The Ramifications of Desire (Pub 2)

The Ramifications of Desire

The definition of desire is to strongly wish to obtain something or for something to happen. To put it in even more specific terms, those who desire are individuals who yearn for something often outside the realm of possibility. This same concept is embodied by one of the characters in the play A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams. This main character, who the audience either comes to loathe or sympathize with, is Stella. Her part of the complicated story, although fiction, calls attention to realistic issues. By stating that she could not handle remaining together with her husband while believing her sister, she demonstrated prevalent issues that continue to be relevant. Stella’s desire is not limited to the narrative written for her, but is also prevalent throughout history and present time.

The key characteristics of Stella and her sister, Blanche, are noticeably different from the beginning of the play. Blanche worries about how people perceive her whether it’s regarding age or status. Stella on the other hand does not focus on the reality of societal opinions and is married to a common worker. The contrast between the two is important to take notice of seeing as their responses to issues are different. In the event of Stanley hitting Stella during his poker game with friends, the two responses were completely different. Blanche immediately felt alarmed and took her sister away from her angered husband. Not long after, however, Stella was back in her husband's arms after he called out to her: “Stella slips down the rickety stairs in her robe. Her eyes are glistening with tears and her hair loose about her throat and shoulders…He snatches the screen door open and lifts her off her feet and bears her into the dark flat,” (Williams 60). All it took was a moment of Stanley begging and Stella was right back where he wanted her. Stella’s desire to preserve her marriage outweighed the mistreatment by her spouse.

Throughout the storyline, Stella was not the only one to be affected by Stanley. Blanche, despite the fact that the two women are related, was also assaulted by him. Upon hearing this from Blanche herself, Stella was presented with two options. The first option would be to leave Stanley and go with her sister. On the other hand, the second option would be to disregard her sister’s account and continue on with her abusive husband. In the end, she ultimately chose the side of her husband, saying, “I couldn't believe her story and go on living with Stauley,” (Stella, scene 11). This desolating quote from Stella does not come without weight. Regardless of admission, she knew exactly what her options were. Even though it would lead to the destruction of her sister’s mental state, she chose the side of her spouse. Time after time she made it clear that she had an obligation to maintain her marriage. 

It has been decades since the play was first brought into light, but the topics are still prevalent in today’s world. One of the most notorious examples of desire blinding someone’s eyes for the public to witness is Beyoncé and her (still married to) husband Jay-Z. After the releasing of her album titled Lemonade in 2016, people were very quick to call out her alluding to infidelity. Shortly after the album’s release, online magazines were quick to question the singer’s decision to stay with someone who cheated on her, stating, “So why would the notoriously private singer seemingly air the couple’s dirty laundry so publicly? And, given her reputation and the album’s fierce tone, why would she stay with her allegedly unfaithful husband?” (Kozicka 9-11). There are two likely causes for Beyoncé’s desire to stay with Jay-Z. The first reason could have to do with her parents being divorced. Since she was a mother to one child at the time, similar to Stella from the play, she would not want to have her daughter be split between two parents. Another reason would have everything to do with appearance. A publicized divorce for all of the internet to witness would bring up complicated stories that could damage her image. Comparable to Stella, both women desired to preserve their marriage for self-serving interests.

Other than the messy relationships known as celebrity marriages, the concepts of desire and marriage can be studied under the lens of psychology. As of 2024, approximately 40% of marriages are ending in divorce. From a psychologist's perspective, divorce does not always lead to something positive: “There are strong negative consequences to separation and divorce on the mental and physical health of both spouses,” (Gottman 169). Aside from the need of dependency for many individuals, the impact of divorce can lead to increased physical ailments, violence, accidents, and even suicide. It is probable that married couples do not want to deal with the stress that comes along with getting divorced. In Stella’s case, she did not want to become independent from the life she already possessed. Regardless of how Stanley treated her or her own sister, she was comfortable with everything she had. Her desire demonstrates the desire many people have with their marriages many years from when the play was introduced.

Understanding the relationship between Stella and her need for marriage with Stanley comes with two things: sympathy and disappointment. It is easy to feel sympathetic for a woman who clearly feels she cannot leave someone who has no issue hurting her. Not only does she stay for herself, but her baby as well. If she were to get up and leave Stanley, no one would know who the child would end up with in the end. At the same time, however, it is also incredibly easy to feel disappointed toward Stella. In a time of need, she failed her sister who needed support. Time and time again, people will continue to do the wrong things in the name of desire.

Works Cited

Gottman, John Mordechai. “Psychology and the study of Marital Processes.” Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 49, no. 1, Feb. 1998, pp. 169–197, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.49.1.169.

Kozicka, Patricia. “Why Would Beyoncé (or Anyone) Stay with Someone Who’s Cheated? - National.” Global News, Global News, 26 Apr. 2016, globalnews.ca/news/2660314/why-would-beyonce-or-anyone-stay-with-someone-whos-cheated/.

Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. 1947.