Section B: A Streetcar Named Desire
Question: Explore Williams’ treatment of ideas about masculinity in A Streetcar Named Desire. You
must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
Introduction Within the play, Williams’ presents archetypical interpretations of masculinity, while also
exploring juxtaposing figures in the play, such as Allan and Mitch, to highlight the
expectation for men in the 1940s to act in a certain way- this is possibly something
Williams’ himself struggled with as a homosexual male. Set during post-war New Orleans,
gender roles were in a state of flux as women were under pressure to return to the
subservient domestic roles of pre-war America. Williams uses this contextual factor to act
as a catalyst for the deterioration of Blanche Dubois, as she struggles both physically and
mentally against Stanley - the play's chief symbol of masculinity.
Point 1 Through Williams’ presentation of Stanley Kowalski, he comments on the flaws within
society, and how men’s toxic drive for dominance poses a threat to those around them. It
is a traditional idea that men should dominate their wives, and Williams’ explores how the
relationship between Stella and Stanley is often at war as Stanley is a man who cannot
accept post-war ideals about women and their more progressive role in society. Stanley’s
physical dominance is explored, and through his characterisation, Williams’ portrays
masculinity in a negative light.
Stage directions vital for introduction to Stanley’s character: his first entrance, and
therefore first impression on the audience, is bold and vivid. He is dressed in "blue
denim work clothes" and carrying a "red-stained package" which he "heaves" up
at his wife. Stanley is immediately associated with finance and food, and being the
sole provider of the household- traditional idea associated with masculinity. His
brash interaction with his wife demonstrates his domineering relationship with her
that is influenced by the societal power dynamic between men and women. The
package and his monosyllabic speech of, "Meat!" presents masculinity as
primitive, which is enforced by Blanche's opinion of Stanley being "ape-like", and
the description of him being "a richly feathered male bird among hens"
Williams contrasts Stanley's masculinity with Blanche's vulnerable femininity to
heighten his dominance over her and Stella within the household setting. Blanche
is presented as typically feminine, as she is "daintily dressed" in ‘white’ clothes,
symbolising her fading presence, as well as being weak against Stanley's bold
"primary colours". Stanley's masculinity is foreshadowed from the start to crush
Blanche, and is what holds Stella inside the house as she is unable to support
herself in a male centric society. This contrast is important in establishing Stanley,
and ultimately masculinity as a threatening thing.
Interestingly, this traditional presentation of masculinity as shown through
Stanley, is also supported by Stella, when she says: ‘Stanley’s the only one of his
crowd to get anywhere.’ It seems society has been conditioned to brand males
with traditionally female, caring characteristics as weak- eg Mitch.
‘every man is a king’
Also interesting that where Stanley is a dominant male, he is also dependent one-
breaks down to Stella after their confrontation in scene 3.
The animalistic attitude of men as embodied by Stanley further showed as he
rarely speaks in complex sentences, instead they are typically short and punctual;
Question: Explore Williams’ treatment of ideas about masculinity in A Streetcar Named Desire. You
must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
Introduction Within the play, Williams’ presents archetypical interpretations of masculinity, while also
exploring juxtaposing figures in the play, such as Allan and Mitch, to highlight the
expectation for men in the 1940s to act in a certain way- this is possibly something
Williams’ himself struggled with as a homosexual male. Set during post-war New Orleans,
gender roles were in a state of flux as women were under pressure to return to the
subservient domestic roles of pre-war America. Williams uses this contextual factor to act
as a catalyst for the deterioration of Blanche Dubois, as she struggles both physically and
mentally against Stanley - the play's chief symbol of masculinity.
Point 1 Through Williams’ presentation of Stanley Kowalski, he comments on the flaws within
society, and how men’s toxic drive for dominance poses a threat to those around them. It
is a traditional idea that men should dominate their wives, and Williams’ explores how the
relationship between Stella and Stanley is often at war as Stanley is a man who cannot
accept post-war ideals about women and their more progressive role in society. Stanley’s
physical dominance is explored, and through his characterisation, Williams’ portrays
masculinity in a negative light.
Stage directions vital for introduction to Stanley’s character: his first entrance, and
therefore first impression on the audience, is bold and vivid. He is dressed in "blue
denim work clothes" and carrying a "red-stained package" which he "heaves" up
at his wife. Stanley is immediately associated with finance and food, and being the
sole provider of the household- traditional idea associated with masculinity. His
brash interaction with his wife demonstrates his domineering relationship with her
that is influenced by the societal power dynamic between men and women. The
package and his monosyllabic speech of, "Meat!" presents masculinity as
primitive, which is enforced by Blanche's opinion of Stanley being "ape-like", and
the description of him being "a richly feathered male bird among hens"
Williams contrasts Stanley's masculinity with Blanche's vulnerable femininity to
heighten his dominance over her and Stella within the household setting. Blanche
is presented as typically feminine, as she is "daintily dressed" in ‘white’ clothes,
symbolising her fading presence, as well as being weak against Stanley's bold
"primary colours". Stanley's masculinity is foreshadowed from the start to crush
Blanche, and is what holds Stella inside the house as she is unable to support
herself in a male centric society. This contrast is important in establishing Stanley,
and ultimately masculinity as a threatening thing.
Interestingly, this traditional presentation of masculinity as shown through
Stanley, is also supported by Stella, when she says: ‘Stanley’s the only one of his
crowd to get anywhere.’ It seems society has been conditioned to brand males
with traditionally female, caring characteristics as weak- eg Mitch.
‘every man is a king’
Also interesting that where Stanley is a dominant male, he is also dependent one-
breaks down to Stella after their confrontation in scene 3.
The animalistic attitude of men as embodied by Stanley further showed as he
rarely speaks in complex sentences, instead they are typically short and punctual;
