Explore the Similarities and Differences in the Presentation of Female Characters in a Streetcar Named Desire and the World’s Wife
Explore the similarities and differences in the presentation of female characters in A Streetcar Named Desire and The World’s wife
In this essay, I will be exploring the similarities and differences of female characters in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams; and ‘The World’s Wife’ by Carol Ann Duffy. Both texts denote women as somewhat weak and incompetent and as having a predatory attitude towards the mainly dominant male characters. A Streetcar Named Desire was written in 1945 and it initially connected with America’s new found taste for realism following the Great Depression and World War II. William’s based the character of Blanche on his sister who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Williams himself was homosexual, and incorporated this trait into the character of Blanche’s husband. Homosexuality was regarded as disgraceful during this time in America. The World’s Wife is an anthology of poems which takes stories that were previously focused on men and reverses the roles to focus on women. There are many references to childbirth, children and feelings towards men, which could have been influenced by Duffy’s own experiences, especially her relationship with Adrian Henri who was twenty three years her senior.
There are many different critical approaches to both texts, for example the feminist literary criticism. Feminists could criticize that in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Stella and Eunice’s relationship with their husbands conform to a stereotype of repressed women. This is similar to ‘Mrs Quasimodo’, where she herself is the devoted wife, concentrating on the happiness of her husband while he looks at her with a ‘discontented eye.’ Another criticism is the psychoanalytic criticism. One could argue that in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Blanche is hiding the suicide of her husband in her unconscious which results in her acting in such an irrational manner. ‘I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I can't be alone!’ The reader is able to
In this essay, I will be exploring the similarities and differences of female characters in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams; and ‘The World’s Wife’ by Carol Ann Duffy. Both texts denote women as somewhat weak and incompetent and as having a predatory attitude towards the mainly dominant male characters. A Streetcar Named Desire was written in 1945 and it initially connected with America’s new found taste for realism following the Great Depression and World War II. William’s based the character of Blanche on his sister who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Williams himself was homosexual, and incorporated this trait into the character of Blanche’s husband. Homosexuality was regarded as disgraceful during this time in America. The World’s Wife is an anthology of poems which takes stories that were previously focused on men and reverses the roles to focus on women. There are many references to childbirth, children and feelings towards men, which could have been influenced by Duffy’s own experiences, especially her relationship with Adrian Henri who was twenty three years her senior.
There are many different critical approaches to both texts, for example the feminist literary criticism. Feminists could criticize that in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Stella and Eunice’s relationship with their husbands conform to a stereotype of repressed women. This is similar to ‘Mrs Quasimodo’, where she herself is the devoted wife, concentrating on the happiness of her husband while he looks at her with a ‘discontented eye.’ Another criticism is the psychoanalytic criticism. One could argue that in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Blanche is hiding the suicide of her husband in her unconscious which results in her acting in such an irrational manner. ‘I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I can't be alone!’ The reader is able to
Bibliography: A Streetcar Named Desire and the World’s Wife critical readings booklet York advanced notes: A Streetcar Named Desire Medusa pre-reading booklet Thetis pre reading booklet Queen Kong pre- reading booklet