Women In A Streetcar Named Desire

Within the last hundred years, American women were given the right to vote. It was understood that a woman was more than the property of the male authorities in her life. She had just as much right to have her voice heard. Moreover, women now have the opportunity to make a living for themselves; they do not have to be dependent on men for survival. Society began to realize that women were capable of being more than a homemaker; that the idea of a woman wanting more from life than just being a mother or wife was actually fathomable. These paradigm shifts would lead one to believe that the role and treatment of women are evolving. However, even though the sisters in A Streetcar Named Desire are living in a time when women are seemingly being …show more content…
She comes out of the house mildly asking him not to “holler” at her like that (1.2). He does not request instead hollers again, this time for her to catch a piece of meat that she was not quite ready for. Thankfully, Stella is able to catch it as Stanely prepares to leave without another word. “Stanley! Where are you going,” she calls after him (1.6). His is answer is that he is going bowling; he did not even think to discuss these plans with her first. At first glance, this opening scene seems innocence and possibly even a little fun as the audience views some light-hearted interaction between a husband and wife. However, this scene actually shows some insight into how Stanley has little regard for his wife. First, he yells for her though she does not like. He barely gives her time to prepare as he throws meat at her and plans to leave without any explanations. For a time being in a time that women are supposed to have a stronger voice, it can already be seen that Stella’s is little greater than the women in Thebes. In The Bacchae, literally, no woman speaks until they return from the mountains with Pentheus’s head on a stick. Agave has her first line, as she calls on “Bacchae of Asia” (1218), but even then her words her still not hers because she is yet speaking under Dionysus’s influence. It is not until Cadmus helps her clear her head that she finally has her own point of view, which at this point does not even matter. Dionysus sends her into exile along with her father. So while Stella does at least have a voice it appears right off the bat that Stanley does not really hear it. This is a behavior where Stanely does what he wants as he wants to continues through the play and not just with