The Mental Destruction of Blanche Dubois
The play immediately presents Blanche and Stanley as polar opposites; Blanche represents high-class poise and a gentle southern demeanour while Stanley represents unrefined manhood untouched by civilization and its effeminizing influences. He is a virile character with vitality, heartiness and a lust for life; these characteristics however lead him into launching an unrelenting, calculated assault on the already crumbling facade of Blanche’s world. Blanche believes that Stanley is like a man from the Stone Age after she witnesses his behaviour and attack on Stella during the night of the poker game. She thinks that he “acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits. Eats like one, moves like one, [and] talks like one” (83). This strongly contrasts Blanche who was raised as a delicate, civilized and well mannered woman with a sense of propriety. She is completely unprepared for Stanley’s brutish virility. In one sense, Stanley and Blanche are fighting for Stella; they both try to pull Stella out of the other’s grasp. Stanley hates Blanche because he feels his relationship with Stella is strained as a result of Blanche’s influence; he reminds Stella that before Blanche’s arrival they were happy being “common” together (137). Blanche would like to