Restriction means the limitation or control of someone or something, which is explored in several elements of Williams and Plath's writing. Both authors demonstrate the role of women and their expected behavior as a form of restriction; Williams (despite claiming not to be a political writer) explores elements of social and class restriction while Plath, as a confessional poet, uses her poems to reveal and address restriction in a more personal and individual sphere. In both “A Streetcar Named Desire” and Plath's poems, the social norms of women's experience of marriage and childbearing are both replicated and critiqued. Traditional gender roles in marriage were important in mid-century America. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay For example, in a study by Charlotte Johnson, she states how "Husbands were the breadwinners and leaders of the family, usually working outside the home". Wives stayed home to take care of household chores, such as cleaning, cooking, and raising children. The traditional view was that wives helped their husbands. This stable and predictable union was the cornerstone of the community. ” This dynamic is reflected in the relationship between Stella and Stanley, the first time we see them in the play Stanley is literally bringing home the “meat”. As the play develops, it is revealed how Stanley abuses Stella, yet she stays with him because without him she wouldn't know how to cope, for example "And when he comes back I cry in his lap like a baby." Her very admission that she is “like a child” without him shows how deeply rooted this attitude is in society; Stella is limited to a relationship with someone that is ultimately harmful because she simply cannot function without him. Plath uses the poem "Spinster" to present the character as someone who wants control over her life and does not want to depend on a man, which contrasts with Stella who physically and mentally needs Stanley in her life. The character is walking with her "last suitor" and then "found herself, suddenly, intolerably affected" by the surrounding nature, Plath's portrayal of him as a "suitor" depersonalizes her character, presents no meaning to the character while he is the “last”. The presence of disorder in the environment is what pushes the person to recognize that she does not need to limit herself to having a suitor or a husband but only needs herself to live her life, the inclusion of nature used as a cornerstone of his life. the realization may have been used because the girl is so limited in finding a potential husband that she has never been able to enjoy other aspects of life such as nature. Plath satirizes the expectation of marriage through her use of the derogatory term "spinster." She uses it ironically: she is not unmarried because no one wants her ("the last one") but because she chooses to be. The juxtaposition of the title and the content of the poem undermines society's expectations and therefore undermines that restriction. Another element of restriction explored in both texts is the use of violence, both to impose and escape control. Violence is used in the play to implement power and restrictions, while Plath may sometimes use violence to escape restrictions. In the play, violence is a motif used predominantly by men to highlight the power that society gives them, which is widespread throughout the text and often manifests itself through more subtle verbal aggression or actsspiteful. For example, it can be seen in the captions "Stanley gives a strong blow with his hand on his thigh." The use of the noun "hit" shows that Stanley exerts his control over Stella in front of their friends, he is essentially marking his territory. Stella's response “It's not funny, Stanley” illustrates that she is asserting some power by telling Stanley how she feels, but this power is deflated when Stanley's friends laugh at her. Stella's speech here is short and she is trying to get Stanley's attention by saying her name while the brain registers that when our name is said someone still wants our attention, Stanley continues to ignore her showing how little he thinks about his feelings . Stella's acceptance of these spiteful acts highlights the restricted relationship she is in as she is not taken seriously by any of the other characters, especially her husband. In the poem "Daddy" written in 1962, Plath explores the relationship she had with her father and also explores the restrictive relationship she experienced with her husband. She explains how she found a replacement for her father, a man just like him who she married "if I killed one man, I killed two -/ the vampire who said he was you/ drank my blood for a year, / seven years, if you ask me.” The “seven years” are a reference to Plath's marriage to Hughes and the transition from father to husband suggests that the restriction from a male is still there and never goes away, the “vampire” is Hughes making her feel drained and used, highlighting the dominance he had over her in their relationship. Critic Robert Phillips said: “When he drives the stake through his father's heart, he is not only exorcising the demon of his father's memory. , but metaphorically she is killing her husband and all men.” This view highlights the escape from restriction that Plath herself desired; she uses this poem to finally let go of the memory and free herself from the restrictions of both men Driving the stake through the poem "Ariel" by Plath, the main themes are about power and escape as the person escapes restrictions and is no longer a mother or wife, unlike Stella who cannot find the strength or courage to escape. "The child's cry melts into the wall" because when the poet rides Ariel she finds freedom and escapes from everyday life, including the exhausting role of being a mother and wife. The "crying" is a reference to her children, whose needs she blocks to focus exclusively on herself, and to her life, which she hasn't done in years since she focused only on her son and her husband. In both Williams and Plath the limitation of work is presented through the physical appearance of women. Williams uses Blanche's character, personality, and clothing to demonstrate the performative nature of gender, but Plath uses "Mirror" to show how women are obsessed with their appearance. Both writers explore appearance because, according to the stereotype, it is what society associates women with, Blanche is a key character who cares a lot about her appearance and even lies about her age. Blanche's appearance is first presented as "incongruous" to the setting and "She is prettily dressed in a white dress with a soft bodice." This use of the adverb “delicately” presents Blanche in a delicate and innocent manner which is further demonstrated by her choice of “white clothes” as she chooses to portray herself as a symbol of purity. Critic Schvey stated that “it is possible to see Blanche's identification with white as an ironic use of color.” This is because the audience later discovers that it is an act, as she creates false images to maintain an image's social statusupper class and it is arguable that Blanche limited herself in this way to hide from the potential judgment she might receive if the society around her learned of her true (promiscuous) nature. Mary Wollstonecraft, an English writer, stated: “Taught from childhood that beauty is the scepter of woman, the mind molds itself to the body, and, wandering in its gilded cage, seeks only to adorn its prison. " This concept can be applied to Blanche through her appearance and personality. For example, "you must be soft and attractive and I... I'm fading now!" referring to her old age, Blanche feels useless because she is getting older and losing more of one thing important to her: her beauty that she and all women depend on to live their lives. The hyphen in her monologue represents her frustration as she has no control over her age and her language is purposely exaggerated to. highlight the importance of typical femininity. In the poem 'Mirror', Plath writes from the perspective of the mirror about the importance of appearances and the search for self for women mirror is such a powerful object in a woman's life, reason whereby Plath explores it, the mirror represents the truth and shows the woman what society limits to her too; her appearance as it is all that society cares about for women. Assembled without rhyme or clear meter, with a unusual syntax and an incisive use of enjambement, the poem is a personification of great depth. The mirror is not cruel, "just truthful ---" and that's why women don't like it the way it is. they see something they are and not something they would like to be and everything the mirror says is what the viewer already knows, the hyphen shortens the line and creates a caesura highlighting that the mirror is definitive. “He turns to those liars, the candles of the moon” the light reveals the truth and the woman does not want her true nature to be exposed to the light where all her insecurities are visible that is why she depends on the moon when it is dark, but these are “liars” because they mask his true appearance. It is similar to Blanche who only sees Mitch at night because that way she cannot see his true nature and she is not exposed. Blanche's "delicate beauty must avoid strong light" and for Blanche looking good means maintaining her youth as it is for most women due to society and ultimately the paper lantern becomes a metaphor for the same Blanche as she blocks out the light of the world, so she doesn't have to face her reality. Restriction in both texts also incorporates women's housework and expectations, not simply their marital status. By stereotype, women were limited to the role of housewife and in the 1950s secondary schools even prepared girls for this life: cooking lessons, household management and even how to properly iron a shirt were given. Girls were trained to take care of their husband, children and home. In a diary as a teenager, Plath wrote: “I am afraid of getting married. Save me from cooking three meals a day – save me from the relentless cage of routine and mechanics.” Plath uses the poem "lesbian" to demonstrate the domesticity and reality of what women did while their husbands went to work. It is set primarily in the kitchen, a stereotypical place where women were expected to spend most of their time. Plath describes the kitchen as "It's all Hollywood, with no windows," because the media featured glamorous, happy women whose identities were complete due to their focus on marriage, family, and housekeeping. This is why Plath refers to "Hollywood" as the media wants to perceive it to be one.