Tennessee Williams uses "A Streetcar Named Desire" to illustrate women's dependence on men in the south following world war II. Stella, Blanche, and Eunice all provide compelling evidence that women strongly depended on men.
Stella relies on man for her sustenance and well-being. She is married to the strong, aggressive Stanley Kowalski. Stanley is a fearful force that goes as far as hitting Stella and smashing all of the dinner plates on the ground. Despite his ogre-esqe tendencies, Stella is still convinced she loves him and cannot see herself without him. This passage is comes immediately after Stanley hits Stella. "Her eyes go blind with tenderness as she catches his head and raises him level with her." She cannot bear to be without Stanley. Williams doesn't necessarily criticize Stella for her dependence on men, but rather uses her as an example to show how women felt much safer and secure at the time when with a man.
Throughout the novel Blanche advices Stella that Stanley is too powerful and abusive for her and that she needs to become more independent and leave him. She thinks Stella would be happier without Stanley. Blanche tries to make it seem like she is independent, but it is her idea to constantly try and contact Shep Huntleigh for financial support. She turns to men for money, portraying her dependence on them. Blanche also relies on Mitch as away of escaping her shady past and being happy. She sees marrying the perfect man as the ultimate escape from the shackles of reality. Blanche relies on men as the only means of rescuing herself from the disillusioned life she's living. While she may try and advice Stella about the dangers of Stanley, it is Blanche who WIlliams is criticizing with her dependence on men.
Eunice represents a third example of how women depended on men. Steve hits Eunice and she runs away crying, threatening to call the police. Steve chases after her wooing her to come back with him. The two vanish for awhile and then "Steve and Eunice come around corner. Steve's arm is around Eunice's shoulder and she is sobbing luxuriously and he is cooing love-words. There is a murmur of thunder as they go slowly upstairs in a tight embrace." Eunice forgives Steve, and just like that they are back together.
Tennessee Williams is critical of women's dependence of men. He uses Stella, Blance, and Eunice all as examples of the lack of independence women had in the south. Tennessee Williams criticized societal norms in many of his works, and I believe in "A Streetcar Named Desire" he is criticizing women's dependence of men. I mean even the streetcar is named desire….
Stella relies on man for her sustenance and well-being. She is married to the strong, aggressive Stanley Kowalski. Stanley is a fearful force that goes as far as hitting Stella and smashing all of the dinner plates on the ground. Despite his ogre-esqe tendencies, Stella is still convinced she loves him and cannot see herself without him. This passage is comes immediately after Stanley hits Stella. "Her eyes go blind with tenderness as she catches his head and raises him level with her." She cannot bear to be without Stanley. Williams doesn't necessarily criticize Stella for her dependence on men, but rather uses her as an example to show how women felt much safer and secure at the time when with a man.
Throughout the novel Blanche advices Stella that Stanley is too powerful and abusive for her and that she needs to become more independent and leave him. She thinks Stella would be happier without Stanley. Blanche tries to make it seem like she is independent, but it is her idea to constantly try and contact Shep Huntleigh for financial support. She turns to men for money, portraying her dependence on them. Blanche also relies on Mitch as away of escaping her shady past and being happy. She sees marrying the perfect man as the ultimate escape from the shackles of reality. Blanche relies on men as the only means of rescuing herself from the disillusioned life she's living. While she may try and advice Stella about the dangers of Stanley, it is Blanche who WIlliams is criticizing with her dependence on men.
Eunice represents a third example of how women depended on men. Steve hits Eunice and she runs away crying, threatening to call the police. Steve chases after her wooing her to come back with him. The two vanish for awhile and then "Steve and Eunice come around corner. Steve's arm is around Eunice's shoulder and she is sobbing luxuriously and he is cooing love-words. There is a murmur of thunder as they go slowly upstairs in a tight embrace." Eunice forgives Steve, and just like that they are back together.
Tennessee Williams is critical of women's dependence of men. He uses Stella, Blance, and Eunice all as examples of the lack of independence women had in the south. Tennessee Williams criticized societal norms in many of his works, and I believe in "A Streetcar Named Desire" he is criticizing women's dependence of men. I mean even the streetcar is named desire….