When watching A Streetcar Named Desire – a tragedy, after all – it's traditionally required that there be a selected antagonist, a "villain" to so to speak. Stanley Kowalski, one might say, is that “bad guy.” It is evident that throughout the play he is responsible for much of Blanche's downfall and ultimate destruction, learning to break her through his knowledge of her promiscuous meddlesome past. In addition, we can look at the way he treats Stella, his wife, the other main female role in the play - outbursts of violence like in scene 3 and chauvinistic comments can suggest that it is about a cruel character. However, we must consider the circumstances in which this play takes place – the working class environment that is fueled by ambition and focused on the future. Stanley is truly a family man who aspires to success, acting to secure his future and that of theirs together. So maybe he's not quite the villain we might assume. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay From the case where we meet Stanley, it is evident that he is a dominant force – “the richly male bird feathered” – and he is able to use this authority to cause great suffering to Blanche. This might be a reason for us to call him “bad.” His dominance over the people in his life is undeniably powerful and used cruelly. Stella, for example, inevitably chooses to stay with him rather than Blanche at the end of the play because of the sexual dominance he exerts over her. The audience remembers this libido in the very last image - of Stanley "[finding] the opening of her blouse", and hence why Stella chooses to ignore her sister's "story" about the devastating rape which crushes Blanche and leaves Stanley. superior. But his domination over Stella is not the most important thing in the play: since he is responsible for Blanche's downfall, it is necessary to consider his actions towards her. When he returns the ticket to Laurel in scene 9, the audience sees how cruel Stanley can be. He is exerting his dominance in this moment as he teases her with the ticket, as if it were a gift – saying “I hope you like it!”. When it turns out to be a return ticket for Laurel, Blanche's response mirrors that of the audience, as we are horrified by this deceptive action. Not only does he symbolically return her to her troubled past, but he also chooses to frame the moment as if it were a gift – something that would exemplify kindness and generosity. It is obvious that these are not Stanley's goals and that he feels only antipathy for Blanche and all that she represents (the nobility of the Deep South and the faded culture that it has become). By controlling this scenario and distorting Blanche's emotions, Stanley is able to cause further emotional damage. Williams' own sympathy for the destruction of the Deep South and its nobility meant that this act was decidedly cruel – he wanted us, as an audience, to see Blanche's horrified and sickening response and feel pity rather than believing that She deserves this pain. Williams thus creates empathy for his protagonist. Additionally, the use of plastic theater in the form of the Varsouviana – which only the audience and Blanche can hear – further mimics this as they are invited to resonate and connect to Blanche's emotions in this moment on their own. Therefore, Stanley is presented as cruel and hurtfulintentionally others in his life – especially Blanche, as he constantly adds to her distress and pain. Additionally, the way he often treats Stella violently could indicate that Stanley is a villain. His outbursts are extremely loud and often chauvinistic, suggesting a lack of care regarding how he views those around him, including those closest to him. His comment during scene 3 that "the chickens cut off this conversation" is particularly misogynistic and suggests a certain level of selfishness, since his wife and sister-in-law are expected to stay away or silent during the game. men's poker game. Later in this scene we see another moment that is much more violent and depicts the fact that he will eliminate anyone who gets in his way of a goal. When Blanche continues to play the radio and maintain a sphere of control over Mitch—“[waltzing]…with romantic gestures”—Stanley “fiercely throws…the [radio] out the window.” When Stella rushes towards the men and asks them to leave, to end the evening, Stanley savagely attacks her and she is hit. It’s remarkable how quickly this is happening. In the stage directions, several rapid actions are described, and the reader can imagine the speed at which they all occur. Using audible elements of the women "[crying out]" and "[screaming]" as well as action verbs such as "advances" and "grappling", Williams creates a feeling of sudden aggression mixed with hysteria. The speed of the dramatic moment illustrates how quickly Stanley lashes out and becomes savage with violence – he is ready at that moment to attack Stella who prevents him from going ahead with his evening as planned. We see this expectation – that he be the one in control – in scene 8 when he exclaims "I'm the king here" and "throws" dishes onto the floor. This reference to Huey Long indicates his belief in asserting power, hard work, and being the "king" of his family. At times like these, women (even the one he loves) are simply secondary in the way he often treats them – he expects to be the "king" and maintain that position of power. coherent manner. Williams' own father, Cornelius, stirred up vicious anger in the family home, which had a significant effect on his younger sister Rose. Already struggling with mental illness, Rose became even more withdrawn due to her father's regular rage. It is possible then that Williams wanted to draw attention to the problems of violence at home, as this had significant effects on his sister and himself growing up - especially since Rose later had to be hospitalized due to her temporary mental security. Depicting this paternal violence through Stanley allows Williams to exploit the harmful effects that arise from it - including the effect that these sudden outbursts have on Blanche (who is particularly fragile and who we end up pitying the most) makes the public becomes aware of such violence. problems.However, it is notable that Stanley's actions are in favor of his family and his future. He ultimately acts to support and provide for Stella in the end, although his outbursts often border on violence and intimidation. When we first see Stanley, he is returning home with a “red-stained bundle of meat” – Williams paints the image of a primitive hunter returning home with food for his family. Moreover, during an outburst in scene 7, he announces that he is “one hundred percent.” American, born and raised in the greatest country in the world and proud of it. This patriotic moment reminds us that’.