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.