Summary Masculinity in A Streetcar Named Desire theme page
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Course
Unit 1 - Drama (9ET0)
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Theme page of A* level arguments, quotations, language analysis, themes and context regarding masculinity in A Street Car Named Desire by Tennessee Williams.
Masculinity in a streetcar named desire
Key Points/Arguments
The play commences with Stanley embodying the triumphs and dominance of idealised manhood, however, by the play’s ending
Stanley steers far from this identity.
Williams portrays Mitch as a dynamic character, while first appearing intelligent and chivalric, later asserts himslef to be almost as
cruel as Stanley, and merely a naïve man who awkwardly attempts to impersonate him.
Key quotes Literary/Dramatic Devices Critical Quotations (p.) Context +
Contextual
Quotations
S1 S1 ‘Brando, a tiger on the loose, a
‘Meat!’ - Stanley ‘he heaves the package at her. She cries out in protest’ – sexual terrorist.’ – Arthur Miller
masculine aggression vs. fem weakness/dependence S&S Zoomorphism
‘he starts to remove his shirt.’ – shows audience his
physical dominance ‘strongly, compactly built. Animal joy in his being is implicit in Animalism
‘the induvidual and his inner life
S2
all his movements and attitudes’ – aggressive masculinity of S
moved to the center and social
Four deuces
‘pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it’ – raw
‘our improvident grandfathers and fathers and physicality and brute force conditions were symbolized, as are low value
uncles and brothers exchanged the land for their ‘feathered male bird among hens’ – dominant animal in Stanley Kowalski’- Arthur cards,
epic fornications’ – B is victim of misdemeanours ‘drink and food and games, his car, his radio’ – new, simple man Miller connotating
of men in her past ‘glance, with sexual clarifications’ – no chivalry – animalistic
S3 S2 working class
‘Blanche to Galatoires’ for supper… your poker night’ – masc, ‘violent Stanley being wrangled
‘whack of his hand on her thigh’ into the shower by his buddies
Mitch’s care of his ‘sick mother’ and ‘miss fem contrast
‘He pulls… and jerks (wardrobe trunk)’ – aggressively invades on the poker night…While
dubois’– shows him as an admirable version of Mitch, Pablo and Steve are
feminine space
masculinity deeply uncomfortable at what
S3
S5 they are witnessing, Stanley’s
‘stella goes into the bedroom’ – retreats into shadowy, safe,
‘angry roar, shouts, and overturned furniture’ – triumph is assured’ – M. Harris
feminine space
steve’s violence echos into S&S relationship
S4
S6
‘stanley’s gaudy pyjamas lie across the threshold of the
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