women in her family on 'fate' and 'bad destiny', however I believe there were real concrete factors and choices that contributed to the depressing lives of these women. One of these factors was the cultural belief in early marriage, which negatively affected Ning Lao Tai Tai, her daughter Mantze, and her sister Yintze. Other factors included the plagues of opium addiction and incurable diseases which also adversely haunted Ning's family. It's fairly easy to understand why the Chinese at the turn of the century insisted on marrying their daughters so early. With short life expectancy and the constant threat of disease, a young woman's best bet at reproduction was in her adolescent years.
“A number of studies suggest that survivors of those who die sudden deaths, especially young survivors, have a more difficult time than people with advance warning.” (P60 Worden) It was a very traumatic death as well; she had to watch and was not able to help him. “The impact of violent and traumatic deaths can be long lasting and often leads to complicated mourning” (p 61, Worden) I believe Idgie felt loneliness and helplessness. Many people believe, “she died along with him.” My first thought was the little girl Idgie saw a horrific accident. At such a young age to see such a horrific accident would be very traumatizing event, even more so because it was her brother. I would not be surprised if in real life that would cause PTSD.
These help to build up a very convoluted and elaborate character within Blanche with whom the audience can emphasise with and get a clearer understanding of. The characters are divided into symbolic opposites that serve to illustrate the conflicting aspects of desire and to provide striking juxtapositions; Blanche is contrasted with the crude and brutish Stanley Kowalski. William’s usage of such sophisticated ideas in order to illustrate the complexities of the characters and themes within the play give a multifaceted depth and a delicate sophistication; giving an exaggerated realism and a more intriguing edge to the play. I will be evaluating how Williams specifically uses light to chronicle the subsequent crumbling of Blanche’s self-image and sanity and her tragic representation. Tennessee Williams tragically presents Blanche as complex and disturbed; he explores her delicate and intense fragility with the acutely powerful symbolic use of light in order to subtly represent her damaged nature.
Both characters collide with each other over influence of Stella, Blanche’s sister. Eventually, however, Stanley is the victor, raping Blanche and sending her into a completely delusional state. To begin with we can see the way in which the playwright uses the characterisation of Blanche to establish the theme of appearances versus reality in the way in which she struggles to accept the harsh reality of her surroundings. When Blanch first arrives she is shocked by her surroundings: ‘Her expression is one of shocked disbelief. Her appearance is incongruous to this setting.’ When Blanche first is introduced to Stella’s home she is shocked and this establishes Blanche’s strong sense of class, and also that Blanche will be an outsider in this particular setting, never realizing just how harsh it is.
Blanche represents how tragic events in the past may ruin a person’s future. Her husband’s death affected her in a depressing way. In my view a part of the reason she lies and gives herself away sexually is because of this tragic event. She had many sexual partners trying to live a lie. These main characters are absolutely opposite.
In short, the article describes how the dissatisfied coupledom in the modern society is influencing negative impacts for both current and future lives of people. I also agree on Laura Kipnis’s argument that the unhappy married lives are worse than undone. I think lack of satisfied desire in family is by far the most fundamental reason of unhappy coupledom. The desire here does not only mean physical relationship such as sex, but also mental dependence between each other. It is likely for a couple to lose the motivation and desire they once had as a newly together couple.