In all Stella condemns Stanley’s violence but her being his faithful wife and understanding the environment that she has now adapted to, understands that Stanley wasn’t in control of his body whilst under the influence of alcohol. “No, it isn’t all right for anybody to make such a terrible row, but people do sometimes”, Stella tries to explain to Blanche. Once again this brings us back to Blanche’s refusal to accept reality and adapting to her surroundings, whereas Stella has managed to do just that. An example in which Stella shows more mature thinking and understanding of the situation to Blanche is when she says, “Oh, well, it’s his pleasure, like mine is movies and bridge. People have got to tolerate each other’s habits”. This quotation is Stella’s view of Stanley’s drinking and poker “pleasures” which shows her acceptance of Stanley’s tendencies that will help in fulfilling a long prosperous relationship. Blanche cannot accept Stanley’s habits as she could not tolerate her husband’s homosexuality; due to her upbringing and bigotry and as a result she faces the consequences. Stella also has mothering tendencies towards Stanley, an example of when this is evident is when she says, “He didn’t know what he was doing…He was good as a lamb when I came back and he’s really very, very ashamed of himself.” This quotation makes Stanley sound like a child that is seeking forgiveness from his mother. The use of repetition to emphasise Stella’s point makes her sound like an overprotective mother.
Though Stella isn’t partial to Stanley’s violence, it is evident that it heightens her desire for him. She describes her wedding night to Blanche in which he had one of his violent outbursts and says, “I was – sort of – thrilled by it. [She waits for a moment.] …” This conversation highlights one of the factors that Stella feels is one of the contributors to their attraction. The pause after her statement implies that she is most probably having an afterthought of that night and reflects her magnetism towards Stanley.
Stella in this scene shows her devotion to her husband throughout this scene. She herself says that she cannot quite explain how powerful their relationship is, “But there are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark – that sort of make everything else seem – unimportant. [pause.]” she tries to explain. Yet again there is a dramatic pause after her statement heightens the awareness of attraction and sense of magnetism between the couple. Blanche’s character is much romanticised but this scene shows her real cynicism towards love and relationships and the fact that she cannot accept that her sister has fallen in love and so she claims it is just desire as plain as Stella claims that she is in love with Stanley “I have told you I love him.”
When Blanche is first introduced to the scene she is hysterical and evidently nervous which greatly contrasts to Stella’s “narcotised tranquillity” her actions show her immense fear of the situation “She presses her knuckles nervously to her lips as she looks through the door.”
It is evident that the previous nights event has left Blanche awake and in fear for her sister. The events in the previous scene have heightened her narrowed minded views of Stanley to be uncultured and bestial. She describes, “He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! There’s even something – sub-human – something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something – ape-like about him…” She refers to his rude mannerisms and compares him to an ape to emphasise her point that Stanley is below the DuBois’s in social class and that Stella does not deserve to be with an animal. Blanche lists all his bad qualities to develop her argument that he is in fact inferior to the DuBois’s and then goes on to contradict Stella’s views on tolerating habits of your spouse to ask how can you tolerate the habits of an animal. Blanche the further brutally degrades Stella’s husband. She uses the “caveman” allegory to show his primitive nature and lack of manners as a decline of humanity she says, “Stanley Kowalski – survivor of the Stone Age! Bearing the raw meat, home from the kill in the jungle! And – you here – waiting for him!” As yet Blanche still refuses to see how Stella could fall in love with something, in her eyes to be an ape. Blanche is still convinced that Stella and she deserve better she informs Stella, “maybe we are a long way from being made in gods image but Stella – my sister – there has been some progress since then! Such things as art – as poetry and music – such kinds of new light have come into the world since then”. This statement brings us back to the culture and background that Blanche so badly is trying not to lose that has led to her refusal to accept her current situation. The arts that she refers to were highly viewed by her culture. Her last desperate plea that emphasises her contempt for Stanley and his so called bestial nature before he enters is, “Don’t hang back with the brute!”
Throughout this scene she loses her sensitivity towards both Stanley and Stella, which is common among people who are themselves ‘sensitive’ and often self-absorbed and fail to appreciate sensitivity in others. She quite gladly expresses her opinion that Stella is “married to a madman!” Blanche’s self-centred nature tries to relate Stella’s situation to her own, in which she says, “…your fix is worse than mine is.” This leads us back to Blanche’s downfall.
