Abstract

A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams, is his most important representative to discuss family ethics and analyze the living state of modern women. Marital ethics, gender ethics and sister ethics are involved in family ethics. In Blanche’s relationship with Allan, she cannot accept the reality that Allan has a gay lover because of the influence of masculinity power. Her repulse to Allan led to Allan’s death. On the other way round, Allan’s death also caused Blanche’s spiritual distortion. She was deeply trapped in regret and self-accusation.In Stanley and Stella’s marriage, Stanley is always the commander and master of Stella. He is the spine of their family and sexual life. In Blanche’s relationship between Stanley and Mitchell, she was engulfed and destroyed by desire. Both Blanche and Stella come from Southern aristocratic family. However, because of the decline of family, the two sisters chose different paths in their life. But sisterhood is vividly depicted in this play. Blanche is the woman who has a stronger sense of self-dependence than Stella. However, Stella lives a more comfortable life than Blanche. Their views upon life, marriage and sex are influenced on each other. In this play, by exploring marital ethics, gender ethics and sister ethics, Williams reveals the living state of female as a social microcosm.

  Key words: Tennessee Williams; family ethics; psychological fragility

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction

  1.1. Brief Introduction on Tennessee Williams and A Streetcar Named Desire.5

  1.2 Literature Review.5

  1.3 Theory of “Family ethics”..6

2 The disharmonious marital ethics.8

  2.1 Infidelity of Allan in his marriage with Blanche.8

  2.2 Dominant husband vs submissive wife9

3 The distorted gender ethics in the patriarchal society..11

  3.1 The different sexual standard for men and women..11     

  3.2 The victim of patriarchy in Blanche’s relationship with Mitchell14

4 The fragile sister ethics16

  4.1 The harmonious sister ethics in the past16

  4.2 The estrangement between Blanche and Stella.17

5 Conclusion.19

References.20