This outraged me that people would actually believe Blanche was asking to be raped. Because a girl acts flirtatious (which is often easily mistaken for friendliness or just a certain personality she has with everyone), she wants her body to be taken in control and advantaged by a man.
I do not believe Blanche asked for rape, because in scene 10 we see Blanche rambling on, clearly having hallucinations which points to a level of somewhat unconsciousness, where she is not able to make her own decisions, especially regarding her own body. We see that Blanche is desperate to get out, and goes into the bedroom and kind of sets a barricade by shutting the drape behind her. This doesn't stop Stanley however, as we see he follows and openly admits to wanting to "interfere" with her. We see her reaction, where she is clearly not okay with him entering the room, by smashing a bottle and threatening to twist it into his face.
Maybe she acted flirtatious or others perceived it that way, and she obviously had a sexually active history in her past, but does that mean that her future and present should be judged off of her behaviors? Why does that give it the okay for a man to make advances on her because of decisions she chose? She should still have her own personal choice if she wants to engage in behaviors with any man, a man should not take away the right to her body.
I feel as though Blanche may not have been asking for it directly agreed. But on a fine line take into account that Blanche could indeed be jealous of Stella. Originally from scene one we can easily tell that Blanche is unhappy with her life because she is not living her "fantasy" life style. Nor is she married, and while she may not be Stella her younger sister is. Blanche does want a man and whether she may not have asked for it, she certainly did not object Stanley like any individual would in this given situation.
ReplyDeleteIn the film it's easier to see how Blanche acts toward Stanley. The scene that sticks out most to me is when Blanche and Stanley are alone and Blanche asks Stanley to button her dress. From that moment I felt as though Blanche took it upon herself to flirtatiously interact with Stanley. I felt a tension between Stanley and Blanche that was not only anger, but sexual frustrations. However, I do not believe Blanche was asking to get raped. I agree that Blanche was in no way in her right mind throughout the play or film.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Alexis in that I don't think Blanche asked to get rape. Then again, nobody asks to get raped because it just happens, which is a shame. Despite whatever sexual tension or flirtation transpired between Blanche and Stanley, that does not justify rape whatsoever and that goes both ways. If Blanche were to rape Stanley, I would be saying the same thing. To add to that, Blanche was clearly not in her right mind and the movie does a great job of portraying her insanity. Though Blanche did not say no verbally her actions did. Who breaks a bottle and threatens to twists someone's face with it if they did not feel threatened? That action in itself is saying no. Point of lesson is silence, flirtation, and sexual tension does not mean acceptance nor does it constitute rape and nobody asks for it. Great post Maci!
ReplyDelete