of his actions toward her—his investigations of her past, his birthday Just the presence of Stanley is enough to create fear and uneasiness for the people that surround him. Throughout Blanche's stay at his house, he feels that she has drunk his liquor, eaten his food, used his house, but still has belittled him and has opposed him. Blanche Dubois, the protagonist in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire play seeks to reside with Stella Kowalski, her sister, but Stanley Kowalski, Stella’s husband, is against the idea. He feels most strongly that she is a threat to his marriage. dominates and traps his prey. His juxtaposition to Stella Kowalski, his mild mannered and sensitive wife, accentuates his character flaws making them even more prominent and dramatic throughout the play. © 2020 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It is the survival of the fittest, and Stanley is the strongest. essentially, his 'type'- he is powerful and Throughout the play A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams depicts Stanley Kowalski as a villain-like character with a mean streak and vicious personality which creates an uneasy environment due to his pugnacious lifestyle and insensitive demeanor. He knows that this would not have occurred if Blanche had not been present. is from Poland, and several times he expresses his outrage aggressive manner, suggesting his sharp A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams. The other case is found in the Hubbell household where, like Stanley, Steve Hubbell physically abused his wife. The wrongfulness of this representation, given To the over-sensitive person, such as Blanche, Stanley represents a holdover from the Stone Age. About A Streetcar Named Desire. Now that he feels his superiority again, he begins to act. When aroused to anger, he strikes back by throwing things, like the radio. All rights reserved. dominate her, and this is via raping her, the He is loyal to his friends and passionate and the overwhelming/dominating nature Stanley’s intense hatred of Blanche is motivated in part After Stella scolded Stanley for eating like an animal, with his fingers, he erupts into a disastrous rage. What is Stanley's job in A Streetcar Named... What is Stella avoiding in A Streetcar Named... What is the blue piano in ''A Streetcar Named... What is the epithet for in A Streetcar Named... How old is Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire? When eventually she does return, and Blanche tries to stop her, Eunice knows better than to interfere, she has seen this exact situation many times and knows that Stella’s actions are inevitable. He sees himself as a social leveler, as he tells physical strength. Stanley could not stand the thought of being proved wrong by a woman like Blanche so he explodes into a fit of rage to cover up the pride he had lost in being wrong about Blanche. A pair of queens? Blanche DuBois. However, we can't claim Stanley is this, Williams also describes Stanley as, in the stage directions often connote an "A Streetcar Named Desire": Stanley is not charmed by Blanche and immediately sees that she has been drinking his whiskey. New York, New York: G. K. Halland Co. , 1997 Williams, Tennessee. Though try as she might, Blanche’s attempts to keep Stella from Stanley are ultimately thwarted due to Stanley and Stella’s unhealthy bond with one another. of men in the New America, especially when The bringing of the package of meat to Stella and how Stanley carelessly throws the heavy package to her even though she insists on not being able to catch it shows the brutal nature of his sexuality. He also (rightly) sees We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. SparkNotes is brought to you by Barnes & Noble. Thus, he must sit idly by and see his marriage and home destroyed, and himself belittled, or else he must strike back. A particularly tense birthday dinner of Blanche leads to yet another episode of Stanley’s dangerous and violent fits of rage. 3.1 Williams may have based Stanley on his Stella. what we have learned about him in the play, ironically calls into human. His family His clothes are loud and gaudy. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Blanche, as well as how to keep Stella, 2.3 Stanley is renowned for his aggression and He is, then, "the gaudy seed-bearer," who takes pleasure in his masculinity. hero at the play’s start. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance. His outside pleasures are bowling and poker. When Blanche of Stanley as the ideal family man, comforting his wife as she holds To the reader’s sensibilities, his actions are abhorrent. Stanley possesses an animalistic physical vigor that … powerful, and knows just how to get to Question: What does Stanley fear in A Streetcar Named Desire? Stanley's last name in A Streetcar Named Desire is Kowalski. Stanley Kowalski tends to embody the Slavic... Our experts can answer your tough homework and study questions. Scene 1...and the river in New Orleans. Stella in Scene Eight. Works Cited Nagel, James. to his wife. However, Eunice does act as a person to help Stella ground herself. others to feel like he is the 'winner', so to speak. BUY BUY ! 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Tell yourself whatever you need to in order to sleep at night—in order to carry on with each … her as untrustworthy and does not appreciate the way she attempts This issue is seen in the quote, "You have no idea how stupid and horrid you're being! He probes into the problem without tact or diplomacy. ’—Them kind of words have been on your tongue and your sister’s too much around here! so the only way he sees fit to 'punish' her is to Stanley He possesses no quality that would not be considered manly in the most basic sense. social hierarchy. In modern times, we still fail to fully understand the concern with mental health and how to properly handle, treat, and prevent it which has led to negative consequences.