Domestic Violence In A Streetcar Named Desire

Next,Tennessee williams introduces the theme of violence to the reader in his play A Streetcar named desire between relationships with the characters Stanley,Stella,Blanche, and all the men Blanche discovers throughout the play. The role of domestic violence really hits a peak in the play because most of the violence takes place in a home between partners and spouses. Rape and Suicide are also forms of violence in the play. For example, Blanche a southern belle from Laurel,Mississippi is affected by violence more than any character in the play.She is affected when her late husband shoots himself after Blanche confronts him with his sexuality. “It was because-- on the dance floor -- unable to stop myself-- i suddenly said-- “i saw!” “I know!”

you disgust me.”(Williams:96) In Blanche’s explaining of her husband suicide she refers to him as a blinding light of love that his light has never been stronger than this. Thus gives into Blanche’s avoidance of light. Stanley is a main character that progresses the violence. It starts off with yelling and then later lays hands on Stella and strikes her. He later goes to apologize and say he wants Stella down in the house with him. Eunice attempts to put Stanley in his place by saying “You cant beat on a woman an’ then call ‘er back”(60) Eunice is very agressive toward Stanley after he just finished hitting Stella. The role of violence is clear in this part of the play because it shows that even Stanley himself is affected by his actions. Stanley shows that he feels bad and wants her to forgive him by saying “I want my baby down here.Stella,Stella!”(59) Even after being confronted He later escalates the violence into throwing and breaking things and raping Blanche. As Stanley continues his aggressive nature later in the book he approaches Blanche and rapes her Stanley acts as though the action was meant to happen all along when he says “Tiger- Tiger! Drop the bottle top! Drop it! We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning” This shows what Stanley’s intentions were all along.