ESSAY - STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - VIOLENCE

‘The violent scene of the poker night reveals how violence lies at the centre of A Streetcar Named Desire’

In the light of this comment, explore William’s dramatic presentation of violence in this scene of the poker night and the rest of the play (36 marks) 

Violence is a crucial theme in the play and is presented by Williams as central to illustrate the fight for power between many conflicting factors. During the poker night, William makes use of the characterisation of Stanley during the poker night by illustrating his animalistic tendencies and how there is a push and pull conflict between female and male roles – which results in verbal and physical violence. The presentation of domestic abuse is normalised by Mitch at the end of the play, thus suggesting how the power struggle is dominated by men and how physically strong characters eventually overcome the weaker, ‘moth-like’ personas. Throughout the play, Williams uses the concept of plastic theatre to combine all technical elements to dramatise violence and imply that is used to demonstrate the fight for power, especially between masculinity and femininity. This constant theme of underlying and sometime explicit violence is essential to demonstrate the fight for power to the audience.

Stanley is vividly characterised in the poker night scene as an animalistic and violent individual. He is described as “stalk[ing] fiercely through the portieres” giving the impression of a lion after its prey. This same idea is evident in his introductory stage directions with qualities introduced such as ‘power and pride’. By conveying Stanley as a lion, it suggests that he is in competition, which he is, for power. Despite being the alpha male, there is intimidation from Blanche as they contrast so heavily. The two characters embody the differences between the Old South and the ‘new America’. Blanche is traditional and old-fashioned, whereas Stanley is crude, modern and a beacon of masculinity and sexuality. This struggle is evident particularly in the poker night scene with Stanley’s incandescent actions, such as when he screams for Stella “with heaven-splitting violence” presenting him as a man who has no inhibitions whereas this frightens Blanche who is “not used to such – violence!” Here, the central concept of violence is used to highlight the differences in attitudes between the old and new America. Stanley’s actions in the poker night scene also suggest his internal power struggle while he tries to balance the different areas of his life – his wealth, his relationship with Stella and his status level within the group of men. The subtle changes in his personality are evident through stage directions. One minute he “nearly throws [the men] off” and then “all at once he subsides and is limp in their grasp”. By trying to use violence against others, the audience is able to see how Stanley is not always successful and despite being commonly conveyed as a strong and indestructible being, he is only human and his strength is able to waver. The violence in the poker night scene aids characterisation of Stanley and gives an interpretation that there are many power struggles throughout the play.

Mitch normalises the use of domestic violence suggesting how violence is used by men to control their supposedly ‘weaker’ counter-part, their wife. This puppetry type relationship gives the impression that men do have the upper hand in the presented relationships, which is supported by and builds up to the rape of Blanche in the penultimate scene. Mitch states that “there’s nothing to be scared of. They’re crazy about each other.” This attitude to violence between married couples is one reason why it’s not hard to believe that the marital rape was only considered a crime in all 50 US states by the 90s. Stanley allows this mind-set to take over thus leading him to sexually abuse both sisters. However, the way is which they respond to the violence illustrates the differing attitudes of the modernisation of America. Stella used to be ‘old-south’ but has been influenced by the New Orleans culture. We see how she doesn’t like some aspects of Stanley’s violence towards her, as when he slaps her thigh during the poker night, she tells Blanche how “it makes [her] so mad when he does that in front of people” yet she is presented to find Stanley’s violent nature “thrilling”. Stella finds herself becoming numb to the seriousness of the domestic situation because she was so keen to leave Belle Reve and start a new life with her ‘polack’ whereas Blanche took the traditional route and this leads to her being violently abused. This can be interpreted to mean that the New America (represented by Stanley) is taking over and overcomes the weaker Old-Southern ideals (represented by Blanche). Yet again, violence is a way for Williams to convey the big messages that come through in the play.

Williams uses plastic theatre, particularly during the poker night to dramatise violence and imply the fight for power between masculinity and femininity. When Blanche is described to be wearing a “pink silk brassiere” it conveys that she is very vulnerable and easy to take advantage of. The use of colour and costume by Williams is crucial in setting up an easy target for violence. Although Stanley does not hit Blanche, the typical femininity of her clothes that contrasts with her supposedly liking “strong, primary colours” demonstrates how she is perhaps weaker than she wants to be and the violence that takes place in this scene, shocks and frightens her so much. It shows violence as a masculine entity that is used by Stanley to consolidate their power over the women. The irony is that this is still quite a traditional relationship dynamic whereas characters like Stella and Stanley are supposed to represent the modernised society. The use of sound effects is used by Williams to not only increase the tension and dramatic effect of the scene but also to paint a picture of violence in the novel as something that is hidden from view. The audience only hears "a blow" and "Stella [crying] out." Alas by using the theatrical element of sound effects it exaggerates the harshness of the treatment of a wife from her husband. There does not seem to be any respect from his stance yet he is the one with power, although it ends up being destructive. Violence is itself abused by Stanley in the play, shown through plastic theatre, and aids the power struggle between men and women.

Ultimately violence as a major theme is shown to be embodied by the character of Stanley in the play. He uses it to exert control over those he feels will help him to have a steady position in society, as the alpha male. It could be said that his behaviour follows the animalistic idea of 'survival of the fittest'. As a cultural minority, he is constantly in threat of being overruled so by using violence he has control over his wife (the conflict between male and female) and to show power within the group of men in which he converses with but also to gain status over the Old-South culture. He literally rapes the old America of its dignity, from which we can glean that harshness violence is the way that society has to modernise. Force, even on a small scale, has to be used in order to gain and keep status.