A Streetcar Named Desire: Context: Marriage

1940s was a time period where traditional gender roles were scrutinised in America, and the play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ follows suit.
Stanley represents a masculine ideal, embodying physical strength, provision for family and dominance over women.
Stella represents the submissive female, who suffers yet stays rooted in her marriage due to dependence and, possibly, societal conditioning.
Marriage is portrayed as an institution riddled with power struggles with Stanley exercising dominance both physically and emotionally.

Stanley Kowalski: Stanley’s physically abusive nature and overt sexual desire demonstrates the flawed masculine ideal of the era, where wives were expected to be submissive.
Stella Kowalski: Stella’s acceptance of her abusive marriage and her justifications for Stanley’s actions portray societal pressures and expectations of a married woman.
Blanche DuBois: Blanche’s failed marriage traumatises her, leading to her ongoing pursuit of security and stability that, in part, triggers her final tragic downfall.

Gender Roles: The play scrutinises traditional gender roles within marriage, represented through Stanley’s dominance and Stella’s submissiveness.
Abuse in Marriage: Stanley’s behaviour towards Stella demonstrates physical, mental, and sexual abuse, raising questions on the toxic masculinity of the era.
Marital Expectations vs. Reality: Stella’s acceptance of abuse contrasts sharply with Blanche’s dreams of romance, bringing into focus the harsh realities of marriage against its idealistic depiction.

Stanley’s assertive order: “There’s plenty to be made on the races” implies dominance over his wife’s choices.
Stella responds to Blanche’s shock over Stanley’s violent behaviour: “I’m not in anything that I want to get out of”. This upholds the deeply ingrained societal mould of women suffering in silence.
Blanche’s lamenting: “Sometimes — there’s God — so quickly!” epitomises her idealistic outlook on love and relationships, contrasting sharply with the reality of her sister’s marriage.

Use of Symbolism: The poker game represents the power dynamics in Stanley and Stella’s marriage, with Stanley ‘winning’ over his wife.
Juxtaposition: The stark contrast between the idealistic love Blanche craves and the harsh reality Stella lives with deals a severe critique of marriage.
Extensive use of Irony: Stella remains in her abusive marriage wishing for peace, whilst Blanche, in her quest for security, ends up institutionalised.