This is the final copy of a response paper I handed in today from my Intro to Drama class. This is my intellectual property and I mean it to contribute to the current discussion. This is not intended for someone to steal it and hand it in as their own work, and I do not condone that behavior. With that said, enjoy:
In Tennessee William's A Streetcar Named Desire, the idea of 'desire'— a lesser and more primal sort of need—shows up constantly throughout the play and it is a driving force behind the characters' actions.
Stanley is the character most infused with 'desire'. He is, to put it frankly, distilled, concentrated manliness. He is all the allure and power that a man is, but also with a healthy dose of abusive—Stanley makes it incredibly and often violently clear that he is the king of this castle, and there is no way that is going to be changed. Stanley's power is founded in his physical strength which he exhibits whenever he feels like he doesn't have the upper hand anymore. For example when he is losing the poker game,
“(He pulls it [radio] free, crosses to window below bathroom, and throws it out, STELLA clutching at him from behind. He says, “Get the hell out of my way!” Throws her off.)” (p.40)
and also after Stella begins to repeat Blanche's derogatory words describing him,
“(A pause. STANLEY looks at STELLA. Suddenly, with a quick slap of his hand on chop plate, breaks it—then with a sweep of his arm, pushes his broken plate, silver, and rest of his food off upstage side of the table to the floor.
...
(Then, STANLEY picks up his cup, and hurls it into U.R. Corner behind door.) My place is cleared! You want me to clear your places?” (p.76-77)
He has to regain command of the situation the only way that he knows how—by physically demonstrating control. This need for control is one of the desires that characterizes Stanley as being somewhat primitive in nature.
Stanley's marriage is also filled with this desire, most explicitly in the iconic scene where Stanley screams “with heaven-splitting violence” for Stella to return to him (p. 42). The image that comes to mind is that of a wounded animal. An integral part of Stanley's character is having a woman in his life—to watch him bowl, to be in bed with him, to clean up his house.
“Remember what Huey Long said—'Every man is a King!'—And I am the king around here, so don't you forget it!” (p.77)
but Stanley is no king without a subject—without his girl. Stanley without Stella is not Stanley at all. He needs her to be by his side, and knowing that she still loves him just won't cut it. When Stella comes back to him, picks her up and carries her back inside, thereby regaining his physical control. He then proceeds to get even more physical with Stella—it can be inferred that the couple have sex, because when Blanche starts to follow them back into the house, she immediately recoils in horror.
Besides the need for power and control, there is another desire that characterizes Stanley. Sex, of course. His relationship with Stella is portrayed as a very sexual one, “Where were you? In bed with your Pollack!” (p.16) Blanche accuses her sister, a claim that Stella herself later supports when asked about Stanley's abuse, Stella mentions their sex-life,
“But there are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark—that sort of makes everything else seem—unimportant.” (p.49)
and Stanley is nostalgic about their life before Blanche arrived,
“You remember that way it was? Them nights we had together? God, honey, it's gonna be sweet when we can make noise in the night that way we used to and get the colored lights going with nobody's sister behind the curtains to hear us!” (p.77-78)
And in case the audience has a pure mind that never ventures into the gutter, the couple has a baby on the way—leaving no doubt as to what they like to do under the colored lights.
Stanley is a territorial creature as well (once again, his need to be physically in control) and treats Blanche's arrival as a threat to his claim over the house. She sweeps in and sprinkles lace and perfume around, and tries to convince Stella that she'd be better off without her husband. Blanche is attempting to take away both his house and his wife, and he feels that Blanche has cheated him out of the money that came from the sale of Belle Reve. She is also an object of sexual frustration for Stanley, because her presence in the house prevents him and Stella from having a satisfying sex life—the most basic of all his desires. All these things together are an attack on the fulfillment of everything Stanley desires, and he refuses to tolerate this.
Stanley therefore, puts a large amount of energy into taking Blanche down—he plays the detective and has his “lawyer acquaintance” (p. 29) study Blanche's financial papers about Belle Reve, and gets “proof from the most reliable sources—which I have checked on!” from a “supply-man down at the plant” who “has been going through Laurel for years and he knows all about her,” (p. 70). Stanley also ruins Blanche's relationship with Mitch by telling him all the unsavory details he's discovered about her.
But the most memorable incident of Stanley's animosity for Blanche and desire to eliminate her from his house, is the violent scene in which it is implied that he rapes her. Rape is “about power, not sex.” so, the desire that is satisfied by this act is not a sexual one, but rather Stanley's need to be in control (kidshealth.org). This desire for control over Blanche has been evident in Stanley's behavior since he and Blanche first met. He notes this right before the curtain drops on that scene,
“We've had this date with each other from the beginning! (Starts towards the bed with her.)” (p. 94)
The relationship Blanche has with Mitch is made up entirely of desire. Stella asks her sister,
“Blanche, do you want him?
BLANCHE: I want to rest! I want to breathe quietly again! Yes—I want Mitch. I want him very badly! Just think! If it happens! I can leave here and not be anyone's problem...” (p. 58)
Instead of going on and on about the various attractive qualities Mitch has, as someone head-over-heels in love might do, Blanche goes straight to the heart of the matter—her own need for a protector. Blanche's allure and power extend only as far as the ability to hook a man. It seems like she doesn't much care who the man is—as evidenced by her promiscuity at the Flamingo Hotel—she just wants a man. She sees Mitch as someone who will protect her and take care of her. Their romance is driven by her instinctual need for “somebody” (p. 68), Blanche doesn't love Mitch—he is just a means to an end.
Another need that Mitch satisfies for Blanche is her desire for the illusions of beauty she creates in her head to be real. This desire surfaces in Blanche's attempts to make their relationship as perfect as possible. Blanche sometimes has to force Mitch into things he is not comfortable with, for example, the little scene where he brings her flowers,
“BLANCHE: (Gaily) Looks who's coming! My Rosenkavalier! (Stiffly, he meets her on the porch and offers flowers.) No. Bow to me first! (MITCH is embarrassed, shakes head. She is adamant. He looks around to see if anyone is watching, then ducks a quick little bow, flowers extended to BLANCHE.) And now present them! (He does. She curtseys low.) Ahhhh! Merciiii!” (p. 60)
she wants to live in this fantasy world—this Belle Reve world—which exists only in her head. She wants Mitch to be some dashing suitor. She makes a reference to “Rosenkavalier”, which is “Knight of the Rose” in German—another part of her cultured fantasy world (Wikipedia). Blanche's desire for her imaginary world is best summed up in her own words;
“BLANCHE: I don't want realism. I want—magic!
MITCH: (Laughing) Magic!
BLANCHE: (Still on her knees) Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I do misrepresent things to them. I don't tell the truth, I tell what ought to be the truth. And if that's a sin, then let me be damned for it. Don't turn the light on!” (p. 84)
she desperately wants Mitch to subscribe to her version of reality—her “magic”, and when he refuses too, and pulls her directly under the light to expose her face, she is deeply hurt. She throws him out with the threat “Get out of here quick before I start screaming fire!” (p. 87) Blanche hates reality because, in reality she is getting older, and people don't respect her like she wants them to, and she is broke, and unlikely to find a husband. “Magic” is Blanche's greatest desire.
Desire runs through this play like a thread, it strings the characters together, pulls them in different directions, and then ties the whole play up in a nice little package by making the perfect and most fitting title—the name of a streetcar.
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