Jahan 1

Zerin Jahan

ID: 16303001

Dr. Sayeed Noman

ENG 358: World Literature in English Translation

August 25th, 2019

Gender inequality and transformation of the female characters; Critical Reading of The

Metamorphosis and A Streetcar Named Desire

Abstract

This paper discusses about the stereotypical gender roles of women, their transformation,

and the concept of feminism presented in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Tennessee

Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. This research highlights the female characters that are

marginalized, dependent on men and later went through a change in their lives.

The purpose of this paper is to present how male domination of female characters and

marginalized characters are subordinated to the secondary position through radical feminism. My

paper will give the minors a voice and will try to give space the minor characters. Moreover, it

will give them the platform or the spotlight, previously granted to the men in the texts. This

analysis will present the idea of feminist by Grete Samsa, Mrs. Samsa and Blanche DuBois that

men and women are equal and their individuality be valued by the society who always holds

them back and makes them inferior physically and mentally.

Keywords: gender roles, feminist, subordination.

Feminism is a variety of political, social movements and ideologies that share a common

goal or motive and that is to establish, and achieve and maintain the political, economic,

personal, professional, social equality of the sexes. Feminism also includes the idea that societies

prioritize the male point of view, their thinking, and women treated unfairly within those

societies. Throughout centuries, there had been feminist movements with the goal to fight for

women’s rights, which includes the right to vote, to hold a position in the public office, to

receive, and provide education, etc. Not only that, feminists have also worked to ensure access to

legal abortions, and to protect women and girls from rape, sexual harassment and domestic

violence which was and still now is a common phenomenon throughout the world.

Charles Fourier, a utopian socialist and French philosopher coined the feminism or

“feminism” in 1837. The words "féminisme" ("feminism") and "féministe" ("feminist") first

came into sight in France and the Netherlands in 1872, and then in Great Britain in the 1890s,

and the United States in 1910. There were four waves or movements of feminist to ensure the

position of women in the society. Each of the movements or waves had individual and different

motives and sets of goals for women. The first wave feminism was about women's right to vote

movements of the 19th and early-20th centuries. The second wave of feminism was about the

women’s liberation movement, beginning in the 1960s, which campaigned for legal and social

equality for women. Around 1992, the third wave of feminism was about focusing on

individuality and diversity. The fourth wave, in around 2012, used social media platform to

create strong awareness against sexual harassment, violence against women and rape culture.

Feminist theory is an addition of feminism into theoretical or philosophical fields.

Feminist theory aims to understand gender inequality and focuses on the issues like gender

politics, power relations, and sexuality. Not only it provides a critique of these social and
 Jahan 3

political issues, but it also focuses on the topic of upgrading women's rights and interests. Other

themes explored in feminist theory are discrimination, stereotyping, objectification, oppression,

and patriarchy. Feminist criticism is a character of literary criticism that stands on feminist

theory. It mainly comments on the male dominated literature by using feminist principle. It

shows how stereotypical and misogynic literary works can be towards women and it even

addresses how the men in the texts are glorified and prioritized.

In the texts of Kafka and Williams, the issues such as discrimination, patriarchy,

misogyny, and inequality are present. Both of the texts show how the gender roles and male

point of view towards women are socially constructed. The reason behind choosing radical

feminism is it considers the male-controlled capitalist hierarchy as the most dominating feature

for women's oppression and how much the society need reconstruction and change their views

towards women. In both the texts, the position of women is questionable as they are the one

crushed under patriarchy and the way their characters are portrayed it seemed misogynic and less

valued. Grete Samsa, Mrs. Samsa, Blanche DuBois and Stella DuBois all the three female

characters were written from the point of view of male which naturally indicates the women’s

position as secondary.

In The Metamorphosis, Kafka strengthens the oppression of women in the house by

highlighting the transformation of Grete, from a domestic caretaker, considered as the actual and

proper role of a woman to a more controlling one, who breaks out of her stereotypical role but

eventually becomes the villain of the story at the end. Once Grete became more dominant and

took the position of becoming the breadwinner, which was previously Gregor’s position in the

family, Kafka changes portrayal of her into a negative one. This gives the notion that the society

disapproves of anyone, especially a woman, who steps out or want to step out of her gender role.
 Jahan 4

The Metamorphosis also supports the fact that the assigned male gender roles through Gregor as

a person defined only by his ability to work make money and provide the family. By writing

Gregor in such manner, Kafka emphasizes the separate roles of genders, creating a greater effect

when Grete breaks out of her assigned domestic female role.

In A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams does make Blanche DuBois as one of the

prominent characters but throughout the book, it speaks how certain characteristics highlights the

male characters demeaning the women characters. It speaks how the term sexuality, observed

differently for male and female. It speaks how Stanley being a womanizer and flag barrier of

domestic violence in the end wins over Blanche through the most horrible act as rape. On the

other hand, Blanche, the one who ends up in a mental asylum by her sister gets totally an

opposite transformation.

Literature Review

In the following segment, the literature regarding gender inequality and its effects in the

novels The Metamorphosis and A Streetcar Named Desire is reviewed. The review begins with

the summary of the two novels followed by an introduction of socially constructed gender roles

and an overview of different resources. Following this discussion, the topics of gender

transformation in both the novels discussed and reviews of the relevant resources are given.

The Metamorphosis starts with Gregor Samsa becoming a bug from a human one

morning. He is a traveling salesman, who hates his job but eventually engaged in it due to his

father’s debt towards the company. His family after knowing about his transformation became

scared and worried about him not due to for him but as he is the breadwinner in the family, now

the question arises who will provide the family. Family members especially his sister and mother

used to take care of him but gradually became disgusted with him, especially when he is no
 Jahan 5

longer able to earn income, which made him isolated and alienated from the society. Gregor

eventually dies after deciding that he is a burden to his family and cannot provide them. He had

the understanding that shift of situations is not his fault, he is not the one to blame, but again he

drowns into the ocean of guilt for not being able to be the economic support of the family.

The play by Tennessee Williams is a renowned drama, which follows a mentally

troubled former schoolteacher Blanche DuBois as she leaves to moves in with her sister, Stella

Kowalski, and her husband, Stanley in New Orleans. Blanche and Stanley belonging and

believing in different ideologies persona creates problems for Stella and Stanley, leading to great

conflicts in the Kowalski household. As Blanche born and brought up in a high-class rich family

in South found difficult making herself at ease in the North. The South being plantation and

slavery dependent, the people lived a luxury life as they had help. But North being totally

opposite made Blanche struggle to cope with it. Stanley, Stella’s husband not only was he

opposite to Blanche as a person but also belonged to different social class. He belonged to the

working class whose hard work and labor are his only weapons for success in life. Both of the

characters being different from each other made them engage in conflicts, which ended up

portraying the female character, become a victim of male domination.

In The Metamorphosis, the only person the narrative surrounds is Gregor Samsa. Apart

from the male characters, there are three female characters in the novel such as Gregor’s mother

Mrs. Samsa, Gregor’s sister, Grete Samsa and the house-cleaner. However, though the female

characters are much more than male, these characters are lacking freedom and always dependent

on the male characters. In an article it is stated that, “Kafka hold in suspension European, urban,

and early twentieth century masculine attitudes towards women and transforms this attitudes by

presenting Grete and Mother Samsa in the roles of Gregor’s caretakers and feeders and then
 Jahan 6

revealing their rebellion against these roles” (Vejas). It can seen that Kafka presented her female

characters in the stereotypical way by making them Gregor’s caretakers, the way society

confides in about the views towards women. If he wanted, he could have positioned Mr. Samsa

or any other male character to be the caretaker but as always, the females are the one given the

role. The family worried about being financially not solvent after the transformation of Gregor, it

indicates that Gregor was the only provider as he was the son. On the other hand, Grete being the

girl or daughter not handed over the opportunity to contribute to the family-income rather she is

for providing help with the household chores of the family (Swag).

Gregor’s mother, Mrs. Samsa too portrayed as a male-dependent woman. In the text, it

showed that either she is requesting her husband Mr. Samsa not killing Gregor or she is hiding

behind him seeing Gregor as a big horrible bug. It is not just only showing her weakness or

fragility as a woman but also it questions her “mother nature” too. Because a mother, always

thought and seen, that whether her children are experiencing bad times or even if they commit

unfortunate events, the love, and affection of mother never changes. Besides, she is as an earning

member of the family (Pyle). Apart from taking care of the family members and taking care of

the house, she used to sew clothes to add to the family income. However, the reference of her

work and earning money is less in the text. On the other hand, Gregor’s father seems to be

dominating strong character in the novel and his view and thoughts towards women seems to be

very negligent. When they lost Gregor and Grete became the breadwinner of the family, the first

and foremost idea that triggered her mind about Grete was her marriage (Swag). It seemed like

he lacks confidence about her daughter being independent without a man. In an essay of

Richardson it is said that, “women were thought to be unintelligent (at least in part because they

were generally less formally educated than men), and many women accepted that judgment. It
 Jahan 7

was not until the feminist movement was well under way that women began examining old texts

to reevaluate their portrayal of women and writing new works to fit the “modern woman” (35).

In A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams created an unforgettable character named

Blanche DuBois a lonely, depressed, and mind-distorted southern female. Born and brought up

in South, living a luxurious and poised lifestyle but still the self-contained South was a

personification of patriarchal society. Simone de Beauvoir writes in her book The second sex,

“males don’t interpret females according to females themselves, whereas they regard females as

independent ones… males can be taken as the reference to define and distinguish females, while

the reference to define and distinguish males cannot be females. ‘She’ is the Essential in

opposition of the Inessential. ‘He’ is the subject and the Absolute, whereas ‘she’ is the Other”

(26). Here, it can be seen that male domination at its highest peak whereas females are

considered as the “other”. However, the victim of the text is Blanche but her sister Stella too

faced domestic violence from Stanley. Koprince in her essay stated that, “until the 1970s the

problem of domestic violence was virtually ignored in American society. Wife-beating was

considered a “family matter” rather than a crime or a serious issue. Women were typically

expected to deal with the problem themselves, to keep it behind closed doors” (49). Men always

had this idea that raising hands on wife or any female as their birthright. Because they consider

their wives as properties, which they take for granted, but at the end when it comes to physical

desires or any other desires they return to their wives as if nothing happened. Koprince in her

essay also stated some traits of a batterer like Stanley,

According to modern sociologists, batterers tend to exhibit the following traits: 1) they

are hypermasculine, using aggressive behavior as verification of their manliness; 2) they

believe in male superiority, viewing women as sexual objects to be dominated; 3) they

resort to both physical and psychological abuse in an effort to control their spouses; 4)

they are extremely jealous and possessive, fearful that their mates will ultimately leave

them; and 5) they have a dual personality---proving to be charming and generous on

some occasions but cruel and vicious on others (50)

“The action of Streetcar consists of a masculinist rout of female abjection. Now, this is

veritably the story of patriarchy (…) But what Stanley really represents, in his brutish fashion,

it’s the patriarchal order, and this order, in its fashion, stands as a bulwark against the

primitivism of feminine abjection, (…)” (37). When it came to sexuality and desires Stanley as a

male figure always got away being a womanizer but the story is different for female figures.

Blanche after her husband’s death engaged with men, which made her a controversial figure.

Women not expected to have physical desires on their own or else the society would disgrace

her. Addition to that even the same men who enjoyed quality time with her in a room some time

ago would intentionally fail to recognize her or would not even bother about her.

Inequality of gender roles

Feminist theory is a mirror which to show the world the inequality between men

and women in a society. In The Metamorphosis, the narrative centers on Gregor Samsa. Apart

from the male characters, there are three female characters in the novel and they are Gregor’s

mother, Gregor’s sister, and the house-cleaner. In an article it is stated that, “Kafka hold in

suspension European, urban, and early twentieth century masculine attitudes towards women and

transforms this attitudes by presenting Grete and Mother Samsa in the roles of Gregor’s

caretakers and feeders and then revealing their rebellion against these roles” (Vejas). It can seen

that Kafka presented her female characters in the stereotypical way by making them Gregor’s
 Jahan 9

caretakers, the way society confides in about the views towards women. If he wanted, he could

have positioned Mr. Samsa or any other male character to be the caretaker but as always, the

females are the one given such roles. Here Kafka portrayed the women the way they are

presented to the world from the beginning of time. Every aspect of the world is viewed from the

male point of view, the attitude towards women or females have been of masculine attitude. In

the text and in modern world today this is a prominent example. However, the world has

changed, became modern but still society views the world from the male perspective not

allowing women to come out of their shell and shine. Grete being an obedient sister took care of

her brother the way society conforms women. Radical feminism agues about the fact that male-

controlled capitalist hierarchy works as a characteristics to women's oppression and how the

whole society needs to reconstructs their values and concept about females. The society needs to

change their views in order to give women roles beside the stereotypical ones. Women are more

than household machines whose lives only do not surround to be under dominated patriarchal

society and be the second sex or the “other”. The family worried about being financially not

solvent after the transformation of Gregor, it indicates that Gregor was the only provider as he

was the son. On the other hand, Grete being the girl or daughter not handed over the opportunity

to contribute to the family-income rather she is for providing help with the household chores of

the family (Swag). Not only is she, occupied with stereotypical domestic roles but her education

and future also dependent on Gregor. He wanted her to enroll in a violin institution so that she

can pursue her career. Here, can be seen, due to Gregor’s transformation and not being able to

work, a pause has occurred for Grete’s enrollment. Nevertheless, feminist theory would pursue it

in a different manner. Grete’s gender role has made her dependent on others for her own future.

She is not being able to work and pursue it on her own. Because Kafka presented the issue of
 Jahan 10

inequality between the siblings, that women are much more suitable at house rather than being

outside contributing to the family. She, not only deprived of her rights, but also deprived of the

world outside and its realities. The society has given the tag of provider or earner only to the men

of the family. As seen in Samsa family, Gregor working hard to run his family as the only

provider. Gregor’s father has imposed all his dreams on his shoulders and Gregor contributes the

major part in his family-income. On the other hand, Grete, the one who has been chosen only for

taking care of Gregor and the family but nothing more than that.

Gregor’s mother, Mrs. Samsa too portrayed as a male-dependent woman. In the text, it

showed that either she is requesting her husband Mr. Samsa not killing Gregor or she is hiding

behind him seeing Gregor as a big horrible bug. It is not just only showing her weakness or

fragility as a woman but also it questions her “mother nature” too. Because a mother, always

thought and seen, that whether her children are experiencing bad times or even if they commit

unfortunate events, the love, and affection of mother never changes. In addition to that, women

as mothers are the strongest figure despite of the situations whether good or bad. However, here

Kafka has portrayed Mrs. Samsa as someone weak and minor in her characteristics. Besides, she

is as an earning member of the family (Pyle). Apart from taking care of the family members and

taking care of the house, she used to sew clothes to add to the family income. However, the

reference of her work and earning money is less in the text. In addition, it seems that her

contribution been taken for granted. Nowhere, in the text or no character in the narrative has

mentioned or talked about it ever, even for not once have anyone seemed to be thankful to the

woman for helping in the family, earning and maintaining the family as well. His mother just like

any women in the society underappreciated for their contribution inside or outside the house.

However, on the contrary, Gregor’s mother has been also shown to be dependent on the other
 Jahan 11

family members and she is portrayed to have no authority or saying over her family except for

agreeing to the decisions given by Mr. Samsa. This provides the notion that how women in their

own house deprived of decision-making and dominated by husband whereas they are the one

taking care of it more than men takes care. On the other hand, Gregor’s father seems to be

dominating strong character in the novel and his view and thoughts towards women seems to be

very negligent. When they lost Gregor and Grete became the breadwinner of the family, the first

and foremost idea that triggered her mind about Grete was her marriage (Swag). It seemed like

he lacks confidence about her daughter being independent without a man. Sadly, Grete’s female

dominance is not a victory for her, as since she returns to the typically feminine role as a wife

and homemaker once Gregor dies. Her parents decided her to get married:

While they amused themselves in this way, it struck Mr. and Mrs. Samsa almost at the

same moment how their daughter, who was getting more animated all the time, had

blossomed recently, in spite of all the troubles which had made her cheeks pale, into a

beautiful and voluptuous young woman. Growing more silent and almost unconsciously

understanding each other in their glances, they thought that the time was now at hand to

seek out a good honest man for her. And it was something of a confirmation of their new

dreams and good intentions when at the end of their journey the daughter first lifted

herself up and stretched her young body (Kafka 42)

It seemed her father rather looked at it as an economic purpose by saying that Grete’s

future husband can contribute to the family income, which will fulfill their future wishes, and it

might compensate the failure of Gregor to fulfill that demand. Being Grete’s father, he is his

likely to believe in a stranger rather than his own daughter, a man who he even does not know

about. Moreover, Grete’s marriage appeared to be a kind of business deal to him rather than a
 Jahan 12

marriage, which is a social demand. The dominance that Grete showed by having control over

the household, only worked to convince her parents that Grete needs a husband to control her.

They live in a patriarchal society that believes the only goal for women is to marry a “good

husband” or an “honest husband” who can ‘own’ them. In an essay of Richardson it is said that,

“women were thought to be unintelligent (at least in part because they were generally less

formally educated than men), and many women accepted that judgment. It was not until the

feminist movement was well under way that women began examining old texts to reevaluate

their portrayal of women and writing new works to fit the “modern woman” (35). The house

cleaner in the narrative been portrayed as a woman who was the first one to see the corpse of the

bug and shouts out to Gregor’s family for giving the news. “When she quickly realized the true

state of affairs, her eyes grew large, she whistled to herself, but didn’t restrain herself for long.

She pulled open the door of the bedroom and yelled in a loud voice into the darkness, ‘Come and

look. It’s kicked the bucket. It’s lying there, totally snuffed!” (45). In this few sentences, the lady

shown to be a cruel, fool and subordinate gender in front of the readers. The house-cleaner could

have been a man or even maybe Mr.Samsa. The woman could show to be in tears or in remorse

seeing the dead body. Instead of portraying women with a class, the women portrayed as a

subordinate gender to men that house-cleaning characters should always be a women.

In A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams created an unforgettable character named

Blanche DuBois a lonely, depressed, and mind-distorted southern female. Born and brought up

in South, living a luxurious and poised lifestyle but still the self-contained South was a

personification of patriarchal society. Simone de Beauvoir writes in her book The second sex,

“males don’t interpret females according to females themselves, whereas they regard females as

independent ones… males can be taken as the reference to define and distinguish females, while
 Jahan 13

the reference to define and distinguish males cannot be females. ‘She’ is the Essential in

opposition of the Inessential. ‘He’ is the subject and the Absolute, whereas ‘she’ is the Other”

(26). Here, be seen that, male domination at its highest peak making females considered as the

“other”. It be seen that a relationship of subordination and dominance, the essential and

inessential, and the other and self between males and females are prominent. Therefore, in

patriarchal society, male’s position is positive and females play a passive and inessential role. In

the text, the rivalry between Blanche and Stanley shows that whether it is South or North men

are assumed the center of the society control money, power and even women. They form their

own standards to evaluate women and power. Women live a life totally depending on them, both

economically and mentally. Moreover, there is tendency toward the idealism, romanticism that

women have to be beautiful, appear beautifully, and behave graciously, these traits were visible

in Blanche as she dressed and prepared herself with all the luxurious accessories of her.

However, if examined properly, they were the happiness left in Blanche’s traumatized life. Not

only that, as a rich Southerner, brought up in comfort and luxury it was the only lifestyle familiar

to her. Nevertheless, society has locked up a woman and created concept towards her based on

appearing beautifully and behaving graciously. Moreover, failing in matching up the criteria

would provide them the tag of a fallen woman. Though Blanche was someone, who excelled in

both of the traits but due to ideology differences with Stanley made her a rival of Stanley. Both

of them were different but one aspect was common which was in any condition holding up to

their ideologies and winning in it. It is a matter of fact that women are bound to lose their self-

when brought up and tendered with culture, customs, and standard by men in the society.

However, the victim of the text is Blanche but her sister Stella too faced domestic violence from

her husband Stanley. Koprince in her essay stated that, “until the 1970s the problem of domestic
 Jahan 14

violence was virtually ignored in American society. Wife-beating was considered a “family

matter” rather than a crime or a serious issue. Women were typically expected to deal with the

problem themselves, to keep it behind closed doors” (49). Men always had this idea that raising

hands on wife or any female as their birthright. They think of it as an achievement to their

manliness. Because they consider their wives as properties, which they take for granted, but at

the end when it comes to physical desires or any other desires they return to their wives as if

nothing happened. Stanley Kowalski is the epitome of masculinity, specifically toxic

masculinity. He is not someone just a charming, hardworking man who have outburst on few

occasions. Rather he is a batterer, someone who is fond of violence, aggression and has desire

for control over people, which makes him an excellent example of an abuser. On the other hand,

Williams portrayed Stella as a typical wife who is submissive, tolerates, and excuses her

husband’s behavior in the name of “love”. It seems like a cycle of domestic abuse, which has no

end. This also helps to understand Stanley’s most horrible and brutal act in the play: the rape of

Blanche DuBois. Here also fingers pointed on the typical unequal gender roles between the

Kowalski family members where the husband is the abuser and show off so-called masculinity

and DuBois sisters, the female characters as the victims. Koprince in her essay also stated some

traits of a batterer like Stanley,

According to modern sociologists, batterers tend to exhibit the following traits: 1) they

are hypermasculine, using aggressive behavior as verification of their manliness; 2) they

believe in male superiority, viewing women as sexual objects to be dominated; 3) they

resort to both physical and psychological abuse in an effort to control their spouses; 4)

they are extremely jealous and possessive, fearful that their mates will ultimately leave
 Jahan 15

them; and 5) they have a dual personality---proving to be charming and generous on

some occasions but cruel and vicious on others (50)

The traits above describe Stanley Kowalski fully. There is no doubt that a man like

Stanley likes to show his masculinity through aggressive behaviors to commit to his manliness.

As stated before that only for physical desires they come back to their partners, so that they can

fulfill their desire whereas the women think of it as their love and affection. Women are objects

to them to devour. In Act 1 Scene 3, Stanley angrily rushed towards Stella to raise his hand on

her after the radio incident with Blanche. Stella was pregnant and before he could have

committed anything terrible, his friends cooled him down. The next morning, everything was

normal as if nothing happened last night. Blanche was shocked at the behavior of her sister but

Stella made her understand that he was under the influence of drinks and poker and he somehow

outburst. The whole scene shows how the wives always overlook the faults of their husband like

a typical one.

“The action of Streetcar consists of a masculinist rout of female abjection. Now, this is

veritably the story of patriarchy (…) But what Stanley really represents, in his brutish fashion,

it’s the patriarchal order, and this order, in its fashion, stands as a bulwark against the

primitivism of feminine abjection, (…)” (37). Blanche always had escaped the reality because it

was too much harsh for her. Her husband Allan, the love of his life death gave her trauma for

lifetime. Moreover, in order to relax her she seeks few ways such as hot baths for 3-4 times a

day, always concern about dresses and head wears which is also a part of her Southern

upbringing. When it came to sexuality and desires Stanley as a male figure always got away

being a womanizer but the story is different for female figures. Blanche after her husband’s death

engaged with men, which made her a controversial figure. Women not expected to have physical
 Jahan 16

desires even on their own or else the society would disgrace her. Addition to that even the same

men who enjoyed quality time with her in a room some time ago would intentionally fail to

recognize her or would not even bother about her. Her sexual acts raised questions and pointed

finger at her whereas Stanley being a womanizer, rapist and a cheater never received those tags.

Now, the question rises was this because he was a man belonged to a patriarchal world, which

seems to overlook the faults of its men. Alternatively, was this because as expected Blanche was

not behaving gracefully? By behaving gracefully, the patriarchal world always meant to be

dominating upon women and women being calm, polite and in under controlled by men. The

concept that sexual freedom only given to men gave the society an idea that any women trying to

be in that position deserves to be shamed in front of the world.

Feminist perspective makes clears it for the reader to understand that how the authors has

placed the women aside from being a major part in the text, whereas they can contribute and

flourish as much as men do. However, it has put attention to the male-dominating society more

and the portrayal was not enough in utilizing the female characters in a positive and effective

way.

Transformation of the characters

In both of the texts, the characters went through a transformation in their lives, changing

their lives forever. In The Metamorphosis, not only Gregor but Grete also went through a

transformation, she was also another person facing metamorphosis. Once Gregor becomes less

capable of serving his family, Grete becomes more dominant. After her becoming the one to
 Jahan 17

provide her family, Kafka shifts her portrayal into a negative one, giving the societal manner of

disapproving of a woman, who encourages or due to different circumstances steps out of their

gender role. “Gregor earned enough money to meet the expenses of the entire family and... it was

his secret plan that she, who unlike him, loved music, should be sent next year to Conservatory,

regardless of the great expense involved” (Kafka 20). Grete as usual expected to wait around for

Gregor to earn enough money for her to career to pursue in music, letting her future fully

dependent on his ability to earn enough money. Her education and working ability less bothered

just like any female in the household, because society expect them to look after the house hold

rather than from earning and contributing. Grete, if given chance might shine in life even better

than Gregor and in coarse of time, his transformation gives Grete an opportunity to gain

dominance in the household.

Eventually, as Gregor becomes less humanlike, Grete becomes more dominant in the

family dynamic. He feels ashamed and a burden to his family whenever his family discusses

certain issues likes money, as he lost his position as a provider, he also somehow lost control and

power. “Whenever the conversation turned to the necessities of earning money, Gregor would let

go of the door and throw himself down on the cool leather sofa which stood beside it, for he felt

hot with shame and grief” ( Kafka 21). By not being able to work and provide, Gregor loses the

dominance he had once, Grete, on the other hand, starts having more dominance in the household

dynamic. Gregor’s earning used to be the only source for Grete and her future in the violin

academy but once Grete positions herself in Gregor’s place and the roles reversed, she not only

becomes her source of her future but also she showed that if a woman provided situations she

can rise up to it. Once Grete started stepping outside, leaving her stereotypical feminine role

behind, she immediately turns into a villain in Kafka’s eyes.

His sister, before running to business every morning and afternoon, hurriedly shoved any

old food into Gregor’s room with her foot; and in the evening, regardless of whether the

food had only been toyed with or—the most usual case—had been left completely

untouched, she swept it out with a swish of the broom (…) could not be done more

hastily (32) 

As his sister no longer prioritizes, or give importance regarding what Gregor wants, or

what would “please” him, this makes her a rebel and someone who went against her gender role

who break barriers in life. Grete also described as being tired and sick of her daily domestic life

and as she dares to walk out of her feminine role, she becomes the ultimate villain in the text.

Moreover, Grete portrayed as the one to wish for Gregor’s death, “My dear parents”, said his

sister and by way of an introduction pounded her hand on the table, “things can’t go on like this.

Maybe you don’t realize it, but I do. (...) we have to get rid of it” (Kafka 37). This bold cold-

hearted statement gives the idea to the reader the way Kafka sees Grete. The moment a woman

breaks out of her domestic role to be in control, the patriarchal society views women as a threat.

Her taking over Gregor’s place and becoming an important character in the dynamic threatens

the patriarchal system.

However, Grete’s transformation did not bring her joy or happiness. Her female

dominance did not bring her the victory she or the readers where hoping for. Once her parents

saw her being the independent person she is, the first thought that came to their mind was her

marriage. “Mr. and Mrs. Samsa, as they watched their daughter getting livelier and livelier, that

lately, in spite of all the troubles which had turned her cheeks pale, she had blossomed into a

good-looking, shapely girl. Growing quieter and communicating almost unconsciously through

glances, they thought that it would soon be time, too, to find her a good husband” (42). Her
 Jahan 19

gender and social freedom somehow convinced her parents to get her a good husband. It seemed

her father rather looked at it as an economic purpose than social purpose by saying that Grete’s

future husband can contribute to the family income, which will fulfill their future wishes, and it

might compensate for Gregor to fulfill that demand. Being Grete’s father, he is his likely to

believe in a stranger rather than his own daughter, a man who he even does not know about.

Moreover, Grete’s marriage appeared to be a kind of business deal to him that gives the notion

that society believes a woman’s only goal is to wait for a career man, and get married to him.

They were shoving back their daughter in being the homemaker and playing the same

stereotypical role from which she just came out.

In A Streetcar Named Desire, the transformation of Blanche was much worse and

degrading compared to Grete Samsa. The act of rape of Blanche by Stanley changed her life

afterwards forever.

The rape is Blanche's destruction as an individual. In all previous sexual encounters,

Blanche had freely given of herself. But to be taken so cruelly and so brutally by a man

who represents all qualities which Blanche found vile caused her entire world to collapse.

Losing her way altogether at the end of the play, Blanche can no longer distinguish

illusion from reality. So she goes to an asylum (Ismael 114)

After the rape incident, expected of Stella to be in her sister’s side but rather he was on

her husband’s side. She decided to send her sister into a mental asylum, which would ease away

the complications at her household. In scene 11 Stella’s says, “I couldn’t believe her story and go

on living with Stanley” (Williams 217). This shows Stella as a passive woman who depended

completely upon her husband for him to control and arrange. She has no voice, no identity of her
 Jahan 20

own. Stanley’s raping of Blanche not only was a crime and sin towards her but also towards

Stella, it was an act of cheating on his wife. However, shockingly she accepts everything wrong

and submits to his husband. Susan Koprince in her essay states that, “Stanley’s violence against

her will continue – and escalate – and there will be no way out for her. Trapped in a cycle of

domestic abuse, Stella Kowalski will be alone and at risk, unable to leave the husband who

abuses her, unable to count on social remedies – unable to depend, perhaps, even on 'the

kindness of strangers'” (35). The future of Stella and Stanley may not happily ever after, because

men like never changes. She might be living with Stanley now but her future with a man like

Stanley might not be the way she is thinking. Both the sisters were struggling but at least unlike

Stella, Blanche tried in her own ways to live her life and overcome those struggles. Stella too,

escaping like her sister Blanche from the reality, from the responsibilities and ends up being a

doll trophy wife for Stanley present. The only way to defend her decision was thinking that as

she was having a baby she needed support mentally and financially from her husband. She had a

roof over head and husband who provided which was important to her at that time even more

than her sister was. She was practical, realistic minded who thought of making peace with

Stanley, and get rid of Blanche to reduce complexity. Blanche staying at her house might remind

what happened between her and Stanley but considering all the aspects though it was practical it

was not ethical. She compromised her own morality by taking decisions, which wronged her and

her sister too. It shows how reasonable but how weak a female character be written who was

given no intelligence and a voice even when the culprit was standing right in front of her.

On the other hand, Stanley had given the upper hand on Blanche with whom he had a war

from the beginning. He not only questioned Blanche’s sexual behaviors but also at the end used

sex as a weapon to destroy her. From the beginning, due to backgrounds and ideologies both had
 Jahan 21

tensions between them. He wanted to break Blanche on her knees, surrendered to him because as

a dominating and sexist man he could accept to lose to a woman. However, Blanche was strong

enough to shield herself from Stanley’s blows; at the end, sexual imposition not only destroyed

her physically but also mentally and psychologically. At last, he had the ultimate win over her,

which he desired from the start.

On conclusion, Kafka and Williams wrote characters of Gregor, Grete, Blanche, Stella,

and Stanley to show the power dynamic between males and females in their stereotypical roles.

The book emphasizes the oppression that women face and still are facing, Grete not being able to

pay for her own education, from acquiring a job that would set her free, she is placed right back

from where she started by just one word and that is “marriage”. The absurd and typical ending of

the book makes it very difficult not to raise question about certain facts. Both the characters

Grete and Gregor, focuses on gender stereotypes by showing how societies force typical

stereotypes gender wise. In Williams, these women presented as victims, attempted to survive in

a male-dominated society since the male characters portrayed as strong and dominant in contrast

to the female. They have either to accept physical abuse and bad treatment or face a fate similar

to Blanche. Feminist perspective makes clears it for the reader to understand that how the authors

has placed the women aside from being a major part in the text, whereas they can contribute and

flourish as much as men do. However, it has put attention to the male-dominating society more

and the portrayal was not enough in utilizing the female characters in a positive and effective

way.
 Jahan 22

Work Cited

Beauvoir, Simone de. The Second Sex. Vintage Classic, 2015.

Ismael, Zaid Ibrahim. "The Image of Women in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar

Named Desire." Journal of Tikrit University for the Humanities 19.1 (2012):

494-522.

Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Schocken Books, 1948.

Koprince, Susan. "Domestic Violence in A Streetcar Named Desire." Tennessee

Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire (2009).

Pyle, Jade. “A Feminist Criticism of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Presentation.”

Prezi. 15 May 2014.

Richardson, Eva. ‘Teaching Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis from Multiple Critical

Perspectives’. Prestwickhouse.com.

Swag, Missy. “Feminism in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Presentation.” Prezi. 8

Oct. 2014.

Vejas, Greta. ‘Revealing Kafka Through Gregor: Introducing the Major Depressive

Disorder’. Academia.

Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015.