It cannot be denied that much of Stanley's behaviour throughout the play, in particular his rape of Blanche, is 'monstrous'. However, the potential behind his 'threatening presence' is cunningly revealed by Williams long before the dramatic ending through Stanley's stage directions, language and behaviour. One critic, peter Fleming, referred to Stanley as 'a character almost as over-simplified and two-dimensional as those daemonic supermen whose exploits in strip cartoons make such an appeal to the imagination …showed first 75 words of 1165 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1165 total…Blanche's old South, courtly and illusive nature that it is notably difficult for Stanley to accommodate her in his very ordered, but bursting with life domain. It can therefore be concluded that whilst whether Stanley can be labelled a monster deserves more debate, the extent of his character, although not demonstrated fully until his rape of Blanche, is suggested to the audience throughout the play through William's cunning use of stage directions, language and behaviour.