Domestic Violence In A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williams makes domestic violence a prominent theme in A Streetcar named Desire. Implementing violence into relationships like Stanley and Stella, Steve and Eunice, help establish the social norm of the 1940s. Stanley’s vulgar and impulsive personality is exemplified throughout the play with his interactions with Stella. Stanley has multiple violent outbreaks throwing the radio out the window and hitting Stella, to clearing the dinner table destructively. Ultimately, Stella always returns back to Stanley’s side with love and affection, never questioning if she should leave him. In today’s society acts of domestic violence lead to divorces and lawsuits. Seventy years ago, it was socially acceptable for a man to beat his wife, but today domestic abuse is a crime. At no point in time should it be morally okay to physically harm a loved one, but relatively recently it was. Today the concept of acceptable domestic abuse is unbelievable, but that is how society influences people. Naturally, the population forges a set of social norms that change over time

In the beginning of the work, the reader is exposed to Blanche’s dishonest personality when she lies about drinking alcohol. As the play progresses it becomes more apparent that Blanche is hiding something. For example, Blanche does not go into great detail when Stanley asks about the letters in her trunk and her sumptuous outfits. Stanley catches on to Blanche’s secrets when a friend of his tells him about Blanche’s affairs at the Flamingo Hotel. Upon Blanche’s confrontation with Stanley, she denies all evidence against her and lies to conceal the truth. Blanche looks for ways to escape Stanley before her real past is discovered, like finding a new man to marry. To Blanche, a relationship with Mitch seems like a way out, but after hearing rumors about her past and Blanche’s superficial personality, Mitch leaves