A Comparison Of Fences, A Doll House And A Streetcar Named Desire

Before this assignment and when I first read Fences, M. Butterfly, A Doll House, A Streetcar Named Desire, and even Death of a Salesman, Trifles, and Oedipus the King I picked up on something that each novel shared. I noticed in each story there was love between a couple. This love however that I interpreted was fake to me. The couples did love each other dearly at some point of time but there was a very strong flaw in each love that manipulated them. The love controlled them to do and believe things that they shouldn’t do. This intangible element controlled their destinies and even controls people’s lives today. I will be comparing and explaining Fences, M. Butterfly, A Doll House, and A Streetcar Named Desire in depth about love and

Nora was the main character who wanted to be free and make her own decisions in life. Her husband Torvald thought of Nora as a careless child who couldn’t make her own decisions and constantly needed guidance. They never had an equal partnership in their relationship. Nora was always inessential and Torvald was the significant one. They were once very poor and Nora tried taking action by illegally borrowing money to move to Italy and support the family at that time. At the end of the play Torvald freaks out on Nora after she finally informed him about Dr. Rank’s upcoming death. “Ah! What a rude awakening for me! For eight years my pride and joy, a hypocrite, a liar, even worse, a criminal! (Pg. 763 Line 378)” Torvald was very upset with her and his emotions changed drastically in a brief moment after receiving another letter from Mrs. Helmer. The letter was about Nora’s contract being returned and there is no longer the thought of fear for her fraud. Torvald settles down and is in complete joy at this moment from his wife helping him. However, Nora states that they both never understood each other until now and after eight years of marriage they finally talk seriously. She said that he never loved her and he thought that it was fun to be in love with her. “No, just having fun. You’ve always been very nice to me. But our home has never been anything but a playpen. I’ve been

Stanley and Stella is the couple that portrays a corrupted love. Stella is a genuine person and has the best morals out of any character in the play. She is married to Stanley who is an abusive, sexual, and brutal slob but is passionate to his wife. Stella gets torn apart between her sister Blanche and Stanley. Stanley and Blanche envy one another because Blanche wants her sister to find a better man. Later on Stella is pregnant with a baby and Stanley returns home to find drunken Blanche alone. Blanche and Stanley argue and Blanche threatens him with a smashed bottle. Stanley then stated, “Oh! So you want some roughhouse! All right, let’s have some roughhouse (Pg. 1256 Line 145).” Stanley grabbed Blanche and began to rape her. Blanche tried explaining to Stella what her husband did to her but Stella did not believe her and took sides with her husband. Blanche eventually was getting taken away from them to an insane asylum. Stanley lied to Blanche and told her she is going away with a millionaire. Stella cries as Blanche leaves and Stanley comforts Stella by slowly moving his fingers down her blouse to her breasts. Stanley lied and tore apart Stella and Blanches relationship. Stella and Stanley’s fake love lead to Blanche getting raped and into an insane asylum. Stella was confused by all of the nasty lies that Stanley told and he would always be sexual to his wife,