A Streetcar Named Desire – The Presentation Of Masculinity In Scene 3 Essay, Research Paper

The evidence of masculinity in scene three is shown through dialogue, stage direction and description of the surroundings. The introduction to the dramatic purpose of the poker party demonstrates Stanley?s domination over his friends through the way in which he makes all the decisions about the game. He also shows domination over his wife by hitting her during an argument.

Scene three opens with a description of surroundings during a poker night. The description of the poker night immediately introduces it as an all guys night. Stanley, Steve, Mitch and Pablo, all men are described as wearing shirts that have colours that are ?powerful as the primary colours?. Primary colours are childish colours showing how childish and immature their personality is going to be through out the poker night. This is a contrast to how they are described physically as ?strong?. These solid colours suggest they are strong, powerful men who are ?coarse? and ?direct?. Even though they are at their ?prime? of physical manhood, alternatively the primary colour description can be seen as them not being in their prime mentally, suggesting immaturity and simple thinking. The hard, strong alcohol of whisky on the table implies masculinity. It is also a whisky bottle and not wine. If it was wine it would be too elegant for the occasion and wine is generally seen in romantic situations with women.

As we hear the men have a poker talk conversation about a ?wild deal,? we not only hear that the vocabulary is simple but also common which is in contrast with Stella and Blanche?s flowery, finer vocabulary. We also see Stanley ?toss? some watermelon rind to the floor. The word ?toss? is a very rough way of disposing a watermelon rind. He doesn?t throw it in a rubbish bin showing he doesn?t seem to care. He also does this when he throws the meat to Stella in scene one. I think he also expects Stella to clean up after him, reinforcing the idea that females take care of the house and clean up after their husband.

Later Mitch starts to worry about his sick mother who he left at home. He says she wouldn?t be able to sleep until he, ?comes in at night?. This implies she needs him to be there all the time and that she, as a female, is dependent on him, the breadwinner of the house. Stanley patronizes Mitch by saying he?ll fix him a ?sugar tit?. Stanley is cutting down Mitch?s masculinity by saying he needs to go home to be with his mother. Stanley?s mockery of Mitch shows his dominance and masculinity over Mitch because it is almost like the pecking order amongst wild animals; competition amongst males and their dominance. Also the word ?sugar tit? is quite vulgar which men would generally say. I think women wouldn?t be this crude and direct because they would think it is too explicit and women generally don?t make fun of their friends because they are sensitive.

Steve?s joke about the ?young hen? being chased by the rooster reflects how men ?chase? after women for their looks and treat them like objects just to look at. It also shows the male dominance over the hen. Masculinity is present in everything they do.

As the girls arrive home, Blanche won?t go in until she has powdered her face and asks if she looks ?done in?. She is concerned about her looks perhaps to impress the guys. Her attitude towards her looks reflects how men want women to look all the time. Women are treated like sexual objects in this play and it is evident through the actions of Blanche and Stella.

When the sisters come home Stella asks if the ?boys? are still playing poker. By calling them ?boys?, as if they were little and young, she might be trying to show a little dominance over them. Stanley shows verbal dominance towards Blanche when he tells her that ?nobody?s going to get up,? for her (a way of showing courtesy) in a firm and strong tone.

Stanley shows he is man of the house by saying to Stella that they will only finish playing poker until they are ready to quit. Stanley doesn?t want Stella and Blanche to stay in the house during the poker game so he asks the ?women? to go up and sit with Eunice. Stanley doesn?t initially ask them but actually orders them. He also addresses them as ?women? and not as ladies or by their name, this is very impersonal, considering that Stella is his wife. He is also treating them as if they were just anybody. The impression Stanley gives the audience on his relationship towards Stella is that it seems he only likes her around him when he feels like it. Stanley and Stella have mostly a sexual relationship together. It?s a relationship based on his wants and what she is willing to give. I think Stanley is selfish because he always gets his way with his male dominance. Later, Stanley gives a loud ?whack? on Stella?s thigh. Here, he shows his dominance in a macho, masculine way by treating her like an object. Alternatively, it brings out the contrast of male and female behavior on how women are generally passive and men are more aggressive. Stella doesn?t argue with Stanley when he slaps her, she just continues and accepts it. I think Stella does this because she is used to Stanley?s dominance over her even though she doesn?t like it.

Later, Blanche is introduced to Mitch who is attracted to her. Blanche thinks he seems ?superior? to the rest of the men. Mitch could be more mature and older compared to Stanley and the men. His masculinity is demonstrated through his superior ness. Mitch is not married and automatically Blanche asks is he a ?wolf?. Her immediate reaction to an unmarried man is that he is a wild and undomesticated ?dog?, who is rough and perhaps aggressive and not a gentleman. The discussion leads onto Stanley and how his ?drive? will help him get somewhere at the plant. Stanley has a strong character that is driven by his dominant side; this ?drive? reinforces the masculine side of him.

Stella undresses into a ?light blue, satin? kimono while Blanche undresses into a ?pink silk? brassiere and ?white? skirt. The colours used on the clothes are soft pastel colours, which are generally colours worn by women. These light colours are a contrast to the bright, bold colours that were used to describe the clothes on the men. The colours on the men?s clothes infer masculinity and aggressiveness while the clothes on Stella and Blanche are feminine, passive/neutral and calm colours, reflecting their personality. The white skirt that Blanche wears denotes purity and fragility, which contradicts her character but can be seen as another contrast with the sinuous and strong characters of the men. These are the complete opposite of the colours in the introduction. The fabrics that are used such as ?satin? and ?silk? are soft fabrics we associate to femininity and women too.

As Stella and Blanche laugh in a ?girlish? laughter, Stanley gets annoyed and tells the ?hens? to cut it out (with an exclamation mark). The ?girlish? laughter presents the feminine part of the room while the vulgar jokes present the masculine side of the other part of the room. The word ?hen? is a derogatory term used to describe women who talk a lot and go around mindlessly. The exclamation mark after Stanley?s sentence shows he must be saying it in a forceful tone. He is telling them what to do again and taking advantage of them by using his dominance. He tells them to ?hush-up? too but Stella defends herself by saying,

?This is my house and I?ll talk as much as I want to!?

Stella responds to Stanley in a more aggressive way because she wants to inform him that he cannot tell her what to do in her own house. I would like to stress the ?my? in her dialogue because this reinforces the idea that she does possess some form of dominance and by using this it shows that she can stand her ground.

The relationship between Stanley and Mitch gets quite tense because Stanley becomes jealous of Mitch?s interest in Blanche. This is made clear when he calls him to the poker game and when he watches him through the drapes. The jealousy between the two males reflects the jealousy and actions of animals when they are after the same female that is in season.

The coy euphemism Blanche uses to call the lavatory is the ?little boys room?. ?Little boys? are two words that are associated with cheeky six-year-old school children. Does she intentionally use this euphemism to suggest the immature attitude of the men?

Another alcoholic drink the men had was beer. We generally see men enjoy drinking beer at bars or while they are watching a sports game. It?s a drink associated with men and explicit bars and after a few pints, it exhibits male chauvinism.

Blanche informs Mitch how she cannot stand a ?rude remark? or a ?vulgar action?. Her statement reinforces her feminine, refined personality, which is the complete opposite of Stanley?s personality who is often referred to as an ?animal?. As the conversation continues Stanley shouts for Mitch to return to the game. Blanche gets a shock when she hears his loud voice and remarks what ?lung power? Stanley has. His lungpower shows the strength he is capable of producing. ?Power? is a word that reflects his strength physically too.

We really see Stanley?s brutality when he gets angry with Blanche for putting the radio back on as he walks ?fiercely? towards her. Stanley?s brutality and rough character is the negative side of his masculinity. Blanche starts to waltz to the music and Mitch imitates her with ?bear? like actions. The description of Mitch as a bear implies clumsiness and shows the animal side in him too. Even though Williams? doesn?t represent Mitch as the strong, fierce side of the bear, it can still be implied.

Stella gets really upset when Stanley throws the radio out the window. She even calls him an ?animal thing?. She obviously knows this side of him and knows how violent he can get. The word ?animal? is another derogatory term but this time it is used against Stanley to describe how wild and aggressive he is. The animal like imagery reveals more evidence of his dominant character but through abuse. Another animal like imagery to describe Stanley?s action is when he ?charges? for Stella and actually hits her. This movement reflects the movement of a bull. Bulls are seen as strong, muscular and aggressive animals. All this animal imagery of the men is all descriptions reinforcing their masculine and domineering character. The physical abuse of Stella is another piece of evidence of the strength Stanley is able to produce. The abuse of Stella is caused by his brutality that presents his masculinity and dominance over her.

Mitch argues that poker shouldn?t be played in house with women. I think he knows how Stanley acts when he is drunk and he knows that every time they play poker Stanley and Stella or even the guys have fights. Mitch?s argument shows that his masculine side is not as aggressive as Stanley?s because he shows concern and feeling for the way Stella and Blanche are treated. After some grappling and cursing, Mitch reinforces his argument that women should not be around men during poker. The second time he says it, he makes ?not? more clear and firm.

The only part in the scene that doesn?t present Stanley as a strong, masculine man is when he breaks into ?sobs?. Men aren?t usually seen as the crying ?type?. Williams does show Stanley?s sensitive side when he cries for Stella to come home. However, there is a contrast when Williams returns to describing Stanley as an animal when he throws his head back like a ?baying hound? and ?bellows? and ?howls? his wife?s name. Immediately, he portrays Stanley?s masculine side as a dog, this time he is domesticated unlike the previous description as an undomesticated dog ? wolf.

I think there is great amount of masculinity presented in scene three but without the feminine contrast I don?t think it would have been so obvious. Is Stanley?s brutality just a type of masculinity or was it aggravated by jealousy and the usage of alcohol?

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