Street Car Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams in 1947, has been called the best play ever written by an American. The geological setting of the play, New Orleans, creates a remarkably blended mood of decadence, nostalgia, and sensuality. The plot of the play comes about through the conflict between a man and his sister-in-law who comes to live at his house with he and his wife. Stanley Kowalski immediately captures the attention of the audience through Williams' excellent portrayal of the intensely strong willed character.

The portrayal of Stanley Kowalski plays a major role in the success of the play. Williams forms Stanley into an extremely masculine character who will always have his way or no way at all and makes his opinions very clear to those around him. This profound masculinity places Stanley in direct opposition to Blanche DuBois. "The high-minded yet oddly fragile Blanche takes an immediate dislike to the loutish, working-class Stanley, while Stanley immediately recognizes Blanche for what she has become: a woman who finds consolation in indiscriminate sex and alcohol." (Authors & Artists, 165). This clashing forms the conflict which eventually roots itself deeply into the plot of the play. Stanley represents the symbol of the New South. Stanley's aggressiveness leads to his ease in taking total control over a situation. This characteristic also allows Stanley to completely secure the respect of all the men who associate with him, however, his aggression also shines a light upon a very destructive side of his character. In many ways, Stanley's brutality leads to the major conflict between Blanche and himself. "And look at yourself! Take a look at that worn out Mardi Gras outfit, rented for fifty cents from some rag picker! And with that crazy crown on! What queen do you think you are?" (Williams, 127). Stanley becomes very blunt in his contempt and aggression towards Blanche. Another view into the excessive aggression of Stanley appears in the third scene. In this scene, Williams provides a look at a very negative side of Stanley. Stanley physically assaults his wife, Stella, after she returns to the house during his poker game. "How anyone could find Stella Kowalski's comatose endurance of Stanley healthy or whole-hearted is, indeed, a subject for wonder." (Drama Criticism, 401). Stanley also shows his vigorous side through his appearance as the ruler of the household. "He views Blanche's presence as a threat to his position of power and control in his home." (Encyclopedia of Literary Characters, 1859). Blanche appears as a character who may possibly jeopardize his position of authority in the household. Williams casts this image of excessive aggressiveness and cruelty upon Stanley not only to form the primary conflict which fully entangles itself in the plot of the play but also to force the reader to look at Stanley's character from different perspectives. In one sense, the audience sees Stanley as a character who commands respect and watches out for himself and his wife, while, in another light, he appears as an overbearing brute. "His cruel intolerance of Blanche can be seen as a justifiable response to her lies, hypocrisy, and mockery, but his nasty streak of violence against his wife appalls even his friends." (Masterplots, 6316). These opposing views of the character add to his essence in the play. The absolute epitome of Stanley's aggression culminates in his rape of Blanche. The utter brutality of Stanley comes forth in this scene as he takes out his aggression with an assault on Blanche. Again, some readers feel that his vicious attack on Blanche comes about as warranted due to the preceding acts of Blanche. "Ð'...for Williams, Blanche is, nonetheless, guilty of abusing and using 'sensitive men' so that her 'punishment'-her rape-fits her crime." (Drama Criticism, 399). Nonetheless, this final exhibition of hostility by Stanley leads to the emotional downfall of Blanche. "Not the least among the terrors that Blanche perceives looms the inevitability that Stanley Kowalski will be the instrument of her final catastrophe. Blanche is right. Stanley does become her executioner. He applies the coup de grace to her psyche." (Contemporary Literary Criticism, 505). The climax of this scene leads to the total fall to insanity of Blanche. "Ð'...until the very last scene Blanche does not lose touch with reality.