There is no question that gender roles have a significant impact on people and society. This issue arises between Stanley and Stella's relationship in the play “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Through the feminist lens, gender roles have a number of detrimental effects on relationships, including imbalance, the development of stereotypical behaviour, and toxicity. The negative impacts can be clearly seen during the passage that follows the day after Stanley hits Stella which already illustrates their toxic relationship. “No, it isn’t all right for anybody to make such terrible row, but- people do sometimes. Stanley’s always smashed things.” (Williams 72) This quotation emphasizes how some gender norms, such as men being violent and aggressive, have come …show more content…
As a result, there may be a power differential in the relationship, where the woman may feel unable to restrain the man's violent behaviour, which can further lead to toxic relationships.This also correlates to when Stella later tells Blanche that whatever happened happened and not to dwell on it when she states, “He promised me this morning that he was going to quit having these poker parties, but you know how long such a promise is going to keep going. Oh well, it’s his pleasure. People have got to tolerate each other's habits, I guess.” (Williams 74) This quotation illustrates Stella's belief that she must put up with her husband's bad habits in order to be a good wife. This supports the general gender norms which expects women to be accommodating and obedient while males hold positions of power and authority inside a house. In conclusion, these quotes show how traditional gender norms encourage unhealthy relationships by leading women to think that such relationships are normal and giving them an opportunity to justify their partners'