A playwright can use sexual tension to create dramatic tension between characters and provide insight into their psychologies. In this article, I will discuss how playwrights can use sexual tension to develop character motivations, desires, fears, and vulnerabilities. Sexual tension is defined as an unresolved emotional state that results from the physical attraction between two people who are not yet engaged in a romantic relationship. It can be expressed through body language, dialogue, and actions such as touching, gazing, flirting, and dancing. Playwrights use sexual tension to reveal character personalities, hidden agendas, and subconscious thoughts. By exploring the dynamics between characters, they can also expose social norms, power imbalances, and cultural biases. Let's look at some examples.
In the play 'Death of a Salesman', by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman is a middle-aged salesman who struggles to make ends meet while raising his family. He has a strained relationship with his wife, Linda, who he often ignores or mistreats. He also has an affair with a younger woman named The Woman. Throughout the play, there is sexual tension between these two characters, which reflects Willy's desire for attention and validation. This tension allows the audience to see Willy's insecurities and weaknesses, as well as his longing for youthful beauty and excitement. The play reveals the destructive effects of capitalism on relationships and the impact of male ego on the family unit.
Another example is Tennessee Williams's play 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. The main character, Blanche DuBois, is a fading Southern belle who moves into her sister Stella's home in New Orleans. She tries to seduce her brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, but he rejects her advances. Their mutual attraction creates a tense atmosphere that exposes their conflicting desires and fears. Blanche represents the old ways of the South, while Stanley embodies modern American masculinity. Their interaction shows how societal changes can create conflict within families and communities.
Sarah Ruhl's play 'The Clean House' explores the theme of loss and grief through the story of a Brazilian maid, Matilde, and her employers, Anna and Charles. When Matilde falls in love with the gardener, the couple asks her to keep it a secret due to social conventions.
This secrecy creates tension between all three characters, leading them to question their priorities and values. Matilde must choose between loyalty to her employers or to her new lover, highlighting the complexities of class, gender, and identity.
Sexual tension is an important tool for playwrights because it allows them to explore character psychology, society, and human nature. By creating intimate situations between characters, they can reveal hidden motivations, desires, and vulnerabilities that shape our lives. It provides a window into the complexities of relationships and the challenges we face as individuals and groups.
How do playwrights use sexual tension to reveal character psychology?
Playwrights use sexual tension as a tool to create drama, heighten conflict, build suspense, explore characters' motivations and desires, and ultimately show how people interact with one another. This technique can be used to bring out the characters' personalities and create depth in their relationships, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of romantic attraction.