Blanche Dubois In A Streetcar Named Desire

Throughout Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche DuBois threatens Stanley Kowalski’s proud Polish-American status. Stanley’s American dream of living in Elysian Fields with his wife, Stella, is threatened by Blanche’s constant criticism about Stanley being a "Polack” (22). Stanley frequently tries to express his dominance over Blanche, culminating in rape. Only wanting to let his brutish desires rule him in peace, like before Blanche’s arrival, Stanley begins to see his Elysium slip away as his wife reverts to the southern elegance she and Blanche were raised in. By the end of Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Stanley remains the same powerful figure, but his victory over Blanche’s southern belle refinement leaves

Stanley wishes to return his life to before Blanche’s arrival, so he can return to his coarse desires with his wife and to the love for his newly born child. Following his outrage at Blanche, Stanley’s world begins to crumble around him. This destructive process starts with his best friend, Mitch: “Mitch has started toward the bedroom. Stanley crosses to block him. Stanley pushes him aside, Mitch lunges and strikes at Stanley. Stanley pushed Mitch back. Mitch collapses at the table, sobbing.” (177) Mitch’s straying from Stanley’s pack is truly represented as he leaves Stanley and his friends while they are playing poker. The confrontation and eventual fight between Stanley show Stanley trying to force Mitch to stay submissive and maintain their friendship. Although Stanley succeeds, he changes Mitch; Mitch’s change is depicted by his crying which shows him being conflicted with possibly leaving Stanley and his loyalty to his friends. This conflict results in Mitch and Stanley’s relationship being changed for the worse as Mitch begins to question Stanley’s authority. Mitch’s questioning could threaten Stanley’s authority brings Stanley’s entire friend group into ruin as Mitch threatens Stanley as the alpha dog. Furthermore, the abrupt, short nature of these sentences probably shows the brash nature of both Mitch and Stanley’s actions. This suggests that Mitch is very emotional in response to Stanley’s actions; this idea of Mitch’s moodiness is further reinforced by Mitch’s quick flip of anger to sadness. Now that Blanche is gone, Stanley desires to return to his love with his wife. He only wants to be able to love his wife in peace: Stanley voluptuously and soothingly says, “Now, now, love. [He kneels beside her and his fingers find the opening of her blouse] Now, now love.” (179). The repetition Stanley uses of words meant to comfort