Lights, Stage Set, Action!

When designing the set design for a play we must keep in mind that within space constraints a visual display must be achieved to bring to life the setting and aide the actors giving the performance a realism. It must be kept in mind that the live audience focuses on certain areas without allowing the mind and eye to wander and has an unobstructed view regardless of the seating arrangement. Obviously, a play does not afford for the visual treat given to a cinema scope movie with its changing scenes, countries etc and the actors need to compensate for the drawbacks that a play on a stage entails.

The set design should not allow for movement of props as this causes delay and distraction to the audience. In order to allow the audience to focus on the scene at hand lighting needs to be employed with a moving floor that brings that particular scene to life. For example in the beginning of the play the entire house can be seen but a moving screen covers Stella’s apartment with a brick façade. The upward flat will have a permanent brick façade as no scene occurs in this apartment but the windows can be lit as needed and voices heard and Eunice can be seen through the open window.  When Blanche makes her entry the porch moves in focus through the moving floor which retreats when not needed. The porch has a steps an the entire scene is conducted at street level and on the steps. A painting wall gives the illusion of a three dimensional street scenery with further housing and cars and obvious street sounds are heard. As Blanche moves inside the porch is unlit and darkens to remove the focus of the audience from it and the downstairs apartment brick façade moves away automatically to reveal the entire well lit interiors. The upstairs apartment is also unlit to keep attention within the downstairs apartment

The apartment is large enough to allow the actors to move freely but is designed in such a way to still give the imagery of a small, claustrophobic apartment in which the inhabitants have no personal space or privacy adding to tensions. The rooms are spartanally furnished to show a simple home devoid of luxuries relevant to their social status and meager financial status. There are essentially two rooms divided by a folding Chinese barrier. The door from the porch leads to the kitchen and dining table ( which doubles as a poker table) and a few stiff chairs. The kitchen closet is partially opened and a few drained glasses and an empty whiskey bottle lay by the sink. A lamp missing a shade is in the corner( to be covered as a Chinese lantern later on in the play), and a folding bed lies against one wall. Blanches’  trunk stays in the forefront close to the audience. The bedroom is simple with a wooden double bed, dresser but has a pretty pink bed sheet with dainty flowers showing a woman’s feminine touch. The bedroom leads to a narrow door and bathroom which is only partly visible.

When Blanche sits stiffly alone waiting for her sister the room dims but Blanche is lit well. This without dialogue makes Blanches’ finery and dainty demeanor seem out of place and in stark contrast with her dismal surroundings. Her shock and distaste as she views her surroundings help to emphasize her discomfort in her expressions. Everything in the apartment is deliberately kept small even the size of the doors to make Stanley upon entry seem larger than life. His animal like movements and his mach mannerisms seem oddly out of place in this child’s doll house type of stage set up. Further, his size which is now exaggerated in the enclosed spaces makes the women appear more feminine and vulnerable in comparison. This out of place theme continues when later on a few of Blanches’ high society ‘designer’ dresses are hung on display almost as if ‘Cinderalla’, finds herself back home in the drudgery after the ball. The fact that a man occupies this residence is shown by markers of his domain such as the whiskey bottle, and poker cards.

Lighting in this play to create mood and ambience and highlight focus of the scene and expressions is paramount as is sound. Throughout the play the audience must feel close to the set and watch with the impression that they are flies on the wall of very private affairs. While, the acting and dialogue are first and foremost the most important factor it is the set design that supports the actions and lends to the visual treat and adds to the drama.

Unspoken Words

In a break from the dialogue, Tennesse Williams as a playright and narrator of A Street Car Named Desire, speaks directly to the audience who are reading the play as a novel as opposed to watching the scenes unfold in a theatre setting. In his narration as shown in italics inserted between the dialogue, he is able to create mood, describe physical characterizations of the character, set the scene and set design and generally create a visual palette for the reader to mop up in lieu of the usual visual descriptions and prolific writing of a traditional novel.

The play in fact starts with his lengthy descriptions which sets the scene. We are told the play is set in New Orleans in early May and the house where the entire play is set and the street that houses it is vividly described not just only in architecture such as, “The houses are mostly white frames, weathered grey, with rickety outside stairs”. But, the cultural and status of the inhabitants are alluded to with “the section is poor”, and ethnicity referred to as demographics are delved into, “Negro entertainers”. However, Williams also appeals to the senses in his narrative, which is sensuous in its pictorial depiction of the evening from where the play commences, “you can almost feel the warm breath of the brown river beyond the river warehouses with their faint redolences of bananas and coffee.” The personification and imagery helps to set the mood of the evening as Williams introduces his characters in the opening scene. (1)

The description that Williams uses to introduce Blanche, his female lead allows the reader to see the incongruence between the refined and ladylike appearance of Blanche and the dilapidation of her surroundings. However rather than liken the delicate beauty of Blanche to a butterfly, Williams uses a “moth” to describe her. This perhaps foreshadows that the shabbiness of the buildings belies the love housed within its walls in comparison to the shady character that Blanche turns out to be. (6)

Williams allows himself to create setting both spatially and aesthetically, “Two rooms can be seen, not too clearly defined” and uses colors and hues at every opportunity to create mood lighting, “A light goes on behind the blind, turning it light blue”(8)

As Blanche waits, for Stella her nervous gestures and “blind look” begins to unravel her inward character that belies her outward calm, graceful demeanor. Williams descriptions unfolds the inner workings of a highly unstable, and insecure alcoholic on the brink of desperation who hides behind a mask of serenity as recalled in the sly and furtive drinking of whiskey. Williams imagery conjures up a cat like sneakiness who steals the cream but purrs without remorse as if in denial.” She is shaking all over and panting for breath as she tries to laugh. The bottle nearly slips from her grasp.” (11).

In the introduction of Stanley (male protagonist) as he meets Blanche, Williams quickly sums up Stanley as the uncouth, ill bred chauvinistic cave like man ” shouts of parting (..) throws the screen door of the kitchen open,(…) animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements and attitudes, (…),he sizes up women at a glance with sexual classifications, crude images flashing into his mind” (25).

Sounds as well as sights are brought to the attention of the reader, “there is a sound of a blow (..) Blanche screams (…),something is overturned with a crash” (63).

As seen from the above and many other numerous examples littered in between the main dialogue. Though simple prose and vivid descriptions we the reader are able to visualize the scene and the characters, as well as the mood and happenings in between the dialogues and during the silences. Gaps are essentially filled in where the dialogue is not enough. Colors, sounds, lighting and ambience are added to bring to life the sets created in the mind of the playwright giving the reader a visual treat of all the senses to compliment and accompany the vibrant fast pace of the dialogue.

The role of Sounds in A StreetCar Named Desire

The role of Sounds in A StreetCar Named Desire

By Sabrina and Danny

Sounds in the play very much create the mood in the absence of background score or music in the movies. In the movies the background music mimics the scene such as dramatic to foreshadow an event, intense creepy music in a horror flick to create suspense and slow lilting sounds to create the tone for a romantic scene.

Tennessee Williams uses sounds effectively to create mood, set the scene, foreshadow an event, express anger, or simply show the time and place and period such as car horns depicting city life. Phonetics are very important in a play without much scenery or background.

There is an embarrassed silence (15) … silence or pregnant pause though potentially not a sound creates a mood of awkwardness and allows both the characters to allow to think and gather thoughts and allows the audience to see what is spoken with expression only not clouded with dialogue.

A cat screeches near the window (27)  and (10) creates shock, anger and suspense and fear. It also denotes the fragile mental state of Blanche whose nerves ate on edge and over reacts with nervous tension.

A chair scrapes. Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh (50)  defines the crude and low class character of Stanley devoid of manners and the niceties of up bringing. He is also shown as a man without respect for women with a cave man like attitude who objectifies women into sexual beings that can be controlled by men.

There is a sound of a blow…something is overturned with a crash (63)  shows anger and fighting which has turned somewhat ugly and physical when Stanley fights with Stella during the poker match. Again the character of Stanley is revealed as overtly macho and controlling.

Sounds of blow are heard. The water goes on full tilt (65)  The men trying to calm Stanley indicate manly methods of control among male friends in an almost animalistic way reminiscent of ape like behavior in the jungle. The water helps to disguise the ruckass created by Stanley as he is manhandled by his friends who try to sober him up. His constant slamming of doors also reveals his anger and frustration and the fact that the house has no privacy and is too small to house the three of them ( Blanche, Stanley and Stella).

Radio plays a waltz that Mitch and Blanche enjoy but Stanley is irritated by shows his lack of class and frustration that he is reminded of his lack of breeding and education.

The negro entertainers in the bar around the corner play “Paper Doll” slow and blue (65) The time period of the South with jazz is highlighted. The lyrics say “paper doll” which Stanley picks up as he cries “ my baby doll’s left me “.

An indistinguishable shrill voice is heard…Dissonant brass and piano sounds (65)  The voice of Stella or Blanche who reacts badly to the harassing phone calls by Stanley to Eunice begging Stella to come back. Stanley reacts badly throwing the telephone down showing anger and frustration followed by piano sounds that signal his failure and shortcomings.

She slams the door…the low tone clarinet moans (67)  Eunice slamming the door on Stanley is a sign of her anger not just on Stanley but on Steve and all men who hit and mistreat and show no respect for women.  The low tone clarinet follows the screams of Stanley and act as a calm balm for the next scene where Stella enters low and melancholy but come together in an embrace with low animal moans showing the primitive side of making up where words are not needed as violence is replaced with tenderness.

He coughs diffidently (69) A little embarrassed and confused Mitch coughs to cover his own insecurity as he admits his need for kindness and his weakness which is difficult for a man to admit.

There is a confusion of street cries like a choral chant (70) following the makeup Stella is calm happy and serene but Blanche is in a distressed state of the yesterday events of fighting and this is echoed in the street cries full of confusion but almost religious like.

Blanche utters a moaning cry (70) Blanche is not happy at the treatment meted out to Stella and wants her to leave him and is frustrated that she is still with him.

Outside, a train approaches. They are silent till the noise subsides…under cover of the train’s noise Stanley enters from outside. The train allows Stanley to move about like a thief in his own den without been heard as he eavesdrops on Blanche and Stella and creates location of the South but an area for the not so well heeled. The noise must be a comfort for Stanley but an annoyance that interrupts her conversation and rattles her nerves, showing the stark differences in Stanley and Blanche.

Murmur of thunder: page 90

The use of thunder here is a symbol to represent the ending to a scene of climax, which in this case, was the fight that Steve and Eunice had. As they take each other back into their arms, while Steve begins “cooing love words”, the thunder acts as a cymbal in an orchestra to resemble the finale, and the reader knows that their fight is over.

Piercing cry: page 94

At the same time that Stella is pouring Blanche her coke; they also discuss the date of when Blanche will move out of the house to leave Stella and her husband alone once again. However, the prospect of this future scares Blanche, and the rising foam represents how there will be a buildup to this moment, which will end in resistance, pain, and suffering, as represented by Blanche’s cry.

Joyous calls, trumpet and drums: page 95, 162

The trumpet and drums are the primitive sounds throughout the text that hence, represent man’s most primitive act: sex. This means that the reader must infer after Blanche faints that Stanley did indeed rape her. In combination with the joyous calls, the reader acknowledges that the subject at hand, whether or not Blanche will be able to marry Mitch, may end up successful, because of the sounds present during this conversation.

Laughter, goat-like screeches: page 96

These noises occur after the party agrees to go out for the evening, and the extreme happiness that they emit contrasts Blanche’s sadness as she doesn’t take part in any of these events.

Slaps her hand, doorbell: page 96, 139

Immediately after Blanche is left alone, she realizes that she fears solitude and uses the chair arm to vent her frustration, which in turn also ends up being a signal for a relief. The bell that rings alerts Blanche that there is someone at the door and this also alerts the reader, as we know that it is a young man, the exact status that Blanche has an affinity for. Mitch also rings the doorbell, conveying that it could be a symbol for Blanche to meet another man.

Shuffling, coughing, hands in pockets, clearing throat: page 102, 108

The awkwardness that Mitch produces also shows that he isn’t as direct and crude as the other men in the play. He fulfills the gentleman role, and acts polite, which is why he becomes nervous when he asks Blanche if he is permitted to kiss her. He shows these signs of embarrassment before asking such questions that carry more effect than usual, so that perhaps he could receive an answer due to his manners towards Blanche. He also does these nervous gestures when asked heavy questions, such as the ones concerning his mother.

Laughter: page 103, 122, 123

Blanche’s laughter is abundant throughout the play, and is used to represent her brushing off during conversations where she is the subject. Regardless of whether she is present or not, whenever her story features, or personality are talked about, she laughs as a sign of nervousness. This is as if to say, “no of course that isn’t true”, through the means of a simple action, which also implies that Blanche does have a lot that has been left unsaid, and perhaps the lies that Stanley has mentioned are in fact true.

Bathroom door is opened, closed: page 123, 124, 127

During the time that Blanche is in her bath, Stanley has been relaying the information he discovered concerning Blanche. In order to pause for the revelations that both Stella and the reader receive, the bathroom door signifies a lapse so that not too much information is crammed into their heads. This gives the reader time to think if they believe the stories to be true or not, and with the closing on the bathroom door, it signifies that the time for thinking is up, and the Stanley has more to tell.

Tinkles her highball glass: page 128

This signifies that she is going to have to drink a lot in order to retreat from the state of mind she will be in when she receives the news from Stella. She drinks throughout the play in order to do this, and because an entire pack of lies was just revealed to Stella, this resembles the massive amounts of drinking that Blanche will do later on.

Negro entertainers: page 131

After Stanley has had his outburst of rage, the blue piano, as played by the Negro entertainers, is heard. This symbolizes the sadness that Stella now faces, as she now knows that Blanche will find out what Stanley told her.

Grunts: page 132

This sound is used to show Stanley’s assimilation to an ape, and exactly how primitive he acts to assert his masculinity.

Phone: page 134, 160

The phone is a symbol for Blanche’s escape, as every day she expects a call from Shep Huntley, if he even exists. This call will take her away, away from the apartment that she’s trapped in and away from the era she’s trapped in, considering how Shep is an old friend. When Blanche is in the presence of Stanley before he sexually assaults her, the phone makes a clicking and rasping noise, symbolizing how her only chance at escaping has died.

Coughing, gagging: page 136

As Blanche finds out that she is going to be sent out of New Orleans, she proceeds to vomit as she was unprepared for the inevitable. Hence, the extremity of how hopeless Blanche is shown by displaying her sickness as she learns of her future departure.

Murmuring indistinguishably: page 138

This shows a new side to Stanley, as opposed to his usual loud and boisterous self, he has begun murmuring in an incomprehensible manner. This emphasizes the change that will take place when Stanley receives his child, and how he is excited in his anticipation to become a father.

Frightened gasp, cries out: page 144, 145

As the paper lantern comes off, her fear of being seen in the light rises. She doesn’t want to be seen for who she truly is, both literally and metaphorically. When the light comes off, the cry she emits shows her pain as she is seen clearly and plainly, without any protection to hide her.

Mexican flower vendor: page 147-149

The Mexican flower vender represents how her story and motivation is about to die, considering how the flowers being sold are for the dead. The death will be shown as Blanche orders Mitch to leave the house, which ends any prospect of them getting married. As she slams the door on the vendor’s face, this conveys a futile attempt to again, try and avoid the inevitable.

Mirror cracking, murmuring, moans, honky tonk music: page 151

The setting of this scene shows how Blanche has gone slightly deranged after sending Mitch out. As she begins talking to no one, the slamming of the mirror so that it cracks symbolizes how she has cracked, both mentally, meaning that she’s beginning to go insane, and in terms of her persona, as she will no longer be able to keep up her natural, cheery self. The honky tonk music symbolizes the upcoming slow and intimate conversation that she and Stanley will have, which will result in tragedy.

Struggle with prostitute and drunkard: page 159

This struggle will represent the events that are about to take place in the bedroom. However, neither of the two emerges victorious, as the policeman whistles in order to break it up. This leaves the reader to wonder if the struggle between Blanche and Stanley will end up resolved due to an unknown savior, or if it will go in favor of one of the combatants. The sight of the struggle realizes that what’s happened may happen to Blanche, causing her to speak in the phone in a hoarse whisper.

Cathedral bells: page 170

These bells signal the end for Blanche, as it is time for her to finally leave Stella’s apartment. Usually, these bells are used for telling the time, but in this case, the particular time is the one that indicates Blanche’s departure.

Till Death Do Us Part

from Sonnets from the Portuguese
XLIII
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men might strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,–I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!–and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Elizabeth Barret Browning’s poem above is an ode to a pure form of love that is enduring even after death.” Portuguese  “  was a pet name Browning used . Sonnets from the Portuguese also refers to the series of sonnets of the 16^th century Portuguese poet Luis de Camoes  Her writings depicted her personal experiences and were described as “ in all respects, the utterance of a woman – of a woman of great learning, rich experience and powerful genius, uniting to her woman’s nature the strength which is sometimes thought peculiar to a man”.  The poem could allude to the poets marriage to the poet Robert Browning which was conducted in secret due to disapproval. Her husband was six years older and an invalid but she could not believe  the vigorous and worldly Robert Browning really loved her as much as he professed to.  Blanche may relate to the poet  and it can be inferred that so did Mitch’s dead wife who both loved their husbands beyond reason and convention.Ironically, even marriage vows are written as love enduring until, “death do us part”, but this romantic notion defies normal conventions. It may be inferred that the poet by implication realizes that even though you may love a person, you never fully appreciate them until you have lost them. After all it very easy to take someone for granted or even focus on their negatives when they are around.

Tenesse Williams alludes to this poem in A Street Car Named Desire, as inscribed on a lighter by Mitch’s dead girlfriend.

The poem is apt though not just for Mitch but for Blanche who views the lighter with great interest, as she recalls the poem and may remember her deceased husband that she had loved beyond reason.

Though love may be enduring and eternal the youth and beauty of Blanche is not. This ageing beauty desperately tries to hang on to her past like a time warp. She clings to her youth and the memories of her lost love but is fighting a losing battle with both which torments her to a point of madness. She turns to drink to try to erase her memories or perhaps forget the present and be transported to the past. She is traumatized by the betrayal of her husband in catching him red handed in a homosexual act, the real love denied by him as he is unable to love her as a wife in every sense, her disgust and anger and ultimate shock at his suicide which she drove him to through her taunts. In a parallel to the poem, she only truly appreciated his qualities and forgives him after death, so as in the last line “I shall but love thee better after death”. Unfortunately, though she is unable to forgive herself and tries to make up for the void in her life by turning to the bottle and becoming promiscuous. In the arms of men literally and in the arms of the bottle of alcohol she begs for love but finds none. Blanche, has lost her innocence as well as her youth and faith. She has abandoned her highly respected post as a teacher and turned to prostitution even having a dalliance with her seventeen year old student. In denial, she tries to hide her sordid past and alcoholic habits in an almost childish belief that by sticking her head in the ground like an ostrich then none of the ‘bad stuff” exists. She is haunted by music that she cannot get out of her head as she transports herself to a fair tale fantasy where she is young, beautiful, happy and in love. Her real life story though is far from a fairy tale and she is no Cinderalla about to find her prince. In the poem the poet talks about “old griefs”, “childhood faith” and “lost saints”. This relates well to Blanche and her lost of innocence, morality (she is no saint) and has past grief. However, Blanche has not lost her childhood faith, she is still a child at heart and still believes with endearing naiveté that a happy ending is around the corner. However, in her pursuit of Mitch her expectations are now more realistic than overtly romantic. She is counting her losses and settling for the first man who can provide her emotional and financial security as she attempts to trap him in her web of lies, all the while still emotionally clinging to her dead husband.

The poem with religious connotations speaks of love enduring even when seeking righteousness, “strive for Right” and fall from right as when religion is abandoned and God no longer praised, “turn from Praise,” and “if God choose”, “grace”. And “soul”. However, Blanche does not in the play show any real religious inclination or faith in God. She turns instead to her own inner strength and resolve to get through her troubles never confiding in even her own sister, Stella or God in prayers. This could be an extension of her denial as speaking even to God would be admitting to the severity of her problems. Instead she smiles, sings and gaily puts on the brave face. This is shown in the end (when she loses Mitch)  when she weaves a tale about a gentleman with money who will rescue her and her high society invites. Sadly Blanche needs rescuing from herself. When they come to take her away to the asylum she continues the dance of denial in her rose tinted world.

Blanche needs to break away from the theme of everlasting love of the poem. She needs to put the past to rest and move on. Her lack of closure and her self denial imprisons her in a prison of her own making. The memories of past grief’s including the family deaths and her childhood estate and glory and prestige haunt her. Loss and a state of everything in her life being transient and temporary is the norm in her life. This could be the reason as reflected in the poem she hangs on to her first and true love as the only constant and permanence in her life. And perhaps this love is the only real, true and purity of being she has found in her life, which erases all her sordid behavior, “I love thee purely.”


Sources:


"Sonnets from the Portuguese - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia."Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnets_f 



"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. (Sonnet 43) Analysis." Shmoop: Homework Help, Teacher Resources, Test Prep. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. <http://www.shmoop.com/how-do-i-love-thee-sonnet-43/analysis.html>. 

A Streetcar Named Desire

Sexism in English; A Feminist View by Alleen Pace Nilson, discusses how and where language is shaped by cultural stereotypes in gender classification. The author laments that women are often defined by their physical attributes and beauty which are revered until lost by age, while men not dependent on the physical attributes are measured by their status, success and financial situation. This is because women often in traditional mating rules look for a provider and use their looks to snare their bait, that is the potential husband. It is evident as written in the essay that women are seen as the weaker sex and inferior to men and how there are many instances where words are used to insult and undermine women whereas the same words have a more positive meaning for the male gender.

There are many examples of cultural definitions of gender in Tennessee Williams play, A Street Car Named Desire, when we consider the two lead characters Stanley Kowalski and Blanch Dubois.

 Blanche a lady well brought up in rich society in America of the 1930’s while Stanley is a more rougher, less well brought up character. Blanche has her femininity and her frail and petite physical appearance often denoted to the fairer and weaker sex a shown by “delicate piece” (136), “lily” (119). The description of the flower lily suggests beauty, fragility but at the same time shows that beauty is temporary and purity (white flower)  lasts only if devoid of sexual experience as defined by deflowering to signify loss of virginity. Interestingly men are never deflowered but reach manhood under the same experience showing that a woman loses something and a man gains which expresses the views of sexual hypocrisy of gender. Blanche is also referred by animal comparisons, “wild cat” (148), showing her to be cunning, manipulative, and loyal to only those who provide for her much like a cat, which needs taming by a man. (very similar to “Taming of the Shrew “ by Shakespeare. Further, she is described as “hens” (54) showing cackling, gossiping women who gather with other women to complain without reason or purpose and are on earth simply to provide eggs or breed. Stanley also repeats royal inspired words such as “Queen of the Nile” (158), “Crown” (35), “Tiara” (153), “Majesty” 118 and “Empress” (35) in an insulting tone to show that women often preen themselves and think highly of themselves and act prim and proper and hoity toity in front of men without any actual birthright but simply out of their own narcissist pomposity. The word “clean” 1(50) used by Mitch when he tells Blanche he cannot marry her due to her soiled reputation shows how women are viewed in society. Women are expected to have a pristine and untarnished image who cannot be promiscuous, drink or smoke whereas the same rules and pressure do not apply to men. Also, Blanche like all women are required to be young and beautiful to be admired and will not be forgiven if their beauty fades with the inevitable passage of time. Stanley, mocks the number of candles on her birthday cake as Blanche desperately tries to conceal her true age and refers her as “Dame Blanche” (122) to suggest she is well past her prime or shelf life like a piece of meat in the supermarket passed its sell by date. However, this ageism is also reinforced by Blanche herself when she mockingly calls herself  “old maid “ to her potential suitor Mitch in reference to the fact that she remains unmarried. In contrast society terms unmarried men as bachelors despite advancing years and there is no derogatory name for an unmarried male showing that males have no expiry date and retain their appeal which does not fade.

Stanley, angrily on the dinner table refuses to clear the tables as this is womens’ work not befitting of a man and refers to his superiority and dominance as the “King”. The king has several connotations starting with the obvious royal King who sits on his throne and rules the land to the King in a chess game which beats all others to the King of the Jungle, that is the Lion that rules the jungle with fear and aggression. Undertaking lowly kitchen work would emasculate Stanley and therefore the notion and indeed any order from a woman even his wife offends him. Blanche thinks very little of her uncouth and common brother in law who demonstrates no gentleman like qualities. She describes him as “primitive” (39) showing that he has not evolved and is of low intelligence who uses brawn over brain like the cave men of the pre-historic era, where she sees herself in contrast to be classy and refined. She goes on to use words such as, “bestial” (82), “animal”, “ape-like” (83) again on the continuing theme of his masculine traits and uses words signifying sounds to mirror his behavior which is animal more than human such as “grunting, hulking, swilling, gnawing and growls” (83). Men are often perceived as the physically powerful and large sex as opposed to their diminutive women and are therefore well placed to exert their power and authority over women. Stanley also refers to the “Napeolonic Law” that men can take their wives property as their own with historical reference to a leader that had power and stature despite his size.

As seen in the above references clear gender definitions of the culture of that time are clearly highlighted in Tennessee Williams play some of which still holds true today. Gender inequality, stereotyping and discrimination are something that the feminist movement are fighting against and words are one way of winning their battles and exercising their rights. For example, we now have Ms instead of miss or Mrs and female artists refuse to be known as actresses but actors to name a couple of examples in the power of language to overcome the shackles of societies defined norms.