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Blanche's Sexuality In Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire

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In “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Tennessee Williams suggests that a woman's sexuality is defined and restricted by stereotypical gender roles. Throughout the play, both Blanche and Stella depend on their male companions for their sustenance, self-image, and sexual desires: “When he is away for a week I nearly go wild… And when he comes back I cry on his lap like a baby”. Adopting the typical housewife role, Stella proves to be fully reliant on her husband to such a strong extent to where she even jeopardizes her safety while being with him. When Blanche advises Stella that her life could be better without her physically abusive husband, Stella chooses to rely on a man instead of her sister, explaining that “there are a few things that happen

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