The Main Characters

STANLEY:

• violent - aggressive (DOMESTIC ABUSE)
• but also passionate
• controlling - he influences everyone and everything
• however, at some moments Stella has control over him (e.g.: when he begs for her forgiveness at the end of Scene Three)
• at the beginning of the play, Blanche has complete control over him
• manipulative
• self-aware
• he emphasises the fact that he is AMERICAN and he's proud of it
• patriotic to America
• there is a feeling that he's ashamed of his Polish heritage - almost disowns his roots.
• cruel
• sees through Blanche's lies straight away
• emotionally-aware
• animalistic - primitive and sexual
• manly/strong - very attractive and he's aware of this
• the LEADER - team captain of his bowling team, dominant
• blunt
• straight to the point/direct
• short speech - contrasts Blanche's long monologues

Feelings towards the character of Stanley:

• negative - antagonist
• afraid of him - for Stella and Blanche
• it is clear that he absolutely loves and adores Stella - perhaps he is too in love with Stella (his love for her affects his actions in a negative way)
• like Stella, the audience can forgive his mistakes due to his attractiveness - his flaws are almost forgiven due to his sexual presence and looks.
• loving, caring husband vs. violent wife-beating rapist

BLANCHE:

• hypocritically judgemental - in the way that she looks down on the position that Stella is in
• Blanche is from a very wealthy background 
• a high social standing
• a different social class to Stanley - obvious in their contrasting manner and speech
• superficial
• self-obsessed
• her image: clothes, appearance and age matter too much to her - FAKE IMAGE
• broken - 
• Blanche arrives broken due to a very difficult time (traumatic experiences)
• throughout the play we watch this finish off - watch Blanche totally fall apart
• insecure - SURFACE CONFIDANCE
• hidden identity
• fake image
• very wise
• well-educated
• knows a lot about the world
• yet NAÏVE

Feelings towards the character of Blanche:

• irritated - Blanche is incredibly frustrating 
• sympathy - pity
•  she's so flawed and has been through a lot but we feel sorry for Blanche because she tries to do the right thing
• we also pity her because she is OUT OF PLACE
• New Orleans isn't her world - she's an outsider

MITCH:

• he's an outsider - like Blanche
• when Blanche and Mitch meet, it is like a destined meeting of two outcasts
• empathetic
• calm
• caring - looks after his sick mother at home
• similar (emotional) background to Blanche - his love died when they were still very young and he still carries a cigarette case she gave him
• EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT
• childlike, nervous, awkward in his interactions with Blanche
• when he finds out the truth about Blanche, he tries to become Stanley but it doesn't work!
• intelligent
• more educated than Stanley
• STABLE 
• Blanche chooses him because she wants stability and not someone who is short-tempered but wild, passionate and attractive like Stanley
• Mitch cares for Blanche - he wants (needs) somebody to care for and she needs someone to care for her
• they need each other

Feelings towards the character of Mitch:

• sympathetic
• rooting for him to have his deserved happy ending
• admiration - he is such a caring, kind-hearted and sensitive man

STELLA:

• strong 
• she made it in a world that is completely different to the one she grew up in
• she can calm Stanley - a  very difficult man who is hard to live with
• INNER EMOTIONAL STRENGTH
• humble
• down-to-earth
• ordinary
• able to love
• motherly towards Blanche and Stanley who are more child-like (despite both being older than her)
• CORE: Stella is the centre of the play - both Blanche and Stanley rely on her, would fall apart without her
• pragmatic - less at mercy with her emotions (although she sometimes is when it comes to Stanley)
• KEY CHARACTER: Stella is a very important character in the play due to her difficult choice between her husband and her sister
• why did she make the choice she made???
• her decision can be justified by the fact that Blanche actually needs help because she is a very sick woman by the end of the play
• Stella chose what was best for her and her baby - if she chose to believe her sister, she would've lost everything
• before faced with this decision, she was really in control (of the characters) but now she is powerless

Feelings towards the character of Stella:

• sympathy
• admiration - she is such a strong individual
• pity - no one would like to be faced with a decision like having to choose between your sister and your husband!