Comparative Analysis of Relationships Theme in Literature

Tennessee Williams in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (ASND) and Carol Ann Duffy in ‘The World’s Wife’ collection (WW) both explore the theme of relationships which are portrayed as extremely harmful, noxious, and lethal. They both focus on dominance, physical and psychological harm as well as the destruction which is caused by relationships. The toxicity within relationships in both ASND and the WW involve male and female characters yet whilst Williams focuses on the repression of women in a patriarchal society, Duffy challenges this stereotypical society and subverts the male-female roles by oppressing the male characters and empowering women in her poems.

Both Williams and Duffy present dominance as a key feature in their character’s relationships. This can be perceived through Stanley who evidently controls Stella whilst Mrs. Beast dominates the beast. Through Stanley and Stella in ASND, we see an evident relationship between two classes built upon dominance, violence, and sexual desire. This comes to light in the stage directions when Stanley hits Stella and ‘[there is the sound of a blow.]’ The animal imagery illustrates Stanley's animalistic strength and exposes him as violent and bestial. This reminds the reader of Marlon Brando’s fierce and ferocious role as Stanley Kowalski in the ‘A streetcar Named desire’ film by ‘Elia Kazan’. Stanley’s brutal character is reinforced by who states that Brando’s character as Stanley Kowalski reminds us of ‘an animal.’ Furthermore, even after Stanley’s abuse, Stella still decides to return to him whilst ‘[Her eyes go blind with tenderness.]’ The adjective 'blind' is a clear reference to how Stella seems unable to see the patriarchal nature of their relationship. His ability to dominate her through physical abuse reflects the deterioration of the upper class and the beginning of the macho forward driving America. The fact that she later ‘[clutches his head and raises him level with her]’, exposes his continuous control, and her acceptance of the submissive role in the relationship. This is quite disturbing as after so much violence experienced by Stella, her love is so strong that she comes back to Stanley. Ruth Foley on the other hand indicates that Stella recognises she is a victim of a patriarchal society but accepts her role ‘to remain married (and protected)’ and ‘to retain a home and a father for her expected baby.’

On the other hand, in the poem Mrs. Beast by Duffy, Mrs. Beast is presented as a rebel against a patriarchal society. She is formidable and cruelly dominant in her relationship with the beast who in contrast, is displayed as obedient and vulnerable. The fact that the 'Beast fell to his knees 'at the arrival of Mrs. Beast presents the Beast not on a lower level physically, but also on a lower level in their relationship. Despite the beast’s clear attempts to gratify her, she continues describing him mercilessly. The anthropomorphism, ‘he had the grunts, the groans... of a goat', is a clear indication at her revulsion towards the beast who at this point lost all sense of self dignity due to his comparison to a ‘goat’. Also, the onomatopoeic 'g' sounds imply his animalistic, wild-like character and perhaps highpoints his attempts to assert control in the relationship. Yet, his efforts fail as he obediently does as he is told, ‘The lady says Do this. Harder. The lady says Do that. Faster. The lady says That's not where I meant.’ Her excessive brutality through he capitalised and repetitive imperatives ‘Do’, ‘Faster’, ‘Harder ‘and constant caesuras perhaps are a way of punishing the Beast for the centuries of female oppression. It also illustrates the beast’s obedience in contrast to Mrs. Beast's confidence and controlling nature in their relationship, which is all for her own pleasure, nevertheless of how the Beast feels. The critic supports this and states that ‘Mrs Beast advocates taking ownership and control of one’s own sexuality, whilst confidently maintaining her feminine identity as a lady.’

Violence is another key apart in Stanley and Stella's relationship. Williams’ own parents Cornelius and Edwina inspired the basis for their relationship. ‘Both Edwina and Dakin reveal family secrets about Cornelius’ use of physical violence against both Edwina and Rose…’. Similarly, in scene 3, [Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on [Stella’s] thigh]. The verb 'whack' reveals the immoderate behaviour of Stanley. The fact that this is done publicly uncovers the social acceptability of violence but also the sexual undertones of it for Stanley. Stanley is unashamed of showing his sensual nature towards Stella in public. Stella however reacts with disgust as she expresses ‘sharply: that’s not fun Stanley.’ This specifies the difference between their classes where Stanley is inconsiderate, and Stella is more careful about how she is presented in public due to her background as a wealthy Southern Belle. Moreover, Stanley is perhaps declaring Stella as his property by claiming her physically through touching her as if her body belongs to him. This links to the relationship in the Devil’s Wife poem when Ian ‘entered,’ Myra claiming her physically, mentally and spiritually, hinting at his abuse to her body and entire life making his malevolent nature become a part of her. Regardless, neither Stella nor Myra seem to mind this patriarchal and controlling way of life. As a matter of fact, they both enjoy these corrupt relationships as Stella admits that Stanley’s violent actions ‘thrills her’ and Myra; the devil’s wife, is rather enthralled by the relationship and 'went mad for the sex’.

The relationship between the devil and his wife in ‘The Devil’s Wife’ parallels Stanley and Stella’s relationship as it is built upon violence which is not only used by the devil against his wife but is also used against children by both Brady and Myra. The poem is a dramatic monologue written in the first person from Myra Hindley’s reflection on the crimes committed along with Ian Brady. The revolting nature of their relationship emerges when ‘he made (her) bury a doll’. This may refer to the burial of her innocence and purity. This also hints at the children they ‘sexually abused and murdered…then buried their bodies along the Saddleworth Moor, in what became known as the Moors Murders.’ When the Devil’s wife states, ‘he made me’, it becomes questionable whether she was involved in the murders or if she was forced physically and emotionally to commit the crimes. The sinister and sadistic atmosphere of their relationship is continued through the Devil’s Wife ‘tongue of stone.’ The noun ’stone’ may signify at her heartlessness but her ‘tongue of stone’ also hints at Brady’s dominance as to silence her from exposing their crimes. Perhaps, she may also be beaten to be kept quiet. Whether this is true or not, the fact that Hindley ‘flew in [her] chains…where [they] buried the doll’ whilst in prison manifests the insane person this relationship has made her. The chains may also refer to her malignant, inescapable bond with Brady in which he was able to draw her into his barbaric life.

Additionally, the relationship between Blanche and Allan in ASND ultimately destroys both of their lives. The toxicity between them is exposed through her subsequent remark, ‘I know! I know! You disgust me’ that lead to Allan’s immediate suicide. His death is an attempt to escape from societies’ and Blanche’s harsh discrimination of homosexuals. Kathleen Margaret Lant similarly blames Blanche ‘for not saving her husband from his homosexuality ... and for not showing more womanly support and compassion.’ It is also evident that Allan caused Blanche’s demise. This is justified by (Shirley Galloway, 2016) who expresses that the ‘ROOTS OF [BLANCHE’S] TRAUMA LIE IN HER EARLY MARRIAGE.’ Blanche ‘loved’ Allan, yet he failed to return her love due to his homosexuality which was not accepted in 1947, New Orleans America. Significantly, this damaged her self-esteem and ability to face the world, and so she clings to the illusory world of a ‘paper lantern’. The ‘paper lantern’ is a metaphor for a world full of ‘magic’ that glosses over the brutal realities of life which she cannot confront to anymore. She prefers to shower herself with darkness to conceal the haunting loss of Allan to homosexuality, her sexual behaviour and her age. This was however a temporary solution that was brutally removed by Stanley in scene 11 when he ‘[crosses to dressing table and seizes the paper lantern, tearing it off the light bulb…]’. This highlights that Stanley is more realistic than Blanche and suggests the forming of the rougher working-class. Ruby Cohn argues that Stanley’s ‘cruellest gesture in the play is to tear the paper lantern off the light bulb.’ (Benjamin Moller, 2000) however states that Stanley’s ‘cruelty defends his world’ and relationship with his wife Stella.

Similarly, the poem Medusa explores the demise of Medusa as a result of her unhealthy relationship with Perseus. ‘Medusa as originally being a beautiful maiden’ but ‘was punished by Athena with a hideous appearance and loathsome snakes for hair for having been raped in Athena's temple by Poseidon’. Consequently, she believes Perseus is cheating on her due to her unappealing appearance. The visual imagery ‘brides breath soured, stank/ in the grey bags of my lungs.’ Underline that she has been corrupted and almost diseased by the ‘jealousy’ she feels. The plosive ‘b’ in ‘bride’ and ‘breath’ followed by the sibilant ‘s’ sounds in ‘soured’ and 'stank’ imitates an angry and snake like hissing sound which signposts at her frustration that the once jovial bride has been destroyed much like Blanche in ASND. Also, the metaphor, ‘grey bags of my lungs’ displays her struggle to breath hinting at her suffocation in the relationship with Perseus. Her suffocation however ends as Perseus killed her ‘with a shield for a heart/and a sword for a tongue’. He first killed her emotionally through shielding his heart from returning her love. This could also be referring to the Greek mythology in which Perseus was ordered by ‘Polydectes’ DHWTY to physically kill Medusa. The semantic fields ‘shield’ and ‘sword’ connote an enemy emphasising that Perseus is protecting himself from Medusa’s eyes which turned people to stone as to prevent his own demise.

Alternatively, Demeter - the last poem in the Worlds’ Wife collection is a beautiful hymn to the relationship between a mother and her daughter. The poem begins with a melancholy tone with Demeter addressing the audience in the form of a dramatic monologue. The lexical fields, ‘cold stone’ ‘granite’ and ‘flint’ describe the sorrow and lifelessness Demeter feels on the inside as a result of the ‘frozen lake’ - a metaphor for her life on hold where nothing grows or ceases due to the misery she feels for Persephone’s absence displaying their unbreakable, strong bond. This loving relationship is further depicted in the third stanza through the light-hearted and tender tone in the personification ‘bringing all spring’s flowers/ to her mother’s house.’ Duffy’s usage of enjambment highlights Demeter’s inability to control her bliss and delight at the return of her daughter. The phrase also implies the return of Persephone to Demeter after she was abducted in the underworld by Hades; the God of the underworld. This conveys the re-awakening of both life and Demeter who previously had a ‘broken heart.’ Metaphorically, the ‘flowers’ symbolise the beauty of the mother-daughter relationship. The emphasis upon ‘all spring’s flowers’ connotes growth and renewal, suggesting the power and intensity of their relationship, manifesting a sense of redemption and revival.

The relationship between Blanche and Stella in ASND is however tense and fragmented. Unlike Persephone who chooses to come back to her mother Demeter, Stella chooses Stanley and turns her back on her only sister Blanche twice. Blanche accuses Stella of abandoning ‘Belle Reve’ whilst she ‘stayed and fought for it, bled for it, almost died for it!’. The use of the tricolon is an attempt to make Stella guilty for leaving her and choosing Stanley instead. The semantic fields ‘fought’, ‘bled’ and ‘died’ also intensifies Blanche’s suffering all alone and evokes pathos from the readers towards her. Moreover, in scene 11 Stella betrays Blanche yet again when she decides that she ‘couldn’t believe [Blanche’s] story and go on living with Stanley.' Stella refuses to accept the reality of Stanley raping Blanche and instead, forces herself to live in her own illusion in an attempt get back to the way things were before Blanche arrived at New Orleans underlining their weak and distant relationship. It also demonstrates that Stella’s ‘sexual need for her husband is so strong that she will put up with being beaten by him and lie to herself about his destruction of her sister’. It is however important to note that Elia Kazan’s film presents Stella through Kim Hunter as a more independent woman who sided with Blanche particularly in scene 11 when she rejects Stanley through the phrases, ‘don’t you ever touch me again’ and ‘I’m never going back. Never.’

Ultimately, both A Streetcar Named Desire and the Worlds’ Wife collection emphasise on the theme of relationships to shape their play/poems and their characters. Both denote relationships as the doom and destruction of most of the characters using language features, form and structural techniques. They both reveal that love does exist between the characters but most of the time, if not all, they result in severe obliteration and damage to both male and female characters.