The Savage Brutality of Stanley Kowalski: Violence, Arrogance, and Rape in A Streetcar Named Desire

In the Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, Stanley Kowalski displays his brutality in many ways. This classical play is about Blanche Dubois`s visit to Elysian Fields and her encounters with her sister`s brutal and arrogant husband, Stanley Kowalski, and the reveling truth of why Blanche really came. Stanley Kowalski is a very brutal and barbaric person who always has to feel that no one is better than him. His brutish and ferocious actions during the play leave the reader with a bad taste in their mouths. Stanley`s brutality is shown in several places during the duration of The Streetcar Named Desire.

For example, his first array of brutality is evident at the poker night when he gets so angry and throws the radio out the window. Another example of his brutality is displayed when he beats his wife, Stella. Lastly, his arrogance and ferocious actions are most apparent when he rapes Blanche, while his wife is in labor in the hospital.

Stanley Kowalski`s first exhibition of his brutal actions occurs at poker night. Blanche turns on the radio, but Stanley demands her to turn it off. Blanche refuses and so Stanley gets up himself and turns it off himself. When Stanley`s friend, Mitch, drops out of the game to talk to Blanche, Stanley gets upset and he even gets more upset when Blanche flicks on the radio. Due to the music being on, Stanley, in a rage, stalks in the room and grabs the radio and throws it out the window. His friends immediately jump up, and then they drag him to the shower to try to sober him up. This is the first example of Stanley`s rage and brutality.