3.1.3

The Dynamic Between Blanche & Stanley

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The Dynamic Between Stanley and Blanche

Blanche finds Stanley primitive and repulsive. Stanley is suspicious of Blanche. They are attracted to each other.

Blanche's view of Stanley

Blanche's view of Stanley

  • To Blanche, Stanley appears "primitive" and a relic from the Stone Age.
  • She regards him as animal-like in his behaviours and her disapproval of his apartments reflects her disapproval of his entire environment.
  • Stanley uses his physicality to express emotion - either by lashing out or throwing things.
The threat of Blanche

The threat of Blanche

  • Stanley has established a world in New Orleans and when Blanche enters it, he sees it threatened.
  • He is worried because she is a strong woman operating in this world.
  • Many observers see Stanley Kowalski as a kind of tragic villain: a brute who is clearly abusive to women. He is sometimes seen as arrogant, patriarchal, violent and sexist.
  • He also recognises that he finds her strangely attractive – even though her superiority over him and her attitude towards him is a threat.
Suspicions arise

Suspicions arise

  • When Blanche informs him and Stella that Belle Reve is lost, he begins his investigations.
  • We start to see Stanley’s intelligence as well as a detective- like sense. He has concerns that Blanche has cheated him and his wife out of their inheritance.
Blanche's abusive behaviour

Blanche's abusive behaviour

  • Blanche does not reveal the truth and continues to be abusive towards him. What angers him is that Blanche continues to live in his property, drink his alcohol and eat his food. She also spends too much time in his bathroom. Stanley is no longer the "Lord" of his own castle.
  • Because of this, Stanley tries to find evidence about Blanche to try to convince Stella she is lying. In essence, both Stanley and Blanche are seeking Stella’s approval.

Stanley's Investigation and Rape of Blanche

Stanley operates as an investigator and finds out all he can about Blanche’s past. His frustration culminates in him raping Blanche.

Stanley the detective

Stanley the detective

  • Stanley operates as an investigator and finds out all he can about Blanche’s past.
  • He discovers things which allow him to ascend in moral superiority. Blanche’s past is not white and innocent.
  • He therefore unsubtly buys Blanche a bus ticket back to Laurel and reveals his findings to Mitch – who he now knows has become close to Blanche.
The rape

The rape

  • The rape scene in the play is very shocking.
  • Stanley probably views this as some kind of revenge for Blanche having put him through too much. He has been made fun of and demeaned by Blanche, and now he will do the same to her.
  • This makes Stanley a villain.
Animalistic behaviour

Animalistic behaviour

  • Stanley’s behaviour may be read as Darwinian – it is about the survival of the fittest.
  • Once threatened, he will do what is necessary to survive. He appears to have achieved this because at the end, Blanche is carted away, whilst Stella seems subservient to him in their new family arrangement.
  • Williams seems to suggest that the patriarchal order is easily resumed.
Jump to other topics
1

Context & Overview

1.1

The Author

1.1.1Tennessee Williams
1.2

Social Context & Setting

1.2.1Social Context1.2.2Social Issues1.2.3Setting
1.3

Tragedy

1.3.1Overview of the Tragic Genre1.3.2Modern Domestic Tragedy1.3.3End of Topic Test - Author, Context & Tragedy
2

Scene Summaries

2.1

Scene One

2.1.1Scene One: Summary2.1.2Scene One: Tragedy Ideas
2.2

Scene Two

2.2.1Scene Two: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.2.2End of Topic Test - Scenes One-Two
2.3

Scene Three

2.3.1Scene Three: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.4

Scene Four

2.4.1Scene Four: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.4.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Three & Four
2.5

Scene Five

2.5.1Scene Five: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.6

Scene Six

2.6.1Scene Six: Summary
2.7

Scene Seven

2.7.1Scene Seven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.8

Scene Eight

2.8.1Scene Eight: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.8.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Five-Eight
2.9

Scene Nine

2.9.1Scene Nine: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.10

Scene Ten

2.10.1Scene Ten: Summary & Tragedy Ideas
2.11

Scene Eleven

2.11.1Scene Eleven: Summary & Tragedy Ideas2.11.2End of Topic Test - Scenes Nine-Eleven
3

Character Profiles

3.1

Blanche DuBois & Stanley Kowalski

3.1.1Blanche DuBois - The Past & Illusions3.1.2Blanche DuBois - Relationship with Men & Breakdown3.1.3The Dynamic Between Blanche & Stanley3.1.4End of Topic Test - Blanche & Stanley
3.2

Stella Kowalski & Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

3.2.1Stella Kowalski3.2.2Harold Mitchell (Mitch)
3.3

Minor Characters

3.3.1The Hubbels & Other Characters3.3.2End of Topic Test - Stella, Mitch & Others
4

Key Ideas

4.1

Sex & Gender

4.1.1Sex & Desire4.1.2Masculinity & Femininity4.1.3End of Topic Test - Sex, Desire & Gender
4.2

Appearances, Fantasy & Reality

4.2.1Outer & Inner Appearances4.2.2Fantasy & Reality4.2.3End of Topic Test - Appearances, Fantasy...
5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure & Stage Design5.1.2Linking Devices5.1.3Recurring Motifs
5.2

Genre, Form & Language

5.2.1Genre5.2.2Form & Language5.2.3End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques
6

Critical Debates

6.1

Early & Modern Reception

6.1.1Interpreting Blanche & Self-Pity6.1.2Contemporary & Modern Reviews
6.2

Feminist, Psychoanalytic & Marxist Approach

6.2.1Feminist Approach6.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach6.2.3Marxist Approach6.2.4End of Topic Test - Critical Debates
7

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1

Ideas About Tragedy

7.1.1Tragic Ideas & Villain7.1.2Tragic Structure & Language
8

Recap: Main Quotes

8.1

Main Quotes by Scene

8.1.1Scene One - Quotations8.1.2Scene Two - Quotations8.1.3Scene Three - Quotations8.1.4Scene Four - Quotations8.1.5Scene Five - Quotations8.1.6Scene Six - Quotations8.1.7Scene Seven - Quotations8.1.8Scene Eight - Quotations8.1.9Scene Nine - Quotations8.1.10Scene Ten - Quotations8.1.11Scene Eleven - Quotations

Practice questions on The Dynamic Between Blanche & Stanley

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What angers Stanley about Blanche?True / false
  2. 2
    What revelation causes Stanley to start investigating Blanche? Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What does Stanley do to spite Blanche after looking into her past? Fill in the list
  4. 4
    What evidence is there that the patriarchal order is resumed at the end of the play?Fill in the list
  5. 5
    How does Blanche perceive Stanley's behavior and demeanor?Multiple choice
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Blanche DuBois - Relationship with Men & Breakdown

End of Topic Test - Blanche & Stanley