Relationships in A Streetcar Named Desire

Relationships in A Streetcar Named Desire

1. Stanley and Stella

   • Gender roles
     • Stanley = masculine, and therefore dominant
       • Stanley is agressive, violent, and abusive
     • Stella = feminine, and therefore submissive
       • Stella's pregnancy reinforces the image of women as being mothers and wives
         • Relates to the context of being a married woman with children in the 1940s, what makes you a woman.
   • Blanche's influence
     • Blanche's arrival threatens Stanley's authority, and control over Stella
   • Sexual relationship
     • Assists in maintaining Stanley's hold over Stella
     • Used by the couple to fix their problems
       • They reunite through sex after Stanley beats Stella
   • Class differences
     • Stella adapting to lower-class life, despite coming from a higher class background.
       • Stella attracted to Stanley's "animal" side - a product of his class

2. Stanley and Blanche

   • Class differences
     • Explored through the use of language
       • Blanche = high register, educated, lyrical/poetic
       • Stanley = lower register, simple, matter of fact
     • Causes conflict
       • Blanche looks down on Stanley, can be patronising
         • Refers to Stanley as being like an animal
       • Stanley looks down on Blanche, due to her privelleged upbringing
   • Sexual tension
     • Implied sexual attraction
       • Blanche's flirtatious demeanor encourages Stanley's attraction to her
         • However, she is clearly made uncomfortable by his advances
         • Perhaps resulting in her rape
       • More of a power play for Stanley, as he uses sex to assert his authority
   • Antagonistic towards each other
     • Their interactions with each other are specifically designed to incite an argument
       • Blanche in particular antagonises Stanley as she disapproves of his relationship with Stella
         • Each scene concludes with a climatic tension between the two.

3. Blanche and Stella

   • Sisters
     • Growing apart
       • Language choices reflect this
         • Blanche acts very familiar with Stella
           • "Stella, oh, Stella, Stella! Stella for Star!"
         • Stella more reserved, withdrawn, changed her characteristics as she has adjusted to living in the 'New South' with Stanley
           • However, she does care for Blanche
       • Blanche disapproves of Stella's relationship
         • Stella has moved down in status
     • Last living members of their family
       • Feeling of obligation towards each other
   • Conflict
     • Blanche antagonises Stanley
     • Blanche blames Stella for loss of Belle Reve
       • Despite the reference to 'the epic fornications of our forefathers'.
     • Blanche stuck in the past
       • Stella starting a new life with Stanley, with a child on the way.

4. Mitch and Blanche

   • Relationship of convenience
     • Mitch's desires to marry before the death of his mother
     • Blanche needs a distraction from her delusions
     • Attraction is mostly on Mitch's part
   • Class differences
     • Mitch = more romantic than Stanley, but still fairly uneducated/inexperienced
     • Blanche carries the majority of their conversations
   • Blanche's lies
     • Cause conflict in the relationship
       • Ultimately results in ending the relationship
     • Mitch = insecure and unexperienced in romance
       • Blanche uses this to manipulate him
   • Mutual lonliness