Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is set on New Carthage University, in New England, following the lives of George and Martha. George and Martha care deeply for each other, but certain events, in their lives, have made it hard on their marriage. The book starts with both of them heading home from a party at Martha's father's house; later at two o'clock in the morning George and Martha are expecting guests, the new math professor, Nick (who actually works in the biology department) and his wife, Honey, show up. Nick and Honey have walked into a brutal social situation and find that George and Martha are trying to get each other angry, each of them using new and inventive ways. George and Martha end up using Nick and Honey as pawns in their game of humiliation; each creating jealousy and expressing their sides of their story. Later in the book, the games get nastier, with George and Martha attacking Nick and Honey, trying to get them to reveal their dirty secrets and show their true selves. At the end of the book, everyone's secrets are revealed and Nick and Honey go home, leaving George and Martha to fix their broken marriage.
The four main characters, of the book, are George, Martha, Nick, and Honey. George is shown more often in the book and at times switches to his point-of-view. George is a 46 year old associate history professor at the New Carthage. He is married to Martha and is one of the main contributors to their broken marriage. Martha is a 52 year old, who is the daughter of the President of New Carthage. She is married to George, yet tries to have an affair with Nick. Nick is a new biology professor at the university; he is 28 years old and married to Honey. Honey is a petite and bland 26 year old and is married to Nick. Each of the characters contribute to the story, with George, Martha, and their being the center of the book. George and Martha's bitter marriage battle has caused Nick and Honey to be dragged in and used as pawns. Their attitudes and lives set the tone for the book's story.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is set in New Carthage University in a small New England town. George and Martha's home, located on the campus, is the main stage for the actions and drama that take place in the book. George and Martha describe their house as a “dump” and neither of them like the furniture in the house or the size of it. The fact that they live on campus shows their financial situation and that they are firmly under Martha's father's, the president of the university, thumb. In the ancient times, Rome was at war with a city-state named Carthage, this war is called the Punic Wars; which George notes in the book. Rome destroyed Carthage, leveling the city, killing everyone living there, and putting salt into the soil, making it impossible for crops to grow there. The name New Carthage could mean a new beginning or that fact that George might want it the be destroyed like the ancient Carthage.
The conflicts in the story are mainly man v. man, man v. self, and man v. society. George and Martha are the two battling characters in the story and are constantly trying to humiliate and expose each other; making that man v. man. George's struggle within his marriage and having his embarrassment and secrets exposed, imply man v. self. Also, George is shown in the book as a weak, pathetic to Martha, associate professor, in a small college. The fact that he is still an associate professor and not a full professor shows his lack of ability to move up in the ranking at the college, even though his father-in-law is the president; this is man v. self and man v. society. Georges survival in New Carthage, a town he might possibly hate and in a house he sees as a “dump” shows man v. nature. Man v. technology is not found in this book.
There are major themes throughout the book, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Marriage, Power, and Dissatisfaction, being three major themes. The theme of marriage is known by George and Martha being married and Nick and Honey being married also. In the book, the deep flaws of each marriage is shown through their dirty tricks and games. George and Martha's marriage being center stage in the book; their love and hate is closely similar in their marriage. George and Martha's feuding causing Nick and Honey to feud and show their flaws in their marriage also; though their marriage does not seem as promising as George and Martha's at the end of the book. Another theme is Power; the struggle of power between George and Martha in their game of humiliation. Martha tries to gain the power and upper hand on George through humiliation and jealousy, humiliation about his job and jealousy by trying to have an affair with Nick. George tries to do the same, but can't quite achieve the same level as Martha. Nick and Honey's marriage shows that the power is mainly taken by Nick, but through George and Martha's feuding, the power shifts and alters. The last theme is Dissatisfaction, each character is dissatisfied with each other, their marriages, their friendships, and their careers. George and Martha and Nick and Honey are dissatisfied with their marriages, seeing as each secret and flaw is shown. George is dissatisfied with his position in his career and it is shown that Martha is also.
There are a few symbols in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, three major symbols are babies, the American Dream, and the Cold War. The first symbol, babies, is used in a few ways; one being that George and Martha call each other baby and also Martha calls Nick that a few times also. Often in the play, George and Martha greet and call Nick and Honey “kids” or refer to them as “little guests.” Also, George and Martha talk to each other in a manner that is more like “baby talk.” Another symbol is The American Dream; George and Martha are named after George and Martha Washington and they don't pretend to be happy or stable; showing many lives that Americans live. Nick and Honey are shown as living the American Dream; Nick is good-looking and ambitious and Honey is pretty and supportive and have a “perfect” marriage. The American Dream seems to disappear and their marriage cracks as the story goes on. The last symbol is the Cold War; when the book was written is was during the time of the Cold War. Albee seems to portray this war through George and Martha's marriage and through George, Martha, Nick, and Honey's names.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZEKQnMCze8
Citation: Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZEKQnMCze8
Picture - http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTg5OTM4MTc5Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzM3Njk3OA@@._V1_SY317_CR1,0,214,317_.jpg
Sites – Shmoop Editorial Team.“Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.” Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web
SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.” SparkNotes.com SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web
The four main characters, of the book, are George, Martha, Nick, and Honey. George is shown more often in the book and at times switches to his point-of-view. George is a 46 year old associate history professor at the New Carthage. He is married to Martha and is one of the main contributors to their broken marriage. Martha is a 52 year old, who is the daughter of the President of New Carthage. She is married to George, yet tries to have an affair with Nick. Nick is a new biology professor at the university; he is 28 years old and married to Honey. Honey is a petite and bland 26 year old and is married to Nick. Each of the characters contribute to the story, with George, Martha, and their being the center of the book. George and Martha's bitter marriage battle has caused Nick and Honey to be dragged in and used as pawns. Their attitudes and lives set the tone for the book's story.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is set in New Carthage University in a small New England town. George and Martha's home, located on the campus, is the main stage for the actions and drama that take place in the book. George and Martha describe their house as a “dump” and neither of them like the furniture in the house or the size of it. The fact that they live on campus shows their financial situation and that they are firmly under Martha's father's, the president of the university, thumb. In the ancient times, Rome was at war with a city-state named Carthage, this war is called the Punic Wars; which George notes in the book. Rome destroyed Carthage, leveling the city, killing everyone living there, and putting salt into the soil, making it impossible for crops to grow there. The name New Carthage could mean a new beginning or that fact that George might want it the be destroyed like the ancient Carthage.
The conflicts in the story are mainly man v. man, man v. self, and man v. society. George and Martha are the two battling characters in the story and are constantly trying to humiliate and expose each other; making that man v. man. George's struggle within his marriage and having his embarrassment and secrets exposed, imply man v. self. Also, George is shown in the book as a weak, pathetic to Martha, associate professor, in a small college. The fact that he is still an associate professor and not a full professor shows his lack of ability to move up in the ranking at the college, even though his father-in-law is the president; this is man v. self and man v. society. Georges survival in New Carthage, a town he might possibly hate and in a house he sees as a “dump” shows man v. nature. Man v. technology is not found in this book.
There are major themes throughout the book, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Marriage, Power, and Dissatisfaction, being three major themes. The theme of marriage is known by George and Martha being married and Nick and Honey being married also. In the book, the deep flaws of each marriage is shown through their dirty tricks and games. George and Martha's marriage being center stage in the book; their love and hate is closely similar in their marriage. George and Martha's feuding causing Nick and Honey to feud and show their flaws in their marriage also; though their marriage does not seem as promising as George and Martha's at the end of the book. Another theme is Power; the struggle of power between George and Martha in their game of humiliation. Martha tries to gain the power and upper hand on George through humiliation and jealousy, humiliation about his job and jealousy by trying to have an affair with Nick. George tries to do the same, but can't quite achieve the same level as Martha. Nick and Honey's marriage shows that the power is mainly taken by Nick, but through George and Martha's feuding, the power shifts and alters. The last theme is Dissatisfaction, each character is dissatisfied with each other, their marriages, their friendships, and their careers. George and Martha and Nick and Honey are dissatisfied with their marriages, seeing as each secret and flaw is shown. George is dissatisfied with his position in his career and it is shown that Martha is also.
There are a few symbols in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, three major symbols are babies, the American Dream, and the Cold War. The first symbol, babies, is used in a few ways; one being that George and Martha call each other baby and also Martha calls Nick that a few times also. Often in the play, George and Martha greet and call Nick and Honey “kids” or refer to them as “little guests.” Also, George and Martha talk to each other in a manner that is more like “baby talk.” Another symbol is The American Dream; George and Martha are named after George and Martha Washington and they don't pretend to be happy or stable; showing many lives that Americans live. Nick and Honey are shown as living the American Dream; Nick is good-looking and ambitious and Honey is pretty and supportive and have a “perfect” marriage. The American Dream seems to disappear and their marriage cracks as the story goes on. The last symbol is the Cold War; when the book was written is was during the time of the Cold War. Albee seems to portray this war through George and Martha's marriage and through George, Martha, Nick, and Honey's names.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZEKQnMCze8
Citation: Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZEKQnMCze8
Picture - http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTg5OTM4MTc5Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzM3Njk3OA@@._V1_SY317_CR1,0,214,317_.jpg
Sites – Shmoop Editorial Team.“Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.” Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web
SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.” SparkNotes.com SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web