Williams parallels the final and perhaps most significant scene with that of an earlier scene to enable the audience too see how greatly opinions of Blanche have changed. The similarities between the two scenes heighten both sympathy for her tragic situation and feelings of resentment towards Stanley. The audience’s view of Stella’s husband has ultimately changed after his rape of Blanche, for the animalistic qualities which may have initially portrayed him as protective and dependable, now reveal him as a brutal, inhuman example of a man, one who needs to assert their authority in whatever means necessary.
Throughout the play the audience has witnessed Blanche acting defiantly towards Stanley, refusing to be intimidated in the way her sister unwittingly behaves. The audience has also however seen Stanley’s determination to exert his supposed supremacy over Blanche which he believes he gains from being Stella’s husband. The rape therefore, has often been thought of as being inevitable. “We’ve has this date with each from the beginning.” Stanley’s line infers that the rape has almost been fated from the start. This implication in addition to the manner in which he has been terrorising Blanche shows his feelings of inadequacy through his determination to bring Blanche down to his level, by destroying her unrealistic perception of life. Stanley assumes that Blanche feels superior over him; indeed she has adopted a reserved dignity which Stanley is intent on eradicating though without understanding why she resumes this pretence. Even at the end of the play, he shows no remorse or guilt for his part to play in Blanche’s demise, consequently enforcing the audiences view newly developed view of him.
Originally, he was seen as more likeable than Blanche, for he lacked pretension and represented the ‘new America’ land of opportunity and where reward is based on merit and not favourable circumstances. However his rape of her when he is at his most triumphant, just before his child is born and she at her most psychologically vulnerable brings home exactly how determined he is to maintain his status as respected man.
The omission of the actual rape does not make the act less significant, on the contrary, its exclusion intensifies its offensiveness, for like the final lines in the scene, the fact that it is not seen makes the audience feel powerless to change the course of events. If Blanche does indeed represent the old ways of the South then her rape can additionally be seen as the final destruction of the South and the morals and philosophy it contains.
Stella’s sobbing, filled with ‘inhumane abandonment,’ at the loss of her sister, suggests that she is either mourning the loss of her sister into her personal world of fantasy, or more realistically grieving for both herself and her sister, and their consequent predicaments. Her intense grief implies a development of character, for she obviously recognises that Blanche’s downfall was not merely a result of the deaths she was forced to witness in Belle Reve, but the lack of support Stella was able to offer, and the cruel actions of Stanley. In this respect, the audience may find it hard to believe that Stella completely disbelieves her sister’s story, instead, is blinded by her determination to hold onto Stanley and all that he represents to her. By acknowledging the truth Stella would be required to her to face up her husband’s brutality, which would in turn destroy the blissful façade Stella has created to view their marriage. Considering this, Stella is more similar to Blanche than she realises. Although Stella defends Blanche exclaiming ‘people like you abused her,’ she does not make the parallel between her their two situations, not realising that she could similarly end up like Blanche.
Her ‘betrayal’ of Blanche, although seemingly heartless considering her state of mind, is justified in part by the conditions in which Stella lives. Her need to preserve her husband’s favour reflects the need of women of that time who depend on the social protection of marriage and a family. It is apparent in Stella’s eyes that Blanche threatened this existence, representing to Stella her previous life back in Belle Reve, for the manner in which Blanche addressed Stella, referring to her as ‘precious lamb,’ and ‘blessed baby,’ in turn reverting Stella back to her childhood role, one which she felt compelled to leave in her departure from Belle Reve. Stanley’s previous comment that Stella had to be ‘pulled down off the columns’ however, reminds the audience that Stella was once part of the same feelings as Blanche. Throughout the play, comparisons between the sisters have been rare, however the final scenes highlight how similar they are in fact are. Stella’s language for example becomes far more formal and reminds the audience of Blanche’s genteel speech in her final attempt to defend Blanche against Stanley’s accusations. !!!!!! Stanley’s speech reinforce his animalistic behaviour, for he talks of ‘pulling’ Stella down to his level, inferring that due to this, he has ownership over her. Originally it appeared that Stanley spoke and acted in this way to emphasis his manliness however, the audience will note how he only assumes predominance over people that threaten him. Both Stella and Blanche did not pose any physical threat but preyed on his conscious knowledge that in most respects, he was indeed inferior to him in both status and class.
The final image of the play brings home to the audience exactly how much Stella and Stanley’s relationship has been altered by the presence of Blanche. Stella’s earlier defiance of what her sister considered a marriage based on ‘animal desire,’ in which she demonstrated with openly embraced Stanley after her sister had expressed distaste towards his morals and manner of living is replaced with her displaying ambiguous feelings towards her husband at the end. Left sobbing at her sister’s exit, she neither accepts nor rejects Stanley’s comfort, a clear indication that Blanche’s intrusion and expulsion have changed the nature of Stella’s relationship with her husband. Stanley’s consequent fumbling with her blouse demonstrates how little his character has been altered by events, for he once again finds reassurance that he is still in Stella’s favour as well as exerting his power in a sexual means. The last line in the play, spoken offstage as a means of isolating the audience and ultimately preventing any form of relation with future events, is significant in the fact that the game has changed to ‘seven card stud.’ The change of game may reflect the change of attitude, for although all characters appear to be eager to return to everyday life, it I known that this can never be so. This technique of speaking offstage makes unfolding events concerning the couple seem extremely ominous. Although the audience had no impact upon the events or the decisions made in the first place, by directing the play in this way, William’s leaves the audience with a feeling of unease, for it is felt that Stanley and Stella’s lives together will never return to the way they originally were. Additionally, the offhand manner in which the next game is announced does not bode well for their future together.
The final image is filled with irony, firstly portraying Stanley as the supportive father figure and husband whilst comforting Stella in her misery. The incompatible personalities of Stanley and Blanche are resolved here, for it is Stanley who secures Stella’s loyalty and favour, indicating a permanent end to the Old South’s romanticism and chivalric society. The end scene with the doctor also ironically reinforces Blanche’s total dependence upon men for happiness, the very element that was responsible for her downfall originally. “I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers.”
