How Is Stanley Presented In A Streetcar Named Desire

Love and power are both and enticing; however, they both can end with disastrous results. Written by Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire is a dramatic story of two sisters and a deadbeat husband who are drowned in troubles from the past and present. Throughout the play, two of the main characters, Stanley, the deadbeat husband, and Blanche, the crazed romantic, are thought of as polar opposites. On the other hand, if you look deeper, both are consumed by three simple things: attention seeking, affection, and an unrelenting desire for power and control.
While Stanley and Stella are both contrasted fairly often throughout the play, they share a key similarity through their unrelenting desire for attention. From the time when Blanche

Throughout the play, Stanley shows how badly he wants complete control over Stella and her family. When Blanche first arrives, he immediately questions her about Belle Reve, and says, “In the state of Louisiana we have the Napoleonic code according to which what belongs to the wife belongs to the husband and vice versa.” (163). This quote screams dominance and control mongering. Also, while Stanley’s friends are over for poker, he insists that Blanche turns the radio off, and demands that the girls keep quiet. When the two sisters do not comply, he goes on a rampage, hurling the radio out of the window. The same controlling manner can be said for Blanche, as throughout the story, she constantly summons Stanley and Stella to do things for her, such as starting a bath. She also expresses the same behavior to Mitch and the Paperboy. During their night out, Blanche forces Mitch to follow her around and do what she wants, and when the Paper Boy arrives to take some questions, she seductively insists that the boy should stay and kiss her. Control is a massive part of Stanley and Blanche’s lives, whether it be apparent or