Lead Character in Streetcar Named Desire - Essay Example

 Lead Character in “Streetcar Named Desire” The play A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the most compelling play last century which focused on the issue of cultural clash between two iconic characters: Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski. It was written in 1947 by the famous American playwright Tennessee Williams. A year later, the playwright received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948.The play’s theme was timely since it touched upon the issues of immigrants as well as the values of the aristocracy of the Old Southern .Because of its popularity , the play was even adopted into a movie, a television series, and an opera. This play is credited for having launched the popularity of the icon Marlon Brando. One of the lead character in the play is Blanche Dubois who is a representation of a haunting and beautiful thing of the past. Dubois character is very much the opposite of Stanley, her antagonistic brother-in-law. While it is true that Dubois past is filled with bad memories ( from being evicted from a house to living with a homosexual husband) Dubois has an endearing quality that made me admire her despite her social snobbery – her humility. Blanche uttered the words “ I had always depended on the kindness of strangers”( Scene 11) as she was ushered in the mental institution after a nervous breakdown. Who wouldn’t fall apart after being raped by her own brother-in-law? Her humility is adorable since she speaks of the irony of her situation where strangers are more accommodating to her than that of her own kin. While most critics would view Blanche Dubois as someone with a personality disorder since she is very much attached to her past, I admire Blanche to admit during her lowliest moments that she always relied on people who are considered strangers. Another instance where this endearing quality is shown is when she dated Mitch. She was putting her hopes on this stranger who never said anything about her hurtful past which is why she uttered the famous words “Sometimes there's God -- so quickly”( Scene 6) . In short, Blanche is endearing for her sincerity and need to be appreciated as she is , as she was and will be . Her statement about strangers comforts her knowing that the sanitarium might even be a safer place for her to protect her fantasies. On the other hand, Dubois most self-destructing quality is her emotional immaturity as seen by the choices she makes in choosing men. First, she marries a man who is homosexual and yet worships him so much. She lives in a fantasy world and would rather not face the reality of her situation as she utters “I don't want realism … I want magic!” ( Scene 9 )This is also the main reason for her being promiscuous since she cannot handle reality by herself. Instead, she consoles herself in the company of strange men. Indeed, there is a grain of truth in the saying that lust is a symptom of loneliness. Had Dubois been more emotionally mature and pulled herself together after Alan’s death, she could have avoided spiraling down into hopelessness. She counted on her fantasies to rescue her until reality became too painful. The other compelling character in this story is Stanley Kowalski who is the anathema of Dubois in all aspects. If Blanche weaved a dream life of a magical past where she benchmarked just about everything using that past glorious life, Kowalski is very much into the present. True, Kowalski is in every way a brute who drinks, gambles, and beats his wife. Somehow, there is this sterling quality of being honest to himself for what he is. The scene where Kowalski snaps at Dubois about being an American and not a Polack shows Stanley’s representation of himself as a person who lives in the present. He is not a hyprocrite nor is he an impostor trying to represent his Polish American descent. He is the true American who has invaded America and made the country a better place. In conclusion, Stanley is admirable for being himself and unafraid to live in the present. In fact, he is just a stereotype of a struggling family man in a depressing time. Nevertheless, the fierce character of Stanley and his brutal honesty may just make him a shrewd businessman later. Stanley also has a major flaw as a human being - he is unforgiving. It is true that Stanley had been ridiculed and insulted by Blanche in many occasions even to the point of branding him as an “ape”( Scene 4). Stanley, like any other man would defend his territory since he is the king in his own house. Unfortunately, he is also scheming as he slowly unravels the past of Blanche to Mitch. He had a hidden agenda towards Blanche and justified his vindictiveness through rape- the most abhorring invasion of a woman’s body, soul, and intellect. Stanley penetrated Dubois not only physically but her realm as a person who always stood on a pedestal. In conclusion, Stanley was a very real person but he didn’t had enough morals to respect women. Moreover, he thrived on being defensive and hurt everything that threatened his being real. In conclusion, the two lead characters of the play portray opposing values, beliefs, and ideas which is a representation of their time. Dubois is a remnant of the aristocratic old south who fell into grace after being unable to cope with the harsh realities of life. Behind her gracefulness and manners is a bitter past tainted with vices and immorality. The other character, Stanley, is not much different from Dubois since he is just a raw adaptation of Dubois. The only difference is that he is born poor and unrefined but he is true to himself. Together, the two characters represent their own culture that clashed in the end and left the weaker one yield to a life of insanity. Read More