How Does Stanley Use Sexual Advancements In A Streetcar Named Desire

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In A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, Stella and Stanley use sexual advances in order to obtain power and control. While playing poker, Stella uses sexual advances in order to woo Stanley and make him subordinate to her. In another scene, Stanley uses sexual advances to take control of Blanche in the bedroom and rapes her. These sexual advances relate Stella as a wife, who wants to show that she is a woman of strong character and Stanley as the alpha male, who wants to be in control of everything. Stella uses sexual advances in order to control Stanley and to show him that she is in control of the relationship when it comes to sex. In the beginning of the play, the scene opens up with Stanley walking along the street with a bag meat from the butcher’s. After yelling for Stella to come out, Stella replies to Stanley saying “Don’t holler at me like that. Hi, Mitch” in order to present herself as a women of strong character (4). Despite Stella’s attempt to assert her dominance, Stanley still throws the package at her which shows that Stella is under Stanley, and that she has no real control in the relationship. …show more content…

Stella uses sexual advances in order to control Stanley. She wants to appear as a women of strong character, and the only way she achieves this is by using sex as a threating factor against Stanley. Stanley uses sexual advances by means of physical force, in order to be in charge and take up the role of the alpha male. Stanley wants to be in control of everything and he uses sexual advances in order to rape and break Blanche, and to basically take control of her destiny: being sent to a mental institution. What this says about Stella and Stanley’s relationship is that their marriage is unhealthy. It is only based upon sex. When Stanley beats Stella, the only way they can really come back together is by sex. It’s a physical relationship based

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