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The Psychosocial Effects of Beauty in a Streetcar Named Desire by Paul Adams, English 428

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The Psychosocial Effects of Beauty in a Streetcar Named Desire by Paul Adams, English 428 The Psychosocial Effects of Beauty in A Streetcar Named Desire By Paul Adams, English 428 Throughout history, civilizations across the globe Magazine in 1910 contained an advertisement for a have prioritized physical attractiveness and moral bathing regimen that effectively “removes character as critical aspects of feminine beauty. superfluous fat and gives a slender, firm stylish During the Modernist period, society valued, as figure. Merely use a little twice a week in warm evident by the advertisements published in water when taking a bath. No need of taking drugs periodicals, women with youth and cleanliness in or starving yourself” (Landshut 110). In building both body and spirit. These standards were credibility, the ad mentions how the saline solution especially important for those considering the has been “patronized by royalty [and has become] prospect of marriage. As a consequence, many famous for centuries. Endorsed by the Medical Pro- Modernist works fession. Praised by focus on the extent to those who have used which female it” (Landshut 110). characters embody Regardless whether these qual-ities or one should be per- attempt to do so. As suaded by its claims, with the case of A the advertisement ne- Streetcar Named vertheless reveals to Desire (1947), readers the extent to Blanche DuBois is which bathing had unable to possess become an important these indis-pensable ritual in Modernist character-istics in society particularly full due to her among women with promiscuous past the idea of purging and cynical perspec- themselves of tive on age, yet she impurities. In A nevertheless attempts Figure 3 Cropped screen shot of Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois from to create a fantasy the trailer for the film A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Image Streetcar Named within the minds of available at Wikimedia Commons. Desire, bathing and the others and in her own use of perfume are to a degree, suggesting she remains the chaste, Blanche’s central activities throughout much of the naïve, and youthful girl she once was, maintaining play, resulting in a borderline obsession. Just as she herself in a state in which society would gladly arrives at the home of the Kowalskis, upon meeting accept her as an eligible bachelorette. Even as the her sister Stella in Scene One, Blanche insists “now, Modernist media advertised products for helping then, let me look at you. But don’t you look at me, women attain or to at least give the appearance of Stella, no, no, no, not till later, not till I’ve bathed having these desirable qualities, selections of and rested” (Williams 11). During the beginning of Modernist literature give insight into the extent to the play, the viewer is introduced to the entirety of which women during this period would sacrifice Blanche’s predicament as she begins living with themselves and their identity to acquire habitual Stella and Stanley, namely adapting to working class cleanliness, health, and youth. conditions in a different culture and geographic Many modernist periodicals include location, satiating her alcoholism, and escaping her advertisements for soaps and other cleaning products notoriety from working at a hotel known for its with zealous claims. For example, The American special accommodations. She is ashamed of herself. ELF 2015 (Vol. 6) 7 She wishes to take an initial bath after having met dissatisfaction in her wardrobe reveals his lack of her sister to figuratively wash and rid herself of her taste, something she and Stella both possess as a past so that she may have a new start. In Scene Two, result of their upbringing. As Blanche converses as she leaves the bathroom and seeks to attract with her sister upon hearing the news of Stella’s Stanley’s undivided attention, she shouts to him, pregnancy, she realizes Stanley, unlike men of her “hello, Stanley! Here I am, all freshly bathed and former social circle, is “just not the type that goes scented, and feeling like a brand new human being” for jasmine perfume, but maybe he’s what we need (Williams 36). Blanche finds an inexplicable sense to mix with our blood now that we’ve lost Belle of comfort in the bathing ritual and additionally in Reve” (Williams 45). Blanche begins to understand the scent she wears. how her heritage and the lifestyle of her childhood Perfume historically has served a dual are incompatible with the way in which Modernist purpose, offering its wearer and those around a life operates, requiring one to adopt a sense of pleasant aroma and, in a more pragmatic sense, “autonomy, novelty, speed, success, and masking odors. Just as the baths physically and, in uniqueness” (Dolfsma 351) underlying any kind of Blanche’s mind, symbolically cleanse her of the façade one may present to the world. Nevertheless, past, her love for perfume is representative of her she continues to showcase herself as the ideal of desire to conceal her true identity and outlook on life feminine beauty, outdated though she may be. under the pretense of Southern gentility and the Another characteristic valued of women values she had adopted as a young girl. Her use of during the Modernist period was the appearance of perfume later in Scene Two demonstrates it has a health and vitality. The Atlantic Monthly of 1910 power of its own, having an ability to influence even included an advertisement for a coffee additive the behavior and temperament of Stanley, the called Postum. The ad attracted readers by embodiment of unyielding, ruthless elaborating upon the positive effects of abstaining authoritarianism. from excessive eating and drinking in order to avoid As Stanley begins elaborating upon the the ill effects these activities may result in. It begins, tenets of the Napoleonic code as they apply to the “Some are fair because they happen so. Others attain roles of men and women in Louisiana, the stage the clear, rosy complexion, smooth velvety skin, direction calls for Blanche to spritz “herself with her bright eyes, easy, graceful poise, as a result of atomizer; then playfully sprays him with it. He carefully selected food and drink that properly seizes the atomizer and slams it down on the nourishes the body”; the ad acknowledges that dresser. She throws back her head and laughs” whatever the cause, “a fair complexion is the (Williams 41). Stanley, with his hyper-masculine outward token of health within” (“Two Classes of temperament, decidedly rejects the perfume because Fair Women” 97). In an example from another of its feminine scent; he finds wearing it would Modernist text, the narrator of The Professor’s additionally compromise a fundamental aspect of his House (1925) by Willa Cather describes the sheer character. Unlike Blanche, Stanley is sincere, magnetism of St. Peter’s daughter Rosamund as the genuine, and forthright, however merciless and embodiment of what the Modernists considered severe he may come across to others. He rejects the healthy, vibrant, and exuding with life. Standing effort to mask his character behind the sweet smell apart from her family members, she is recognizable of cleanliness and perfume. Stanley truthfully is for having a “colouring [that] was altogether what Blanche calls the “survivor of the stone different; dusky black hair, deep dark eyes, a soft age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill of the white skin with rich brunette red in her cheeks and jungle” (83), yet he never deviates from the essence lips. Nearly everyone considered Rosamond of his character. Blanche, however, symbolically brilliantly beautiful” (Cather 26). Her appearance is needs the jasmine perfume because she wishes to not only a spectacle in its own right, but a preserve the façade of a Southern belle, an identity representation of a modern women living life with she can no longer sustain due to the tragic vivacity and exuberance as manifested by her circumstances and demise of her former husband. By appearance. Throughout A Streetcar Named Desire, spraying Stanley with the perfume, she not only in contrast, Blanche must contend with her exercises dominance over Stanley by attempting to unattractive state of being as an unhealthy alcoholic change his naturally sweaty, masculine stench, but while attempting to fulfill the obligation to appear to she also demonstrates to Stanley that his be a vivacious, social drinker. ELF 2015 (Vol. 6) 8 It is one of the Blanche’s greatest concerns engaging in this activity, she thoroughly enjoys the that she should exhibit in public poor restraint with act of drinking itself, suggesting she could possibly regard to alcohol consumption because it is an be drinking in excess, which, the advertisements activity that notoriously leads to physical and warn, “is often the cause of various aches and ills” psychological distress and irresponsibility, markers (“Two Classes of Women” 97). Additionally, it of poor health habits and a lack of femininity that violates the gender norms ascribed to by a could diminish her chances with potential romantic significant number of Americans, particularly males, partners, like Stanley’s old-fashioned friend, Mitch. of this time period, and, more importantly, Regardless, after meeting with her sister, Blanche compromises the integrity of the character she has “rushes to the closet and removes the bottle; she is sustained in front of Mitch up until this point as a shaking all over and panting for breath as she tries to healthy lady of high social standing and traditional laugh. The bottle nearly slips from her grasp” values. (Williams 11). Given the involuntary movement of These traditional values—although false— her hands and the clumsiness she exhibits during this further set Blanche at odds with the modernist scene, the play reveals early on her obsession with a emphasis on women’s youthful health.
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