While reading some peoples blogs about “A Street Car Named Desire” I ran across Anthony’s questions of “Do you see Tennessee Williams portraying women as dependant? Or do you see Tennessee Williams portraying women as he saw/has seen them act in the past?” I would like to answer them in my own opinion right now.
Yes, I do think Tennessee portrayed women as dependant. Women of that time were dependent upon the man of the house. Women were raised to please their man just like Chelsie Betz states, “They found their worth in making their husbands happy.” Quoted from Anthony's page.
I have recently learned a lot about how women were portrayed all thru history. I am currently taking a Jesus class. I read a chapter in this class about how women right before Jesus’ time were treated in the differently countries as royalty. Then certain events happen and before you know it some country takes over another country and women are “slaves” again. Then year’s later women are Queens of countries and ruling all. Then we come to America and men are writing the constitution. Today we are faced with women and minority debates. Soon we will see a minority maybe even a women President. I know I am going back over 2000 years but my point is that times are always changing. Just doing a short research of women in the 30-40’s women were dependent upon men.
So the answer to Anthony’s second question is also yes. Also, Just like I said in my reply on Anthony’s site, “My grandmother recently told me that my Great-Grandparents married 5 days after meeting each other. She told me, being married was the thing to do." She said that it wasn’t all built on love. You married because everyone got married. Divorce was not the thing to do. I think I got the best resource of all. A real person from that time, My Grandmother.
Also check this out if you are interested, Women in history.
Posted by LorieLawrence at March 22, 2004 03:49 PMWomen were dependent at the time...and it's a crying shame. In the case of Stella in "A Streetcar Named Desire", if she had in fact chosen to leave her husband, how could she have afforded to raise her child? The odds were most definitely stacked against her.
I like how you brought up references to the way women have been treated in the past. That's very insightful, and it's very interesting for me as a reader AND a woman to read...
My question is, where the heck has chivalry gone? Haha...oh the drawbacks of equality...
-Mel :)
Posted by: Mel at March 25, 2004 11:42 PMI would have to agree with both of you. Williams did portray woman as depenant on a man. Stella and Blanche depended on men for different things, Stella for her livelyhood and Blanche for her self-worth. I don't think women always wanted to depend on a man but the times did not allow them to be on their own. After Blanche lost the estate and got ran out of town she had to depend on her sister and Stan to take care of her, there was no way she could have made it on her own. It is a shame.
And Mel, I wonder the same thing!!!
What does the music in A Street Car Named Desire represent?
Posted by: Allie at April 7, 2005 04:42 PM