Stella Kowalski: an Abused Happy Wife (写于2010.1.13.)
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In A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche tries desperately to save her sister Stella out of her unhappy marriage, while Stella believes she is not in anything she wants to get out of (textbook* pp187). Indeed, in her opinion, she lives a fairly decent life with a loving husband, who is perhaps a little bad-tempered though. Stella seems to be a happy wife under the guardianship of her husband Stanley; yet due to her dependence on him, she is at the same time an abused woman.
1.Stella as a Happy Wife
Judging by patriarchal standards, Stella is a typical happy housewife. Economically and physically relying on Stanley, she does not have to work, accommodates his poker friends, enjoys a satisfactory sexual relationship with him, and is expecting a baby. Despite Stanley's rather fiery temper and their differences in background, their relation remains generally stable.
Sex plays a significant role in the relationship of Stella and Stanley. Undoubtedly, Stella loves Stanley with all her heart. When asked about what it means by being in love, she smiles with "a radiant laugh" (textbook pp214). But their strong emotional bond largely results from the satisfactory physical relationship. Stanley was in uniform with decorations – his masculinity must have grasped Stella's heart at the first sight (handout* pp213). And on their marriage eve, she was "thrilled" (handout pp183) by his manly violence. Their physical harmony is also implied at the beginning of the play when she catches his "meat", which may refer to the human body in a sensual, or sexual, connotation. Furthermore, sex can fix their relationship when they are in dispute. After their fight on the poker night, a make-up sex seems to fully relieve Stella of Stanley's ill-treatment and she regains her "narcotized tranquility"(handout pp182). And while they are arguing over Stanley sending Blanche away, she is immediately soothed when he awakes her to their normally noisy, colorful night (handout pp213).
Clear as she is with the difference in their upbringing, she chooses to ignore the problem. When Blanch asks her whether he has the decorations on when she met him, in other words, whether she was attracted by his masculinity displayed, she does not answer Blanche's question directly with yes or no. This suggests she is trying to hide something deeply felt in her heart and is probably about to lie; then she claims that she "wasn't just blinded by all the brass"(textbook pp213). She even interrupts Blanche's speech in a hurry, which she rarely does, airily mentions her adjusting to Stanley, and laughs "uncertainly" after Blanche's irony on Stanley's background. All this indicates that she is aware of the difference in background between Stanley and her, but instead of confessing that this union is flawed and making any change, she descends and adjusts herself to her new life. Consequently, she believes that she is a rather happy wife.
2.Stella as an Abused Woman
However, as a woman, Stella does not enjoy equality with Stanley. Stanley is the king of the family, while she lacks an individual identity: she is seldom called by her name, and she can barely make her own decisions or persuade Stanley.
Stella seems nothing more than a doll to Stanley. He frequently refers to her, or sometimes other women, as "little woman"(textbook pp218), "a doll"(textbook pp226), "hens"(handout pp174) and "my baby doll"(handout pp179). In fact, the song "paper doll" played after the terrible fight between Stanley and Stella reminds us of what Stella truly means to Stanley. The song was popular in the 1940s. Its lyric presents us an ideal wife, whom the speaker names as "a Paper Doll to call my own". "She will be waiting" when he comes home at night, "she'll be the truest doll in all this world", and he prefers her to "a fickle-minded real live girl". He has a strong sense of possession, and would like her to obey his will rather than being "fickle-minded", or in other words, having her own opinion and even stand up and fight. Likewise in A Streetcar Named Desire, Stanley expects the same absolute obedience from Stella. He is the one and only one to give orders in the house (textbook pp224: "since when do you give me orders!"), while Stella has little say. Their relationship is best illustrated in their big fight, when he "advances" whereas she "backs out", finally to the kitchen, the place which an obedient wife should belong to (handout pp178). And there is also a striking contrast between Stanley's "lordly composure" when he was questioning Blanche's gaudy clothes with irony, and Stella's nervous explanation (textbook pp220). All this implies Stanley's supremacy over Stella.
Nonetheless, Stella is very lenient with Stanley. She easily degrades herself and accepts her role as a sexual object. It seems that Stella has been accustomed to Stanley's frequent mistreatment. Eunice points out that their fight is not a single case: "I hope they do haul you in and turn the fire hose on you, same as the last time" (handout pp180), which also suggests the severity of the other fight, and most likely the many other fights. Despite the domestic violence, Stella keeps babying Stanley. When Stanley gets regretful and comes to apologize, Stella soon "slips down" to get back with him, in disregard of Blanche and Eunice's opposition. Her leniency towards him is also revealed when she totally forgives Stanley in her conversation with Blanche on the following day. She even "embraces him with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche" (handout pp189). In fact, she regards her life filled with violence as a norm. When Eunice chooses alcohol over the police after being hit by Steve, Stella betrays her obedience to her husband in the comment "that's much more practical" (handout pp191). And we can easily come to the conclusion that she has barely fought for her abuse by Stanley. Blanche is quite right when saying: "the only way to live with such a man is to go to bed with him"(handout pp186) – apologies and the make-up sex seems to erase Stella's memory of her misery and in this way she continues her "happy" life.
3.Stella's Dependence upon Stanley
Apart from her physical dependence, Stella relies greatly on Stanley psychologically. She does not have a job and is expecting a baby. She has hardly any friends of her own: "They're Stanley's friends" when Blanche asks her what her friends are like (textbook pp213). So it is hard to imagine where she could go or who she could turn to if she left home, which is the end of the film version. And that explains why she says: "I want to go away" (handout pp178) instead of "I'm going away" after her mistreatment. Eventually, Stella chooses to depend on Stanley. She would rather rely on her husband and send Blanche away than to believe her sister and leave him. Obviously, Stanley represents a much more secure future than Blanche or herself – a woman.
People blame Blanche for her dependence on men to whom she is not married, but tend to forget Stella's dependence within marriage. In fact, Stella has more in common with her sister than she thinks. It is also the case with Eunice, who represents a woman without much of her identity in such a low-class marriage. Stella's dependence upon Stanley, or rather, women upon men in general, is highlighted in this play as a theme. According to SparkNotes editors (2002), Tennessee Williams exposes women's "total dependence upon men for happiness", but also points out that under such social circumstances a woman have hardly any other choices but to "puts her fate in the hands of others".
In sum, Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire is actually in an unsatisfactory marriage despite her apparent happiness. In the face of the difference in breeding between her husband and her, her role as a subservient doll, and her overwhelming dependence upon him, she either overlooks or chooses to ignore the fact. More importantly, she can barely do anything even if she wants to fight for herself given the social circumstances.
Works Cited:
Primary Source:
Lili Jin, Readings from 20th Century British and American Drama, Wuchang, Wuhan University Press, 2007.
The course handout of English Language Drama, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, 2009.
Secondary Source:
Lichtenstein, Jesse and Dwyer, Deirdreo, SparkNote on Streetcar Named Desire, Tianjing, Spark Notes LLC, 2002.
1.Stella as a Happy Wife
Judging by patriarchal standards, Stella is a typical happy housewife. Economically and physically relying on Stanley, she does not have to work, accommodates his poker friends, enjoys a satisfactory sexual relationship with him, and is expecting a baby. Despite Stanley's rather fiery temper and their differences in background, their relation remains generally stable.
Sex plays a significant role in the relationship of Stella and Stanley. Undoubtedly, Stella loves Stanley with all her heart. When asked about what it means by being in love, she smiles with "a radiant laugh" (textbook pp214). But their strong emotional bond largely results from the satisfactory physical relationship. Stanley was in uniform with decorations – his masculinity must have grasped Stella's heart at the first sight (handout* pp213). And on their marriage eve, she was "thrilled" (handout pp183) by his manly violence. Their physical harmony is also implied at the beginning of the play when she catches his "meat", which may refer to the human body in a sensual, or sexual, connotation. Furthermore, sex can fix their relationship when they are in dispute. After their fight on the poker night, a make-up sex seems to fully relieve Stella of Stanley's ill-treatment and she regains her "narcotized tranquility"(handout pp182). And while they are arguing over Stanley sending Blanche away, she is immediately soothed when he awakes her to their normally noisy, colorful night (handout pp213).
Clear as she is with the difference in their upbringing, she chooses to ignore the problem. When Blanch asks her whether he has the decorations on when she met him, in other words, whether she was attracted by his masculinity displayed, she does not answer Blanche's question directly with yes or no. This suggests she is trying to hide something deeply felt in her heart and is probably about to lie; then she claims that she "wasn't just blinded by all the brass"(textbook pp213). She even interrupts Blanche's speech in a hurry, which she rarely does, airily mentions her adjusting to Stanley, and laughs "uncertainly" after Blanche's irony on Stanley's background. All this indicates that she is aware of the difference in background between Stanley and her, but instead of confessing that this union is flawed and making any change, she descends and adjusts herself to her new life. Consequently, she believes that she is a rather happy wife.
2.Stella as an Abused Woman
However, as a woman, Stella does not enjoy equality with Stanley. Stanley is the king of the family, while she lacks an individual identity: she is seldom called by her name, and she can barely make her own decisions or persuade Stanley.
Stella seems nothing more than a doll to Stanley. He frequently refers to her, or sometimes other women, as "little woman"(textbook pp218), "a doll"(textbook pp226), "hens"(handout pp174) and "my baby doll"(handout pp179). In fact, the song "paper doll" played after the terrible fight between Stanley and Stella reminds us of what Stella truly means to Stanley. The song was popular in the 1940s. Its lyric presents us an ideal wife, whom the speaker names as "a Paper Doll to call my own". "She will be waiting" when he comes home at night, "she'll be the truest doll in all this world", and he prefers her to "a fickle-minded real live girl". He has a strong sense of possession, and would like her to obey his will rather than being "fickle-minded", or in other words, having her own opinion and even stand up and fight. Likewise in A Streetcar Named Desire, Stanley expects the same absolute obedience from Stella. He is the one and only one to give orders in the house (textbook pp224: "since when do you give me orders!"), while Stella has little say. Their relationship is best illustrated in their big fight, when he "advances" whereas she "backs out", finally to the kitchen, the place which an obedient wife should belong to (handout pp178). And there is also a striking contrast between Stanley's "lordly composure" when he was questioning Blanche's gaudy clothes with irony, and Stella's nervous explanation (textbook pp220). All this implies Stanley's supremacy over Stella.
Nonetheless, Stella is very lenient with Stanley. She easily degrades herself and accepts her role as a sexual object. It seems that Stella has been accustomed to Stanley's frequent mistreatment. Eunice points out that their fight is not a single case: "I hope they do haul you in and turn the fire hose on you, same as the last time" (handout pp180), which also suggests the severity of the other fight, and most likely the many other fights. Despite the domestic violence, Stella keeps babying Stanley. When Stanley gets regretful and comes to apologize, Stella soon "slips down" to get back with him, in disregard of Blanche and Eunice's opposition. Her leniency towards him is also revealed when she totally forgives Stanley in her conversation with Blanche on the following day. She even "embraces him with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche" (handout pp189). In fact, she regards her life filled with violence as a norm. When Eunice chooses alcohol over the police after being hit by Steve, Stella betrays her obedience to her husband in the comment "that's much more practical" (handout pp191). And we can easily come to the conclusion that she has barely fought for her abuse by Stanley. Blanche is quite right when saying: "the only way to live with such a man is to go to bed with him"(handout pp186) – apologies and the make-up sex seems to erase Stella's memory of her misery and in this way she continues her "happy" life.
3.Stella's Dependence upon Stanley
Apart from her physical dependence, Stella relies greatly on Stanley psychologically. She does not have a job and is expecting a baby. She has hardly any friends of her own: "They're Stanley's friends" when Blanche asks her what her friends are like (textbook pp213). So it is hard to imagine where she could go or who she could turn to if she left home, which is the end of the film version. And that explains why she says: "I want to go away" (handout pp178) instead of "I'm going away" after her mistreatment. Eventually, Stella chooses to depend on Stanley. She would rather rely on her husband and send Blanche away than to believe her sister and leave him. Obviously, Stanley represents a much more secure future than Blanche or herself – a woman.
People blame Blanche for her dependence on men to whom she is not married, but tend to forget Stella's dependence within marriage. In fact, Stella has more in common with her sister than she thinks. It is also the case with Eunice, who represents a woman without much of her identity in such a low-class marriage. Stella's dependence upon Stanley, or rather, women upon men in general, is highlighted in this play as a theme. According to SparkNotes editors (2002), Tennessee Williams exposes women's "total dependence upon men for happiness", but also points out that under such social circumstances a woman have hardly any other choices but to "puts her fate in the hands of others".
In sum, Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire is actually in an unsatisfactory marriage despite her apparent happiness. In the face of the difference in breeding between her husband and her, her role as a subservient doll, and her overwhelming dependence upon him, she either overlooks or chooses to ignore the fact. More importantly, she can barely do anything even if she wants to fight for herself given the social circumstances.
Works Cited:
Primary Source:
Lili Jin, Readings from 20th Century British and American Drama, Wuchang, Wuhan University Press, 2007.
The course handout of English Language Drama, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, 2009.
Secondary Source:
Lichtenstein, Jesse and Dwyer, Deirdreo, SparkNote on Streetcar Named Desire, Tianjing, Spark Notes LLC, 2002.
- 作者: Tennessee Williams
- 出版: Signet
- 定价: USD 7.99
- 装帧: Paperback
- 页数: 144
- 时间: 1986-08-13