SND And DOM - Gender And Power Flashcards
Nietzche’s theory of tragic joy
the tragic ecstasy focuses on the beautiful individual hero in the foreground, and yet anticipates and rejoices in his destruction.
“It isn’t enough to be soft. You’ve got to be soft and attractive. And I-I’m fading now!” - scene 5
- B realises ‘softness’ is essential to a woman’s beauty and acceptance in society.
- invisibility of women who are deemed no longer attractive
- Stella’s sexual SUBORDINANCE with Stanley represents NEW AMERICAN view of love - more sexual
- B’s outdated American ideals of CHASTITY and frailty destroy her
As an ARCHETYPAL lost soul, fictitious “Darling Shep” facade accentuates psychological VULNERABILITY
Scene ten - the rape
“Had this date with each other from the beginning”
“Tiger”
The triumph of BRUTISH ANIMAL MAGNETISM over female expression crudely depict female entrapment
- Stanley’s final attempt and destroying B’s illusory facade is through rape
- SINISTER act was premeditated, inevitable act
- surreal theatricality of scene through EXPRESSIONIST “Lurid reflections” and “red letter night” accentuate and foreshadow B’s trauma
- this explicitly showcases B was always powerless SYMBOLISING harsh reality of male power.
Objectification of women
“People dont see you - men dont - dont even admit your existence unless they are making love to you”
Williams exposes harsh reality of female entrapment through b’s reflection on a woman’s worth as purely sexual in a man’s eyes
Stanley carries Blanche’s “inert figure” to the bed - scene 10
Blanche’s SILENT RESIGNATION indicates her ultimate mental and physical disintegration
S feels he can so easily exert his power over her because he has understood the way 1940s society works;
FEMALE SUBMISSION was the NORM, and if not, then it becomes female OSTRACIZATION
In ELIA KAZAN’S FILM ADAPTATION (1951) Blanche attempts to regain her power by staring at Stanley when affirming “deliberate cruelty is not forgivable” - scene 10
B’s defiance is biggest threat to S’s alpha machismo and sexual dominion
She is portrayed as a women that HYPER MASCULINE males can treat crudely with no repercussions
- an explicit demonstration of extent to which CULTURAL SAVAGERY destroy’s women’s freedom
- Williams exposes dire consequences of women attempting to push back in a male dominated society
B represents a new DECAYING southern belle whilst trad. Southern belle was submissive and irreproachable
Stanley’s “fingers find the opening of her blouse” - scene 10
Tragic culmination of play is revealed and Stella’s sexual objectification is all that remains
Williams exposes CRUDE REALITY of female subservience:
In the end, s is left with nothing other than loss:
- belle rêve, her sister and any chance at a mutually respectful relationship
Bird imagery in the Duchess of Malfi and streetcar named desire
“The robin red breast and the nightingale // never live long in cages” [4.2.11-2] says duchess
- compares self to a helpless bird, animalistic
“A lark in a cage” [4.2.121-2] says bosola
“Hey, canary bird! Toots!” Scene 7, Stanley
- in mining if a canary bird stops singing it means there’s gas - symbol of danger
“The power and pride of a richly feathered male bird among hens”
- roosters establish they are the lead and any hens follow - Stanley refers to Stella and blanche as hens
Animalistic Stanley - sexual predator
Rape scene
“Tiger - tiger! Drop the bottle top! Drop it!”
- animalistic, sexual predator
‘A locomotive is heard approaching outside’ - scene 10
Plastic theatre to represent way Stanley’s world closes in on blanche
Symbolic of Stanley’s troublesome omnipresence in b’s life and a future that b cannot live in because she’s tethered to her past glory as a ‘southern belle’ in the ‘old south’
Sudden approach interrupts b’s rare moment of CANDOUR, symbolising end of innocence and beginning of her pretences
As b’s mental state declines stanley’s masculinity becomes overbearing
B fell victim of new America
