Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Complicated Relationships
Stanley Kowalski has a complicated relationship between Stella Kowalski. They are both married but, it seems that a lustful romance is the only thing that's holding these two together. They are dependent on each to move forward and live on. Without the other they don't know how to process the world. Tennessee Williams has shown a classic example of love gone sour. These circumstances aren't rare to see with alot of couples. Once you get dependent on someone's company, it's hard to see a life without the other person no matter how hallow the relationships has become. For Stella and Stanely, the concept of love is the only way to achieve happiness and accomplishment in life. They almost become accessories to one another rather then partners. The selfish actions have become void and abusive. Leading to a circle that will continue until the day they die. I wouldn't call Stanley a righteous husband, I personally believe his character represents the stereotypes and terrible characteristics of the male gender. The alpha role is such a tired idea that women are starting to become more independent and free thinking because of that. Stella and Blanche are dependent on the company of men. Some people just need that satisfaction in life to feel fulfilled. My personal opinion on the subject is that you have to find satisfaction in your self. It isn't healthy to look for self worth in other people. You will never get it or see it if you look for a person to complete you. Two people have to be able and willing to compromise. Unfortunately, Stella and Stanely happen to show agreement that is empty and lacks empathy. I can't honestly say if this relationship will last but, they both have to coordinate with the choices they made. Especially when you factor in a child. How knows? A adventure of childhood could be the thing that heals the characters of Stella and Stanely.
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You seem to have established a rather comprehensive explanation of the dynamic of Stella and Stanely with the only real thing missing being putting a name to the experience. What I mean to say is that what you describe as occurring within the relationship between the two is codependency. Clear from the very beginning is how drastically they appear to need each other, how dependent they aren one another. While you seem to offer that it’s an equilateral exchange is the only thing I disagree with; in my opinion, Stella needs Stanely much more than he needs her (in her first meeting wither sister she details how distraught she becomes in his absence - it’s assumable that he’s aware of the affect this has on her, and yet he maintains them. It’s worth considering, though, that this is a separate sort of need - the need to be needed - that still feeds into the codependency model. The last thing you mention, about the child fiximg the relationship instantly brought me to think about the film The Lobster. In it, people are forced to be in relationships or turned into animals. If the relationship has issues, the couple is assigned a child to force them to work through said issues. The point of the movie was to critique the way our society assumes romance as the end all be all of life and the “assigned child” detail was supposed to show us how ludicrous it is that some people think having a child fixes a relationship. To suggest a child heal the issues in the Stella/Stanley relationship, then, makes me uncomfortable. That said, I can feasibly see Stella having the thought and them proceeding with it. That’s not to say, however, that it’s a worthwhile plan. Children don’t fix families, they just make certain exit plans impossible.
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