Tragic Villain
Literature in English: Cambridge International GCSE A Streetcar Named Desire, topic 7.1.2
Presentation of the Tragic Villain - Stanley
Through a certain lens, Stanley can be seen as a tragic villain. Stanley works to uncover the truth about Blanche’s past – on the way, ruining her chances with Mitch.
Blanche's opponent
- Stanley is Blanche’s opponent. He is her opponent because he believes that she is lying to him and her sister, Stella.
Torn between love and hate
- Despite his hatred of Blanche, Stanley is also sexually attracted to her, which is purposeful on Williams’ part, showing that we can both love and hate at the same time.
The rape
- The drama culminates in the revelations Stanley makes and his raping of Blanche.
- The rape causes Blanche to descend into madness. Her end different from Classical or Shakespearean tragedies, where death marks the end of the tragedy.
Test yourself on Tragic Villain
Why does Stanley make himself Blanche's opponent?
What makes Blanche's fate different from those of Classical or Shakespearean tragic heroes/heroines?
What does the drama of A Streetcar Named Desire culminate in?