Tennessee Williams, "A Streetcar Named Desire" - Introduction to Stanley Kowalski

In the dramatic play “A streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams a very fascinating character is the one of Stanley Kowalski. The usual reaction is to see him as a brute and some will even dislike this man intensely because of the way that he treats the delicate Blanche. The audience can begin can begin to build a picture of Stanley Kowalski’s character by his apparel, he is “roughly dressed in blue denim work clothes” suggesting that he is employed in a low skilled labour-intensive job. Furthermore, Tennessee Williams establishes that Stanley is the dominant one in his relationship with his wife, Stella, as well as in his relationships with other characters. This is exemplified in scene 1 as Stella told him to come out in order for Blanche to get dressed and he replied “Since when do you give me orders?”. It demonstrates that Stanley needs to be in control in any given situation and asserts his male dominance over Stella. His animalistic behavior is furthermore developed when “he crosses to the trunk, shoves it roughly open and begins to open compartments.” He is investigating Blanche’s legal papers regarding Belle Reve as he is not being manipulated by her, demonstrating that even if he is from a lower social class he is intelligent. Stanley is the man who likes to lay his cards on the table as he was being straightforward with Blanche when asking her about the legal papers by saying “Don’t play so dumb. You know what! - Where’s the papers?”. He wants to keep her going all the time, asking her questions he already knows the answers to. Blanche becomes further threatened by him building the tension and conflict. In scene 3, when Stanley realizes that Stella is gonna, he becomes extremely mournful. Instead of trying to apologize with a conversation, Stanley yearns for Stella to return so that he can make up to her with his actions. Stanley shouts "with heaven-splitting violence”. Stanley's shout comes as a distinct contrast to Blanche's repetition of Stella's name as Blanche highlights Stella’s name’s fantasy and beauty by referring to her as "Stella for star." However, Stanley turns Stella's name into a primal yell, “STELL-LAHHHHH!”.