《欲望号街车》女性主义解读

摘要女性地位、女性权利、两性关系是当今社会正在研究的重要热点问题之一，小说、剧作等文学作品作为反映社会、时代的一面“镜子”，成为了重要的研究对象。《欲望号街车》这部作品里充斥着男性女性之间的矛盾与冲突，适合从女性主义视角进行分析研究。此外，这部著作荣获普利策奖，具有很高的研究价值。而西方在女性主义批判这一方向上所做的研究实践，与国内相比更加系统、成熟、完善，国内学者在50多年前才开始逐渐对此主题有一定研究。因此，本课题从女性主义视角出发，运用西方的女性主义理论，对该作品中出现的两性冲突、女性话语权缺失、女性绝望、女性压迫等现象进行分析，探究剧中主要女性角色白兰琪、斯黛拉在父权制宰治的社会环境下的真实处境，旨在丰富完善国内对《欲望号街车》这部作品的女性主义视角研究，同时为研究相同课题的其他研究者提供参考。关键词：欲望号街车；女性主义；性别不平等；文学批评；父权宰制

AbstractWomen’ssocialstatus,femalerightsandtherelationshipbetweengendershavebecomeoneofthemostimportanthotissuesbeingstudiedincontemporarysociety.Andnovels,plays,aswellasothersortsofliteraryworks,whichserveasamirrorreflectingsocietyofdifferentspecifictimes,havebeenreckonedasexcellentresearchobjects.AStreetcarNamedDesire,writtenbyThomasLanierWilliamsIII,alsoknownasTennesseeWilliams,isanoutstandingplayscriptfullofcontradictionsandconflictbetweenmaleandfemale,makingitafeasibleandsuitableworktobeanalyzedfromtheperspectiveoffeminismliterarycritics.What’smore,thisplayhasawardedPulitzerPricewhichmakesitmorevaluabletoberesearched.Westerntheoriesonfeminismaremoresystematicandmaturethandomesticcounterpart,asthewesternscholarshaveconductedmassivestudiesonfeminismliterarycriticswhileChinesescholarshaven’tdevelopedonthistopicuntilpastfivedecades.Thus,thisthesiswillgenerallyanalyzeAStreetcarNamedDesire,employingrelevanttheoriesofwesternfeminismliterarycritics(studiesbyAmericanscholarsmostly),focusingonthegenderinequalityagainstfemales,femaledesperationandthelostrightoffemalespeech,tounveilthereallivingsituationoffemaleprotagonists—BlancheandStellainthepatriarchaldominancesociety(specifically,Stanley’sdominanceinthisplay).ThisthesiswillgenerallymagnifyhowTennesseeWilliamshasrepresentedhisfemalefigures,especiallyStellaandBlanche,inthisplay,and,howpatriarchalinfluencesthecharacters.KeyWords:Desirenumberstreetcar;feminism;genderinequality;literarycriticism;patriarchalsystem

ContentsTOC\o"1-2"\h\u270581Introduction IntroductionIncontemporarysociety,genderissueshaveincreasinglybeenahotspotofpublicawarenessand,thecontradictionsandconflictsbetweenmaleandfemaleurgentlyneedtobesolved.TennesseeWilliamsisoneofthemosteminentAmericanplaywrights.HisdramaAStreetcarNamedDesire,togetherwithEugeneO’Neill’sLongDay’sJourneyintoNightandArthurMiller’sDeathofaSalesmanisenlistedintothethreefinestAmericantragedies.Oncebeingpublished,thisdramahasobtainedgreatachievementsandbeenawardedthePulitzerPrizeforDrama,theDonaldsonAwardandtheNewYorkDramaCritics’CircleBestPlay.AStreetcarNamedDesire,writtenin1947,isacritiqueofpost-warAmericansociety,epitomizingtheperiodwhenlargeamountsofrestrictionsandoppressionswereputonwomen’slives.Itexaminesthelivingcircumstancesoffemaleatthattimewhenchauvinismwasrampantanddemonstratesthestruggleofwomenhadtoconfrontandtherealitythattheyweretreatedasmen’sinferiors.Inotherwords,malesalwayspatronizedandsuppressedfemales,makingthemsubservienttomalesandsharednorightsindomesticmatters.Thus,femaleswereunabletodecidewhattheirlivesshouldbe.Beingasuccessfulwork,AStreetcarNamedDesirehasthenbecomeafocusofnumerouscritics.Accordingtocritics,theliteraryworksofTennesseeWilliamsmostlyarethereflectionsofhisstrongsentimentalfluctuationonhisownmiserablelife.AStreetcarNamedDesireisknownforitssincereportrayalofmoraldegradation,theexplosivepowerofproductionandtherefinedcharacterization.“Theideaofawomancomingtotermswithlifeandshatteringtheimagewhichnolongerpossibleinthedisintegrationofsocietyandthedeathoftheoldaristocracy,isthethemeofAStreetcarNamedDesire”(Khan191).Feminismisasignificantsocio-politicalmovementfortheliberationofwomeninasocietywhichispredominantlypatriarchal.Andmanyfeministcriticshavereckonedthatliteraryworksauthoredbymalesisbiasedduetoitsmarginalized,subservientdepictionoffemalestomeetmen’spleasureandquenchownfearsoftheirshakendominatingposition.Thisthesiswillbedividedintothreemainparts:thefirstchaptergivesabasicliteraryreviewofformerstudiesbothabroadandathomeandageneralintroductionoffeminismliterarytheory;thefollowingchapterelaboratesonthefemaleoppression,spiritualawakeningandrebellion;thelastchapterrevealsthefateoffemaleprotagonistsandthemainideaofthisplay.Thepurposeofthisthesisistoprovideageneralacademicreferenceforresearcherswhostudyonthesametopic,andapositiveguidancetotacklegendercontradictionsandadvancetheprogressofgenderequality.2AnalysisontheProtagonistsItisreasonablethatageneralanalysisonthemainmaleandfemalecharactersisneededifthisthesisattemptstointerpretthedramafromtheperspectiveoffeminism.Thus,thischapterwillelaborateontheimageofStanleyKowalski,StellaDuboisandBlancheDuboisandtheirbehaviorsinthepatriarchalsociety.2.1HegemonicMaleDominance—StanleyKowalski“Toughenupandbeaman!”Itisthebattlecryofatypicalpatriarchalsociety,whichisaseeminglyinnocentinstructionsonmenthroughoutseveralages,especiallythetwentiethcenturywhenthe“dreamlandoffreedom”titledAmericaenteredintoitstransitionalperiodfrompost-WWIIreconstructiontotheindustrializedsociety.Inthispreviouslytraumatizednation,thewholesocietyindulgedinthehedonisticatmospheretofillthevoidoflosingcivilizationandmoralityafteraseriesofwar’sonset.JustasOscarWilderemarkedthatAmericaistheonlycountrythatwentfrombarbarismtodecadencewithoutcivilizationinbetween.Thus,menalsohaveexperiencedanunprecedentedbutprevalenttwistinthesociety’shighexpectationsduringthe1950sthatresultedanidealmanwhomonlyveryfewmenwerecompetentenoughtobecome.StanleyKowalski,aPolishimmigrantandaformerveteranreturningfromWWIIfrontline,exemplifiedtheprevalentexpectationofidealmaleinAmericansociety.Thoughbeingavulgarworker,Stanleyranksthetopinthedomestichierarchy.Stanleywasdepictedasanuncultivatedbeastenjoyinghissmallpieceofdomainwhenhemadehisfirstentranceintheplay—he,inabowlingjacket,carrieswithhimapackageofmeat,ofwhichthepackingpaperstainedwithblood.HeyellsforStella,tocomeoutonthestairsandthrowsthemeatuptoher.Thesebehaviorsimmediatelytriggervigilantcritics’senseasStanleyconductingsomesortofprimitiveriteofbringingmeathometoshowhisidentityasafamilysupporteraswellasindicatingStella’ssubjugationtohisvirility.“Stanleyhastrainedhiswifetocatchhismeat,ineverysense.”(Stanton49)Heisthebreadwinner,thesoleprovidertosupporthisfamilyandhismediocrelifestylewhilehehasneverengagedinandcaredaboutanydomesticchoresevenStella’spregnancy.Whatthisbarbaricmaleimmerseshimselfinareonlycheapthrillssuchasdirtyjokes,bowling,pokergames,gluttony,andalcohol,whichisthebestowalofthepatriarchy.SimonedeBeauvoirpointsoutinherbookTheSecondSex,“malesdon’tinterpretfemalesaccordingtofemalesthemselves,whereastheyregardfemalesasindependentones…malescanbetakenasthereferencetodefineanddistinguishfemales,whilethereferencetodefineanddistinguishmalescannotbefemales.‘She’istheEssentialinoppositionoftheInessential.‘He’isthesubjectandtheAbsolute,whereas‘she’istheOther.”(Beauvoir,1998:11)AsBeauvoirsuggeststhatinapatriarchalsociety,malesareentitledtopositivelytaketheinitiativewhilefemalesplayapassiveanddismissedrole.Thus,StanleydevaluesStellawhousedtobeaSouthernladyborninadeclinedfamilyofnobility,forStellamustdependonhimtolive.Stanleytakesprideinhimselfbeingagenuinemanthroughouttheplaysothatanycastratingthreatsposedtohismanpowerresultinhisbruteretaliation.“Allmenarekings!AnddoneverforgetIamthekingaroundhere!”isthemanifestointhismorbidsociety.Thus,Blanche’sappearanceunquestionablythwartshisreignoverhisterritory.2.2FemaleDesperation—StellaKowalski“Stella,Stellaforstar!”,asBlanchecriedinScene1whentheDuboissistersreunited,withoutknowingthatthe“star”nolongerretainshercelestialeleganceandinherentnobilityoftheupperclass.HavingleftthespirituallydeclinedBelleReveforthephysicallyvibrantFrenchQuarter,StellasincethenhasnolongerbeingnostalgicasBlanchebutadaptstothemundanelifestyle.SheiscontentwiththephysicalpleasurethatStanleycouldandonlyofferher,tryingtoquenchthelustthroughwhichhervoidoffadingglorycanbefilled.Stellachoosestoescapefromherancestralhomesteadwherenomaleprotectorremains.Evidently,insuchamale-dominatingsociety,afemale,raisedinawealthySouthernfamily,conformstothesocialnormsandreliesonandpleasesmale.StellaseeksouttotradehernobilitywithliberationandsurvivalwhileneverbeingconsciousaboutherdocilityandenslavementtoStanley’smalesupremacy.Startingfromscene1,StellashowsnoreluctancetowardsStanley—sheappearsatonceontheupstairslikeacadethearingtheinstructionofcommanderandwillinglycatchesthedirtypackageofmeatthatStanleythrowstoherwithlaughonherface.VirginiaWoolfthinksthat“women’sindependenteconomicstatusisthematerialfoundationtoobtainpersonalfreedom.Ifwomenaredependentonmeneconomically,theyaredeprivedofalltheequalrights.”(Wu2005:69)StellahasgivenuphergenteelmannersfortheexcitementofwatchingStanleybrutallysmashallthelightbulbsintheirweddingnight.WhenBlancheresortstoher,StellahasdegradedherselfasacaptivebutdevoutworshipperofherhusbandandshacklesherselfinthementalprisonwhereStanley’sworldandfriendsdefinetheparametersofherown,exactlythesameasherneighbor,Eunice.Aweek’sphysicalseparationfromStanleywillmakehergo“wild”.Eventhephysicalabuseandoralhumiliationcannotwakeupthispretentiouslybe-muted‘littlewoman’—attheendofscene3intheplay,StelladismissesBlanche’spersuasion,runsdownstairsandsurrendersherselftothebrutalmanwhohadjustbeatenherfewminutesbefore.Itiscomprehendiblethatinscene7,Stellacollaborateswithher“beloved”husbandtoconspireagainstBlanche.Throughouttheplay,confrontingwithBlanche’sheartlyindicationofherreality,Stellaisalwaysreluctanttoassentthathersituationinthemarriageisdesperateandistheonethatsheintendstogetridof.NomatterwhenitcomestothechoicebetweenStanleyandBlanche,itendsupinheryieldtoStanley’sembrace.ItisclearlythatStella’slifeasherhusband’s“babydoll”isdesperate.2.3AwakenedFemale—BlancheDuboisUnlikehersister,Blanche,justastheimplicationofhername—purityandchastity,hasnotdiscardedhermannerandlifestylethatsheinheritedfromSouthernlittlebourgeoise.SheisstunnedbytheraggedapartmentofStella.Scholarreckonsthat“FatherDubois”isthefirstmalewhoexertspowerfulinfluenceonBlancheandStella.Onceitdawnsonthetwosistersthatthefamilyisdecaying,theyimmediatelyturntoothermalesforsanctuary.(Liu2007,101)BlancheblamesStellaforherbetrayalofabandoningtheglory-fadedBelleReveandresorttotastelessStanleyforprotectionofmanlinessandquenchingofhersexualdesire.However,BlanchedosenotsensesthatherrunawaywithAllanGray,herlatehomosexualhusband,isjustanotherkindofdodgeawayfromthecruelreality.ShefailstopossessanormalmarriagewithAllanwhosesuicidebecomesthehauntingnightmarethatshecouldneverdispersewhileStella,thoughbelittledasthebyproductofStanley,successfullyfindherasylumofmaleprotection.ItisBlanche’scomingthatinterruptstheirunprivilegedbuthappylife.FromtheverymomentwhenBlancheintrudesuponKowalskihousehold,sheposesagreatthreattowardsStanley’srulingoverhissmallkingdom.AscriticAliceGriffinwrites,WilliamswitfullysetsBlanche’sformerprofessionasaschoolEnglishteacher,whichprovideshimselfagreatchancetoconductthewordplayandsimultaneouslyenhanceastarkcomparisonbetweenBlancheandhermaleantagonist,Stanley.(Tharpe79)Blanchepersiststodescribetheblue-collarworkerStanleyascommon,aPolackandananimal,allofwhichgraduallyinfuriatehim.Inaddition,afterherappearance,Stella’sideologyasafemaleseemstobeinfiltratedbyBlanche’sdefianceagainstmalethatshestartstowaveruponthehegemonyofStanleyandcallshimananimalforthefirsttimeintheirquarrel.Blanche’sapparentattacksonhisvirilityprovokeStanleyandmakehimdeterminetotakeactionstodefendhismasculinity.Justasanauthorwritesinananalysisongenderrolesandtelevisioninthe1950s“Tryingtoover-fulfillone’smanlinessbecauseofthefearofnotbeingmanlyenoughoftenleadstoviolence”(TheArtifice).Inthefollowingscenes,BlanchecontinuestodespiseandscornsStanleyinfrontofStella,insinuatingthatsheandhersisteraresuperiortohim,andheisincompatiblewithhiswife.And,exceptpersuadingStellatoleavehim,BlancheeventriesallthewaytoaskStanley’sbestfriend,Mitchtomarryher.Thesebehaviorsarenolongerseemstobeafemaleshrinkingintothecorner,passivelywaitingtobechosenbymenbutactivelypursuingloveinstead.AccordingtoKateMillet,theessentialrelationshipbetweenmaleandfemaleistheissueofdominatinganddominated.Thepresentliberationofwomen,especiallythenewrightoffemaletoseekforlove,makeswomenthedominatingrole.BlanchedarestochallengeStanley’sdominanceandencourageStella’sconfrontationagainstStanley,demonstratesherfigureasanawakeningfemaleinthemale-centricsociety.3RevelationofFemales’FateThischapterwillelaborateonhowthemainfemalecharactersareinfluencedbythepatriarchy,howtheirfatesarepredestinedintheplayandthereasonsbehind,aswellasthesubjectmatterthroughthelensoffeminism.3.1PatriarchyinfluencesWilliamsnotesthat“ThemeaningthatAStreetcarNamedDesirewanttoexpressisthatthebrutalityofmodernsocietyrapedthosewhoaretender,sensitiveandelegant.”(Wang,1992:79)Intheplay,bothBlancheandStellaarethesacrificeofpatriarchy.Eversincetheywereborn,theyestablishedadependenceontheirfather,theheirofoldmoney.TheywerebroughtupinBelleReveplantation,self-containedandself-efficient,whichisexactlyanepitomeofthepre-warSoutherncivilizationinAmerica.TheSouthbelievein“itselftobeunique,becauseitprojecteditselfassuchthroughitswritersandspokesmen,becauseitmanufacturedafolkloreofplantationaristocracy,ofthemagnoliaparadiseoftheantebellumdays,oftheGreeksocietyandthepeculiarinstitutionofslavery,oftheLostCause,ofWhiteSupremacy,andoftheneedtobeborntheretounderstanditall,andSouthernersrepeatedthislitanysomanytimesthatitbecametrue—oralmostso.”(Horton,1987:377)Theoutlineofthesouthisonthebasisofidealizedaristocracyandchivalry,accordingtowhichfemaleareraisedasgraciousladyaffiliatedtotheirhusbands.KateMilletholdsinSexualPoliticsthatthegenderrelationbetweenmalesandfemalesisakindofpowerone,thatis“sexualpolitics”(Jin,2004:595)Inthesouth,malegaincontrolovermoney,powerandevenwomenbecausethetraditionalSoutherneconomicstructureliberateswomenfromlabor.Womenendeavortokeeptheirbeauty,behaveelegantlyandpleasemen.TheMarxismfeministcriticspointthattheoppressionwomensufferfromandwomen’srelianceuponmenresultsfromtheirfailedtrialtobeeconomicallyaswellasmentallyindependent.(Luo,2004:100)Thus,womenaredeprivedoftherighttodecidetheirownfateandthestrengthtoconfrontwithmen,leadingtothedescentofbothdomesticandsocietalstatus.3.2Female’sfateFromargumentabove,itcanbeeasilyunderstoodthatwhyStellaimmediatelyleavesBelleReveandBlanchebehindandfindsaman’sman,Stanleytoprovideherthehavenherfathercannolongerprovidetoher.SheinheritsandabidesbytheSouthernconventionsandiswillingtoserveasherhusband’sbabydollandbeheldinhissexualthralldom.Women’sdependanceonmencouldalsobemanifestedbyBlanche.ShewhinestoStellainscene1duringtheirreunionthat“Youleft!Istayedandstruggled!YoucametoNewOrleansandlookedoutforyourself!IstayedatBelleReveandtriedtoholdittogether!I'mnotmeaningthisinanyreproachfulway,butalltheburdendescendedonmyshoulders.”(Williams,1947;24)ItisobviousthatBlancheisreluctanttotakecareofherailingfatherandthebusinessthathelateleftforherandreckonherselfincompetentandirresponsibletodealwithit.Afterherfatherdied,liberatedfromthefirstmalethatcontrolsher,Blanchefallsinlovewithandmarriestoaromanticyoungboy,AllanGray.OnthecontraryofStella’ssensualdesiretoStanley,BlancheispassionatelymesmerizedbyAllan’spoeticsandtalent.However,itturnsoutthatAllanisgayandcaughtbyBlancheinthebedwithanotherman.Thislamentableromancefailstoattainitslongevityandendsupwiththeyoungswain’ssuicideandBlanche’sfirstdisillusionment.Losingheradoredhusbandandfinancialsupport,BelleReve,Blancheispushedtothevergeofemotionalcollapse.Ontheonehand,shefeelsregretfulandguiltytohusband’sdeathforherrefusaltohelphim.Asthedescendanceofconservativepuritans,homosexualityisnon-tolerablebyherandhercontemporaries.Ontheotherhand,thetraditionalnormsofphallocentricsurroundingtriggersheranxietythatsheisagingandhastofindamantoleanonassoonaspossible.Hence,shemovestoLaurelandexhaustshertricksthatshehaslearnedtoluremenandenjoythetemporarygratificationofsextorefillherhollowedheart.Beauvoirsaidthatitistheeducationthatfemalesreceivesincetheywerechilddegradesthemselvesastheaffiliationofmenandmakesthemwillinglydiscardtheirrightsofindependence.(Liu,2004;186)Thiskindofeducationrestrainswomenandpermeatesintotheirideologythatitistheirdutytobehavelikeademureladytoattractmentorelyon.And,tocementtheiraffiliatingstatus,theymustmasterallthemeanswhatsoevertobebeckoninginfrontmen.Themale-worshippingsocietyceaselesslysqueezesfemale’sspace,identityandfreedom.EvenifBlanchefindsadecentvocationasanEnglishteacher,shetellsMitchthatateacher'ssalaryisbarelysufficientforherlivingexpenses.“Ididn'tsaveapennylastyearandsoIhadtocomehereforthesummer.”(Williams,1947;106)Blanchecouldnottotallyabandonherformerextravagantlifestyleandhermeagerincomeasateachercouldmerelymakeherendsmeet.Thus,sheisdesperatetoflirtwithmalesduetoherunfathomablesenseofinsecurityandbelonging,whicharethepersecutionpatriarchyrenderuponher.Consequently,sheisbanishedoutofLaurelwithanotorietyofseducingher17-year-oldstudent.LosingBelleReveandoccupationandevictedfromLaurel,Blanche’seldersister,Stellathusbecomesherlastresort.AfteraccommodatinginKowalski’s,BlanchesomehowrecognizesthetruthofpatriarchythroughStanleyanddeeplydespisesit,regardlessofherunquenchabledesiretomalesincludingStanleyfromtimetotime,fearingthathergorgeousnesswillsoonfadeaway.Maybeonlythroughdependenceonvariousmen,flirtationwiththemandestablishsexualrelationshipwiththem,canshefillupheremptyheart,andfindashelterandsenseofsecurity.Mitchisjustherlastshelter,whereshemay“havearest”and“breathequietlyagain”.BasedonthefactthatStanleyknowsBlanche’sdissolutepast,whenfacingaladyonlyin“awhitesatineveninggown”,itisimpossibleforhimtoremainunmoved.Inaddition,Blanche’scontinuousstrikesuponhimignitethefuseofhisatrociousretaliation.Soeventuallywhenhiswifeissenttohospitaltohavethebaby,herapesher,whichmakeshermentalitybreakdown.StellaisapparentlythecounterpartofBlanche.Tosomeextents,sheiswillingtoenslavesherselftoherhusband’smanlinessandyieldstohisandro-magnetismStellaisdoomedtobesubservienttoStanleyatthebeginning.Justlikeheranimalistichusband’simageasanidealizedmale,Stellaistheprototypeoftamedfemalein1950sandistheinevitablestatusofmostwomen.Shecompromisestotherealityandbecomesinternallynumbtoatrocitiesthatreallifethrowstoher.EventhoughshefleesfromthesuffocatingSouthplantationandrestrictivedogma,whichstripsherrighttochooseherhusband,Stellafallspreytothesavagesexualpredator,Stanley.Theirmarriageiscommercializedasabarterbetweensexandshelter.Stanley,theworshipedpatriarchinhissmallkingdom,dehumanizesStellaandanyotherfemale,merelyregardingthemastheoutletofsex.Stellapatheticallyacceptsitandironicallyfeelssatisfiedwithoutanycomplains.EvenafterknowingBlanchehasbeenrapedbyStanleyinthefinale,sherefusestoacknowledgetheharshrealityandsendsBlanchetothepsychiatrichospital.ConclusionToconclude,inaphallocentricsociety,theidealizedwomenisthepermanentaffiliationofmen,theobjecttofulfillmaledesireandthenon-emotionalmachineofreproduction.Oncemarringandbecomingawife,womennaturallydescendtothepossessionwithoutidentityoftheirhusbandsandthe“secondsex”.AsBeauvoirsaidthatbeforemarriage,femaleistheaccessoryoffather,and,aftermarriage,oftheirhusband.Thereisnoessentialdifferenceinbetweenbutjustthetransferofownership.”(Beauvoir,1998)“What”maleneedsisadocileslavewithoutrevolt,adumb“babydoll”withoutspeech.Inthisplay,bothStellaandEunicecomplytothemorality,blindlyworshipingtheirhusbandandremainingsilentindomesticabusewithoutanycomplainsbecausetheideologyisengravedintheirbrainthattheycannotsurvivewithman’sprotection.These“modelwives”comprehenddeepinmindthatnoskepticismscanbeposedagainstmaleauthorityinaworldcenteredandconqueredbymen.Oncetheyfigureouttheirreallivingconditionsandriseuptodefymales,theywillbedamnedtodeath.Thus,dumbnessandslumberingarethebestchoice.Asasemi-wokenfemale,Blanche’soscillationbetweendetachingfromthecrueltyofmundanelifeandlustfuldependenceonmenresultsinhertorment.Itispredestinedthatherdefianceagainstpatriarchywillonlybringherpersecutionandthedefectsofhertraitswillleadtodestruction.Stella’sandBlanche’stragedymanifeststhatunderthedespoticreinofpatriarchy,itisimpossibleforwoment