Analysis of Feminism in a Streetcar Named Desire

Muskan Sharma

Feminism refers to the ideology of the advocacy of women’s right on the ground of the equality of the sexes.  It is a range of political movements, ideologies and social movements that share a common goal which is to define, establish and achieve the political, economic, personal and social equality of the genders. Feminism was put into play to empower women that were considered as the weaker gender in the society, it was an effort to put them at the same level as men and ensure that they get equal rights and standard society value as any human being. The harsh treatment that was bestowed on women had to come to an end for as long as it should’ve supposed to and this ideology ensured that laws would come in respect to the ideas that they had for women in mind.

The role of feminist critics is to analyze and understand the role of control and power that exist in the two genders not only in respect to personal relationships but also in a larger picture of the society. They try to understand the role by using feministic ideology and try to locate the origin and existence of why control and power exists and to what extent does it exist. By using feministic viewpoints, they try to establish ideologies that come into play with respect to feminism and their own beliefs of how women should be compared to what they are expected to be in English literature. Feminists tend to pay attention to how much independent and importance is given to the women in the work of literature. Feminist critics believe that the acts that neglect the idea of feminism have existed for a long period of time in literature and has created gender stereotypes within which means that it completely neglects the idea of men and women being equal and on the other hand specifies them into their own “characteristics”.

The play “A streetcar named Desire” focuses on the treatment of women in the 1960’s and opens a sense of imagery in the lives of how they lived and how they were treated. Feminist critics believe that this contrast between gender roles have existed for a long time in English literature and this turmoil has been briefly examined in a lot of novels as well as plays that have been written over the centuries. It also shows a contrast of how gradually or increasingly this has changed or has not changed at all. The debate of females reinforcing these stereotypes or trying to fight the wrongdoings has also been highlighted but their sense of disability to overcome it due to lack of power and control has also been explored by the critics.

The relationship between Stanley and Stella acts as an example of portraying these stereotypes in the play. Stanley is shown as the leader of the family and Stella the weaker character following whatever Stanley tell her to. It portrays Stanley as a superior figure whereas Stella is more fragile and hesitant to respond back to the behavior against her, which also shows a sense of fear in Stella with respect to her fighting back the wrongdoings that happen to her. “Poker Night” also plays acts as an example of showing a sense of authority and power in men as women were not allowed to attend the game in Act 1. When Stella join this night, she gets treated violently and abusively which she refers to as “normal” which highlights the treatment and relationship between the two characters. When Blanche tries to fight Stanley, Stella defends his actions and acts like everything is normal and Stanley losing control was a consequence of drinking and gambling.

These examples provide a clear account of the gender roles in the 1960’s and the discrimination faced by women in terms of their treatment and authority and the place they held in society.