Stella Kowalski

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Stella Kowalski (née DuBois) is one of the main characters in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire. The sister of central character Blanche DuBois, she was portrayed by Kim Hunter in the broadway production as well as 1951 film adaptation. Hunter won an Academy Award for her performance.

Stella is a Southern belle who was lured away to New Orleans by her working class construction worker husband, Stanley Kowalski. Her character is portrayed as independent of mind, young and fair, everything that Blanche once was and no longer is.

Stella is a victim of domestic violence and often finds herself taking refuge at her neighbour Eunice’s home, only to return to Stanley when he cries for her to take him back. Blanche, who has arrived for a "visit", is horrified by her sister's situation and tries to convince Stella to divorce Stanley, but Stella refuses, bound to Stanley by sexual attraction and her pregnancy with his child.

Stanley, who prides himself on luring Stella away from her privileged background, dislikes the influence Blanche has over his young wife. When Stanley discovers that Blanche has lost the family estate, Belle Reve, and been forced out of her home town, he gleefully tells Stella, who initially refuses to believe him.

The night Stella goes into labor, Stanley drunkenly happens upon Blanche and rapes her. This sends Blanche completely over the edge into a nervous breakdown, and Stanley forces Stella to send her off to a mental institution.

In some versions of A Streetcar Named Desire, Stella leaves Stanley after she finds out about the rape.