In Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”(Williams 2008-2075; additional references by page number only.) the characters are extremely physical. The most physical of all characters in the play was Stanley Kowalski. Stanley is considered to be a brutal, domineering man with animal-like traits. The best relationship to illustrate Stanley’s brutality is the one between he and his wife, Stella. Stanley treats Stella badly. He beats Stella and is impolite to her in front of other people. He rarely takes her suggestions and often scolds her. Stanley only acts kindly to Stella when he wants to make love with her. There is evidence in scene three of Stanley’s brutality. [At the poker game.] STELLA: How much longer is this game going to continue? STANLEY: Till we get ready to quit. …Why don’t you women go up and sit with Eunice? STELLA: Because it is nearly two-thirty A.M…. [A chair scrapes. STANLEY gives a loud whack of his hand on her thigh.] STELLA: [Sharply.] That’s not fun, Stanley. (to Blanche) It makes me so mad when he does that in front of people. (2026-27) …Shortly after this incident during the same scene… [BLANCHE turns the radio on. STANLEY stalks fiercely through the portieres into the bedroom. He crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out the window.] STELLA: Drunk, drunk animal thing, you!… BLANCHE: [Wildly.] Stella, watch out, he’s… [STANLEY charges after STELLA.] MEN: [Feebly] Take it easy, Stanley. Easy fellow… STELLA: You lay your hands on me and I’ll… [She backs out of sight. He advances and disappears. There is the sound of a blow, STELLA cries out. BLANCHE screams and runs into the kitchen. The men rush forward and there is grappling and cursing. Something is overturned with a crash.] BLANCHE: [Shrilly.] My sister is going to have a baby! (2031) These are just two examples of Stanley’s brutality towards Stella. Near the end of the play, the reader discovers that Stanley has raped Blanche. This is probably considered to be his most brutal act during the play. Stanley doesn’t want to let anyone destroy his marriage. When he finds that Blanche is talking bad about him to Stella, he tries his best to “defeat” Blanche by staying with Stella. Blanche would say things such as “He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits!.
charant Free Antigone Essays: The Character of Antigone
Antigone
In Ancient Greece, life was full of complicated questions centered around the expanding field of science. Freedom of religion was encouraged to be exercised in the city-states and man was focused on more than the Gods or heavenly concerns. As a result many new ideals and beliefs surfaced. These new ideals and beliefs, though good in intentions, often conflicted with one another and created complex moral dilemmas. Such was the case in Sophocle’s play Antigone that was written in this era.
In the play, Antigone and Creon battle a philosophical war concerning their ideals. They both base their actions on what they believe to be right. The conflict arose when their ideals that backed up their actions on the burial of Polyneices clashed, creating a contradiction between morals. Antigone’s side of the conflict held a much more divine approach, as opposed to the mundane path Creon chose to travel. Antigone feels that Creon is disregarding the laws of the heavens by ordering it unlawful for anyone to provide a proper burial for her brother Polyneices. Antigone’s opinion is one that supports the Gods and the laws of the heavens. Her reasoning is set by her belief that if someone were not given a proper burial, that person would not be accepted into heaven. Antigone was a very religious person and the acceptance of her brother by the Gods was very important to her. Creons order was personal to Antigone and his edict invaded her family life as well as the Gods. An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters concerning religious beliefs. In Antigone’s eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Polyneices. She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have the power to deny Polyneices that right. Antigone’s strong beliefs eventually led her to death by the hand of Creon. Creon’s actions are guided by the ideal that man is the measure of all things. Creon believes that the good of man comes before the Gods. An example of Creons belief was the unburied body of Polyneices. Creon doesn’t want to give honor to a man who attempted to invade and conquer his city. He denies burial for Polyneices to show respect for Thebes. From this standpoint, Creons decisions for denying burial for Polyneices are completely just and supports the ideals.