Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” is filled with potent symbolism, often highlighted through Blanche DuBois’s perspective. One of the most striking examples is Blanche’s repeated comparison of Stanley Kowalski to an ape, a metaphor that reveals much about both characters and their conflicting worlds. This analysis delves into Blanche’s simian imagery for Stanley, exploring its significance within the play’s broader themes.
Blanche’s Animalistic Imagery for Stanley: The Ape
Blanche, a faded Southern belle clinging to gentility, views Stanley as a brutish force of nature. She articulates this perception through animalistic comparisons, most notably likening him to an ape. This isn’t a casual insult; it’s a carefully chosen metaphor designed to highlight what Blanche finds most repulsive about Stanley: his raw physicality, his perceived lack of refinement, and his aggressive sexuality.
Blanche’s descriptions paint Stanley as a primal being driven by instinct rather than intellect. She describes his movements, eating habits, and even speech as “ape-like,” emphasizing his crudeness and placing him in stark contrast to her idealized vision of Southern aristocracy. This comparison is explicitly stated in the play: “He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! There’s even something—sub-human—something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something—ape-like about him… Stanley Kowalski—survivor of the stone age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle.”
The Significance of the “Ape” Metaphor
Blanche’s “ape” metaphor serves several crucial functions within the play.
- Highlighting Class Conflict: The comparison underscores the deep social divide between Blanche and Stanley. Blanche represents the declining Southern aristocracy, while Stanley embodies the rising working class. Her disdain for his “ape-like” qualities reflects her inherent class prejudice and inability to adapt to a changing social landscape.
- Underscoring Sexual Threat: The ape imagery carries strong connotations of uncontrolled sexuality and brute force. This foreshadows Stanley’s eventual assault on Blanche, highlighting the vulnerability of Blanche in the face of Stanley’s raw power. The animalistic comparison emphasizes the predatory nature of the act and Blanche’s terror.
- Revealing Blanche’s Delusions: While Stanley is certainly coarse and aggressive, Blanche’s exaggerated depiction reveals her own skewed perspective and fragile mental state. Her reliance on such extreme imagery suggests a desperate attempt to maintain a sense of superiority and control in a situation where she is increasingly powerless.
Juxtaposition: Blanche as the Moth
Interestingly, Blanche is often associated with a moth, a creature drawn to light and fragility. This juxtaposition further emphasizes the stark contrast between the two characters. Blanche’s delicate nature and yearning for illusion are diametrically opposed to Stanley’s grounded reality and animalistic instincts. The moth and the ape represent opposing forces locked in a destructive struggle.
Conclusion: A Clash of Worlds
Blanche’s comparison of Stanley to an ape is more than a simple insult. It’s a powerful symbol of the clash between two irreconcilable worlds: the old South and the new, illusion and reality, refinement and brutality. This potent imagery contributes significantly to the play’s tragic trajectory, foreshadowing the inevitable conflict and highlighting the fundamental differences that ultimately lead to Blanche’s downfall. The “ape” metaphor serves as a constant reminder of the raw, primal forces that threaten to overwhelm Blanche’s fragile world.
