Stanley and the Women: Analysis of Major Characters
"Stanley and the Women" is a narrative that examines the complexities of familial and romantic relationships through the experiences of Stanley Duke, a middle-aged advertising manager. Central to the story is Stanley's struggle to navigate his interactions with the women in his life, particularly in the context of his son's mental health crisis. Stanley's character is portrayed as intelligent yet lacking insight into the emotions and motivations of those around him, which leads to conflict and misunderstanding.
The major female characters include Nowell, Stanley's selfish first wife who deflects responsibility for their son’s illness; Susan, his second wife, who imposes a challenging choice between loyalty to her and care for his son; and Trish, the psychiatrist who appears more focused on attributing blame to Stanley than on healing Steve. Each woman's relationship with Stanley adds layers of tension, revealing themes of responsibility, emotional detachment, and the struggle for agency. Other characters, such as Bert, Stanley's ex-wife's current husband, and Lindsey, a past lover, further illustrate the dynamics of male-female relationships within the narrative.
This overview highlights the intricate interplay of character dynamics and the broader themes of familial duty and gender roles, setting the stage for deeper exploration of the text's insights into human behavior and relationships.
Stanley and the Women: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Kingsley Amis
First published: 1984
Genre: Novel
Locale: London, England
Plot: Social satire
Time: The mid-1980's
Stanley Duke, the narrator, the advertising manager of a London newspaper. He is a balding, middle-aged man now in his second marriage. He is intelligent and perceptive; still, he has little understanding of women, at least of the women in his own life. When his son falls ill, he is beleaguered by three women—his former wife, his current wife, and the doctor treating his son—all of whom, he believes, are behaving toward him in a hostile and irrational manner.
Steve Duke, Stanley's nineteen-year-old son, from his first marriage. He is believed to be traveling in Spain with his girlfriend, but he turns up suddenly at Stanley's door. He talks and behaves in a bizarre fashion and eventually is diagnosed as schizophrenic and committed to a hospital for treatment. He is released into his father's care for a time but is recommitted after his stepmother alleges that he attacked and slightly wounded her with a knife.
Nowell Hutchinson, Stanley's first wife, to whom he was married for thirteen years. She is a fading television actress now married to a television producer. She is a selfish woman who has the facility for creating an alternate reality, which always suits her own interests. She attempts to take care of Steve for a day or so but quickly concludes that his illness is his father's fault and that she bears no responsi-bility.
Susan Duke, Stanley's second wife. She is an assistant literary editor for a London newspaper. A tall brunette, thirty-eight years of age, she is on the surface a perfect wife. She subtly attempts to force Stanley to choose between his son and her. Finally, she charges that Steve attacked her, but her wound may well have been self-inflicted.
Trish Collings, the psychiatrist in charge of Steve's case. She is a nervous, restless young woman who takes an instant dislike to Stanley. She seems less interested in curing Steve than in proving that Stanley is vaguely responsible for his son's condition.
Bert Hutchinson, Nowell's second husband, the man for whom she left Stanley. He is a television producer. In one scene, he and Stanley get drunk together. They come to share an unspoken camaraderie, based on their common experience of being married to an exceedingly difficult woman.
Lindsey Lucas, a women's page columnist for a London daily. She is a fair, attractive woman with a Northern Ireland accent. She is an exact contemporary of Susan, and Stanley had an affair with her between his marriages. He gets on with her well, probably because he is not married to her.
Lady Daly, Stanley's mother-in-law, the widow of a Conservative member of Parliament. In her middle or late sixties, she is yet another woman with whom Stanley has a tenuous relationship. She is not very bright and is completely lacking in humor. The distant quality of their relationship is characterized by his term of address for her, “lady.”