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Summary Essential powerlessness of women essay
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Summary of 2 pages for the course AS Unit 1 - Prose and Drama at WJEC (.)
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“What strikes us the most forcibly is the essential powerlessness of women”. In the light ofthis statement, explore connotations between The Duchess of Malfi and A Streetcar Named
Desire”
Power has the tendency to be followed by corruption, especially when power is abused. It is
evident that the lack of authority and respect for both females in The Duchess of Malfi and A
Streetcar Named Desire is symbolic of a greater message than merely showcasing a patriarchal
society. In both ‘Streetcar’ and ‘Malfi’, the female characters find themselves supressed by the men
and society’s straight jacket it forces them to conform to.
Assertive women provoked much controversy in both settings’ of both plays. Elements of the
Duchess and Blanche’s characters portray great strength, but it is the society they are engaged with
that supresses this, which provides interesting yet tense entertainment for a modern audience. The
Duchess is described as a Renaissance stereotype ‘lusty widow’ showcasing the dilemma woman
faced, as they were forced into a situation of being expected to be open to men’s sexual advances
but also risk losing their honour. Blanche on the other hand is a proclaimed ‘southern belle’, a
figure which in the South was expected woman to be pure, chaste and lady-like, instead of
authentic and human. Stanley is threatened by Blanche, as they both pine for Stella’s support and
attention. Some believe he sees her as a foe over whom he needs to establish dominance, not
some damsel in distress he wants to violate for his own pleasure. Stella herself tells Stanley that
‘nobody was tender and trusting as she [Blanche] was, but people like you abused her, and forced
her to change’, foreshadowing Stanley’s ‘abuse’ which forces Blanche to continue her path of
change, to retreat further from the reality that so clearly destroys her. Just like the Duchess with
her brothers and Blanche with Stanley, strength will always conquer any signs of weakness, which
essentially leads to the characters’ powerlessness.
A common denominator of the female characters in the plays are that they are to some extent
victims of some form of abuse, regardless of individual perception or opinion. Stanley and
Ferdinand are both driven by an impulse to attack women, associated with phallic images,
described using animalistic imagery, for example Ferdinand’s ‘wolf’ ego showing the manifestation
of his original character. Ferdinand does however show remorse, and is punished through his
insanity, whereas Stanley remains untouched and composed at the end of the play. Both of the
Duchess’ brothers abuse her, the Cardinal being at fault for being much too cold and Ferdinand, her
twin, for being much too hot. Ferdinand’s outrage at his sister’s marriage surprises and then alarms
even the Cardinal, who’s words ‘to see her in the shameful act of sin’. Alluding to the Duchess being
an indiscriminate sex maniac, ‘sin’ offers connotations of hurt, which Ferdinand may be feeling
after imagining his sister with another man. His offer of the familial and phallic poniard all seem to
point to his unfulfilled and ultimately insane desire for his sister.
In moments of desire and in hope of love, Stella and the Duchess seem to temporarily surrender
their rights to be respected, leaving them vulnerable and powerless. Stanley’s primitive nature and
aggression is at the detriment of Stella, but also is what attracts her to him, as she enjoys his raw
physical power, left ‘serene’ after sleeping with him. These stage directions act as a stark contrast
to the rather violent incident the previous night. Imagery of her powerlessness to Stanley’s sexual
performance is continued, as Stella’s ‘narcotized tranquility’ illustrates a drug-like effect, her facial
expression of ‘eastern idols’ alluding to idols found in Asia, such as Buddha, drawing a connection
between her state of peace, and the Buddha’s. Stella’s drug like addiction and her extreme serenity
after sex portray her sensuality. This concept is also seen in Malfi, where it describes ‘by day, the
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