In Scene Ten, Blanche and Stanley are alone in the apartment. Why is Stella not present? Blanche again mentions Shep Huntleigh. He, too, has taken on a symbolic meaning for Blanche. What does he represent to her? Why does she tell Stanley a lie about Shep Huntleigh? What does Stanley mean when he asks Blanche, "Shall we bury the hatchet and make it a loving-cup"? Why does Blanche say no?
The reason that Stella is not present is because she is in labor and going to have a baby. I think that Shep Huntleigh is an escape for Blanche. He represents the better days of the past, a time where she was still young and beautiful and the world had not tainted her yet. He represents an escape from reality to Blanche. Blanche wants "magic" and "make-believe", while Shep Huntleigh probably did exist, Blanche has not communicated with him in forever. Shep is purely a man who is an escape from New Orleans for Blanche. Blanche lies to Stanley about Shep Huntleigh because she knows that Stanley wants her out immediately, she is threatened by him. Also, it may not be a lie in her eyes, I think at this point her mental stability is gone and she truly believes Shep is going to come. Stanley means sexual advances by "Shall we bury the hatchet and make it a loving-cup?". He doesn't mean to make amends, he knows that Blanche will feel uncomfortable with him asserting his dominance and that is why he makes sexual advances towards her. Blanche says no because in this case she is the prey and he is the predator, she is already terrified of him, and this rape scene pushes her over the edge. She doesn't want to be viewed as a "fallen woman" who gives her love to anyone, especially her sister's husband.
Stanley DID intend to make peace with Blanche. He did not originally intend to rape her. Stanley NEVER made the first move in any scene. It is always Blanche saying something ugly to Stanley then Stanley reacting. From the first, when Stanley encounters Blanche, Blanche starts flirting with Stanley then Stanley reacts, saying, "If you weren't Stella's sister I'd.." In another scene Stanley is outside the door out of sight overhearing Blanche refer to Stanley as an ape and from the Stone Age. On another night Stanley is eating quietly. Stella calls Stanley a greasy pig and yells at him to clean his place. Then Stanley got mad. The night of the rape Blanche started talking to Stanley. Stanley came home in a good mood because he was expecting his son. He was talking about how the last time he wore the silk pajamas he was putting on was on his wedding night and when his son is born he is going to rip the silk pajamas. In other words he will never have another occasion to be so happy to wear the silk pajamas again. Then Blanche made up the lie about Shep which prompted Stanley to investigate more thoroughly. Stanley would not have minded talking and listening. Stanley DID mind someone lying to him, making things up, scamming him. Stanley realizes Blanche is lying to him when Stanley asks Blanche did Shep call before or after Blanche sent Mitch away. Stanley did not originally think of raping Blanche. It was when Blanche started, as she is always starting,saying, "Stand over there" that Stanley reacts, as he always reacts to Blanche's actions, saying, "You think I'm gonna have an affair with you?' Stanley now conceptualizes raping her because he is inspired by Blanche's thought, and says, "Come to think of it you might not be bad to have an affair with." Blanche does not refuse to sleep with Stanley for dominance purposes. Blanche has truly repented. Blanche refused to sleep with Mitch several times. Blanche also refused to sleep with the paperboy who she started to seduce. Blanche reprimanded herself, "Stop sleeping with 17-year olds." If Stanley had not interfered with Blanche and Mitch's getting married then Blanche would have moved out and not bothered Stanley and Stella again. But Stanley told Mitch about all of Blanche's history and broke Mitch and Blanche up. It was not the rape by Stanley that pushes Blanche over the edge but the breakup between Mitch and Blanche that pushes Blanche over the edge. Stanley asked Blanche if Shep called before or after the breakup with Mitch and Blanche asks what call and answers before, no after. Stella will not believe Stanley raped Blanche because if Stella leaves Stanley then Stella will become Blanche, crazy because her marriage didn't work because her husband cheated on her with her sister in a degenerate way (just like Blanche's husband did Blanche) and with no place to go and no money.
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