Society of Tennessee Williams’ time saw sexuality as a negative aspect of ourselves that should be suppressed because of its destructive nature. Throughout A Streetcar Named Desire Williams showcases his characters in this anti-sex society. He presents his characters in this society, not to praise it, but instead to highlight the negative effects of existing in such a world. Furthermore, through the actions and consequences his characters face in conforming to society’s standards, Williams manages to communicate a story that condemns society for keeping people from expressing their sexuality and from being stable, whole and sexual human beings. Expressing sexuality or sexual desires leads the plays’ characters to death or to ruin. The suppression
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This becomes clear in the character of Mitch and his reaction to finding out about Blanche’s past. When he finds out he tells Blanche, “I don’t think I want to marry you anymore… you’re not clean enough to bring in the house with mother” (221). He slut-shames her, likening her to damaged goods, even though, up until now, he had been depicted as a nice and understanding guy. “You need somebody. And I need somebody, too. Could it be—you and me, Blanche?” (116). Mitch says this after hearing about Blanche’s dead husband and obviously feels a sort of kinship to her. With his sick mother, he needs someone he can love and rely on and he seems to think that Blanche is it. However, Mitch lets a little thing such as Blanche’s past ruin what could have been a happy ending for him, just because by society 's standards Blanche was not “clean enough.” Stanley’s rape of Blanche and its outcome also helps support the argument that Blanche is not the enemy. Stanley rapes Blanche because he resents her for thinking she is smarter and better than him. Finding out about her soiled past makes him feel entitled to harm her. Blanche’s believed superiority over Stanley is made clear quite frequently. Blanche even refers to Stanley as a survivor of the stone age, likening him to an ape and urges her sister not to,"hang back with the brutes.”(118). Blanche’s superior attitude only makes Stanley’s resentment and his need to bring her down a peg grow, and when he finds out that she has slept so indiscriminately with so many people, he cannot see why she should object to one more. After all, traditionally, an unmarried woman who is impure is worthless. Although Stanley is victorious over Blanche he is in no way the hero figure of the play. Despite Blanche being shamed and made to pay for her sexual promiscuity, Williams is not criticizing her for expressing
This becomes clear in the character of Mitch and his reaction to finding out about Blanche’s past. When he finds out he tells Blanche, “I don’t think I want to marry you anymore… you’re not clean enough to bring in the house with mother” (221). He slut-shames her, likening her to damaged goods, even though, up until now, he had been depicted as a nice and understanding guy. “You need somebody. And I need somebody, too. Could it be—you and me, Blanche?” (116). Mitch says this after hearing about Blanche’s dead husband and obviously feels a sort of kinship to her. With his sick mother, he needs someone he can love and rely on and he seems to think that Blanche is it. However, Mitch lets a little thing such as Blanche’s past ruin what could have been a happy ending for him, just because by society 's standards Blanche was not “clean enough.” Stanley’s rape of Blanche and its outcome also helps support the argument that Blanche is not the enemy. Stanley rapes Blanche because he resents her for thinking she is smarter and better than him. Finding out about her soiled past makes him feel entitled to harm her. Blanche’s believed superiority over Stanley is made clear quite frequently. Blanche even refers to Stanley as a survivor of the stone age, likening him to an ape and urges her sister not to,"hang back with the brutes.”(118). Blanche’s superior attitude only makes Stanley’s resentment and his need to bring her down a peg grow, and when he finds out that she has slept so indiscriminately with so many people, he cannot see why she should object to one more. After all, traditionally, an unmarried woman who is impure is worthless. Although Stanley is victorious over Blanche he is in no way the hero figure of the play. Despite Blanche being shamed and made to pay for her sexual promiscuity, Williams is not criticizing her for expressing