Masculinity & Femininity

Literature in English: Cambridge International GCSE A Streetcar Named Desire, topic 4.1.2

Masculinity

A core thematic strand of the plays is masculinity and the challenges to masculinity.

When we first meet Stanley Kowalski, he is presented as animal-like and filled with carnal lust.
In many ways, he comes across – both to the audience and to Blanche – as a creature dominating its territory through aggression and noise, almost intimidating any other males present.
Williams hints at Stanley’s sexual nature but also his low status by labelling him a "gaudy seed-bearer".

Performances tend to emphasise Stanley’s musculature and his physicality.
Many of the stage directions refer to him taking his shirt off.
The presentation of Stanley overtly marks him as the lead ape in a pack. When he shouts at Stella, this is almost like a kind of mating ritual.

We also see another side to Stanley.
He can be very tender and caring towards Stella and seems particularly proud of her pregnancy.
When Stella leaves after he has hit her, he also seems to show his true love for her. This proves that Stanley has a sensitive side to him.
However, some observers argue that this is negated because of Stanley’s aggression and rape of Blanche. Nothing outweighs or can compensate for the horror of the latter.

Mitch shows off his athleticism and strength.
He appears to wish to challenge the dominant male (Stanley) at times. But at other times he shows a more sensitive side. He is worried, for example, that Blanche drinks Stanley’s alcohol and is concerned as to what his mother will think of Blanche.
Blanche appears to find Mitch’s physical form attractive.

Like masculinity, feminity contributes much to the tragedy of A Streetcar Named Desire.

At times, Blanche's appearance seems calculated to attract men - such as Mitch. She undresses in the light of the apartment so that he can see the curves of her body.
Blanche seems somewhat reliant on the attention of men to make up for the void created by her failed relationship with her husband.
Blanche is consistently reliant on the hope that Shep Huntleigh will save her.
In the final reckoning, it is a male doctor who takes her out of this situation and tries to help her.

Pregnancy marks Stella as feminine - but this is also the way she will continue Stanley’s line.
This means she is dependent on the male figure of Stanley in a different way. He is the father of her child and, despite Stanley’s violence and cheating, she still sticks by him.
Ultimately, Stella sticks by Stanley and does not believe Blanche’s story about him raping her.

Eunice is another female figure in the play who is reliant on her husband.
She contributes to the idea of problematic femininity in the play by trying to convince Stella that Blanche is telling a lie about the rape.
But you could also argue that societal and economic pressures prevent them from being defiant of men – so Williams was right to depict them in this way at this point in history.