How is the character of Mitch presented in A Streetcar Named Desire
Mitch is the allegorical representation of stereotypes being defied; his femininity contrasts Stanley’s
masculine dominance and his eventual downfall compared to Stanley’s victory suggests Williams
utilises ostracism as a symbol of defeat against societal expectations. Furthermore, Mitch is used as
a catalyst in exposing Blanche’s hamartia as he accuses her of lying.
By presenting Mitch as the defiance of societal stereotypes, Williams has explored the consequences
that derive from judgement of not fitting in. Stanley, the alpha male, mocks Mitch for being a ‘cry-
baby’ which, through the infantilised metaphor, insinuates that Mitch is not only able to keep a
strong hold on his emotions but suggests that the act of being vulnerable is an undesirable trait for
men. Due to the criticism from others, Mitch is ‘ashamed of the way [he] perspires’ which, through
the sematic field of femininity with ‘perspires’ alerts the audience of the humiliation he feels from
being emasculated through the saddening verb ‘ashamed’. Williams presents Mitch as the archetype
of the contrast to a stereotypical male and explores the hardships that comes with that because
Williams, himself, experienced social ostracism due to the fact he was supposedly gay and therefore
not seen as masculine. The audience is immediately made aware of the condemnation placed on
Mitch being himself to allow them to assimilate how detrimental expectations can be. At the
denouement of the play, Stanley states ‘this game is a seven-card stud’ which, through the reference
to both a ‘stud’ connoting to male animals being used for their sexuality and the symbolism of the
‘game’, makes it intelligible to the reader to understand the extent of the tragedy. Williams presents
life as a game of survival of the fittest and demonstrates the preordained fall of the weak, Mitch and
Blanche, as the inevitable outcome of the game. Through this extended metaphor, the audience are
shocked at the injustice shown by the community and are made to commiserate the ‘weak’
characters because the tragedy lies with the fact the downfall of these stock characters was
inevitable due to their individuality. The expressionist character of Mitch, who represents the
general class of outsiders, is used by Williams as a pawn to explain and warn the audience of the
terrible consequences that derive from societal judgement and make them ruminate on its presence
in their own society.
Williams illustrates the importance of romantic relationships for Blanche and the suffering one can
endure from losing those closest to them predominantly through the character of Mitch. He is the
symbol of hope for Blanche that, for a slight second, gives the audience hope that she can resist the
‘Polka rising up’ which represents her inevitable tragic downfall. Blanche labels Mitch her
‘Rosenkavalier’ to insinuate to them that Blanche needs saving through the imagery of military
heroes. Furthermore, the outdated language reminds the audience that Blanche is unable to leave
the past behind and is stuck in the Deep South which was destroyed in the American Civil War.
Williams presents Mitch as a potential saviour to Blanche whilst prognosticating her tragic downfall
through her hamartia being exaggerated; her inability to accept the present reality. Their newfound
reliance on eachother derives from the fact they need support to deal with the trauma of their past.
Mitch recognises the fact ‘[Blanche] needs somebody and [he] needs somebody too’ which, through
the repetition of the verb ‘need’ delineates the desperation experienced by both parties to depend
on eachother. Williams exposes this desire to exaggerate to the audience the significance placed on
finding a partner and getting married in the 1940s at the same time as relieving the characters’ fear
of isolation. Through the reference to both characters needing support to move forward from the
trauma of their past, Williams has presented Mitch as the hope for Blanche’s future whilst using him
as a symbol to explain to the audience the consequences and isolation experienced when losing a
loved one to make them sympathise with the grieving characters.
Mitch is the allegorical representation of stereotypes being defied; his femininity contrasts Stanley’s
masculine dominance and his eventual downfall compared to Stanley’s victory suggests Williams
utilises ostracism as a symbol of defeat against societal expectations. Furthermore, Mitch is used as
a catalyst in exposing Blanche’s hamartia as he accuses her of lying.
By presenting Mitch as the defiance of societal stereotypes, Williams has explored the consequences
that derive from judgement of not fitting in. Stanley, the alpha male, mocks Mitch for being a ‘cry-
baby’ which, through the infantilised metaphor, insinuates that Mitch is not only able to keep a
strong hold on his emotions but suggests that the act of being vulnerable is an undesirable trait for
men. Due to the criticism from others, Mitch is ‘ashamed of the way [he] perspires’ which, through
the sematic field of femininity with ‘perspires’ alerts the audience of the humiliation he feels from
being emasculated through the saddening verb ‘ashamed’. Williams presents Mitch as the archetype
of the contrast to a stereotypical male and explores the hardships that comes with that because
Williams, himself, experienced social ostracism due to the fact he was supposedly gay and therefore
not seen as masculine. The audience is immediately made aware of the condemnation placed on
Mitch being himself to allow them to assimilate how detrimental expectations can be. At the
denouement of the play, Stanley states ‘this game is a seven-card stud’ which, through the reference
to both a ‘stud’ connoting to male animals being used for their sexuality and the symbolism of the
‘game’, makes it intelligible to the reader to understand the extent of the tragedy. Williams presents
life as a game of survival of the fittest and demonstrates the preordained fall of the weak, Mitch and
Blanche, as the inevitable outcome of the game. Through this extended metaphor, the audience are
shocked at the injustice shown by the community and are made to commiserate the ‘weak’
characters because the tragedy lies with the fact the downfall of these stock characters was
inevitable due to their individuality. The expressionist character of Mitch, who represents the
general class of outsiders, is used by Williams as a pawn to explain and warn the audience of the
terrible consequences that derive from societal judgement and make them ruminate on its presence
in their own society.
Williams illustrates the importance of romantic relationships for Blanche and the suffering one can
endure from losing those closest to them predominantly through the character of Mitch. He is the
symbol of hope for Blanche that, for a slight second, gives the audience hope that she can resist the
‘Polka rising up’ which represents her inevitable tragic downfall. Blanche labels Mitch her
‘Rosenkavalier’ to insinuate to them that Blanche needs saving through the imagery of military
heroes. Furthermore, the outdated language reminds the audience that Blanche is unable to leave
the past behind and is stuck in the Deep South which was destroyed in the American Civil War.
Williams presents Mitch as a potential saviour to Blanche whilst prognosticating her tragic downfall
through her hamartia being exaggerated; her inability to accept the present reality. Their newfound
reliance on eachother derives from the fact they need support to deal with the trauma of their past.
Mitch recognises the fact ‘[Blanche] needs somebody and [he] needs somebody too’ which, through
the repetition of the verb ‘need’ delineates the desperation experienced by both parties to depend
on eachother. Williams exposes this desire to exaggerate to the audience the significance placed on
finding a partner and getting married in the 1940s at the same time as relieving the characters’ fear
of isolation. Through the reference to both characters needing support to move forward from the
trauma of their past, Williams has presented Mitch as the hope for Blanche’s future whilst using him
as a symbol to explain to the audience the consequences and isolation experienced when losing a
loved one to make them sympathise with the grieving characters.
