In the play, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ by Vanessa, is an illustrative portrayal of male superiority visa a viz their female counterparts. In the event, when Stanly breaks the plate, they were in Blanche’s birthday party. The trio: Stanly, Stella and Blanche.
As they conversed and went on partying together, Blanche attempts to make up a joke about a swearing parrot and a priest, yet nobody gets amused then, Stella made an interjection; she says that her husband is too busy and tells her husband Stanly to clean himself up then help her clear the table. This aggrieved him and in bouts of anger he rose up in fury charged against her wife. He threw down his plate and moved to Stella in an array of abuses. He made a final declaration that, he was the man in the house and the rest were women or rather ‘beaches ‘in his derogative language. He also intoned that, he was the king around their house, since every man is a king. He therefore, broke the dishes because he was told to help in doing a menial job of clearing the table. What, in his social set up is a reserve for women.
After Stanly had stopped eating and caused chaos in the house he walked out in rebellion and great rage. Albeit, save f5rom the abuses that, he directed towards his wife. He handed over to his sister in law a bus fare ticket that was to be a means to send her back to Laurel. This was meant to be an intimidation gift for her birthday present. Stanly equally, speaks of ugly stories of Blanches past: her life as a prostitute and how she lost her job as a school teacher, when he lured her student to bed. This amorous past, breaks her relationship with Mitch as her prospective husband. Moreover, Stanly stages with her wife when she implores him to calm down and be less aggressive to her sister. But, he fails to get contended since; he harbors a feeling that, Blanche swindles Stella on the account of fair share of Belle Reve. He is moved with hate further towards his sister in law because he over heard her gossip about him while persuading Stella to abandon her Marital place which was a squalor apartment.
After the ugly incident of breaking the dishes, Stanly quarrels with Stella over the attendant aggression. She explains to him that, Blanche’s health could not allow her to travel back to Laurel. Blanche at the same time rescinds to the bathroom to take birth then she proceeds to pack her things. At about mid night, Stella begins to feel the labor pains and tells her husband to take her to hospital. Whilst, Blanche parks and drinks, Mitch, her boyfriend confronts her with the allegations about her past life, she turns defensive but he overcomes and finally rapes her.
After some moments, Stanly returns from hospital, to find some sleep as her wife grapples with labor pains. Blanche agonizes, him thus doing away with his humorous nature. But Stanly reproaches her and forcefully takes her to bed. She is disappointed at this because she says that, she had never thought of cheating on her sister. Weeks, later collapses and she masters courage to tell Stella about the bad ordeal of her husband. But, she objects to it. Stella consoles herself that, such a thing cannot happen, this she does to safeguard the health of the baby and her emotional well being as well.
In conclusion, the scene of breaking the plates is a vivid exposition of the male dominance and a satire of the recklessness of male chauvinism per se.
Work cited
A Play, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ by Tennessee William.
.
