Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Ratings48
Average rating3.9
George, a disillusioned academic, and Martha, his caustic wife, have just come home from a faculty party. When a handsome young professor and his mousy wife stop by for a nightcap, an innocent night of fun and games quickly turns dark and dangerous. Long-buried resentment and rage are unleashed as George and Martha turn their rapier-sharp wits against each other, using their guests as pawns in their verbal sparring. By night's end, the secrets of both couples are uncovered and the lies they cling to are exposed. Considered by many to be Albee's masterpiece, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a "brilliantly original work of art -- an excoriating theatrical experience, surging with shocks of recognition and dramatic fire" (Newsweek).
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Amazing character building, full of life and nuance in every single sentence. The play starts as a typical mid 20th century rom-com but quickly devolves into an analysis that questions the structure of the ‘Nuclear Family.'
Every sentence felt natural, making the play overflow with emotion that passes along to the reader. A very good introductory play for those trying to get into reading them.
Oh Edward Albee, what a dramatic piece of fiction you've created for the 20th century audience. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf illuminates the lives of two different couples, Martha and George as well as Nick and Honey in a New England town either in the 50's or the 60's. The troubles that surround both couples are released in the early morning following the party that Martha's father hosted at the New Carthage college campus. Nick, the new biology teacher at the school is invited to Martha and George's home alongside Honey, a small, and not-so-bright woman who comes from a well-to-do background. Immediately the audience is introduced to the love-hate relationship that George and Martha have been building up from their 23 year marriage. The openess that Albee has towards this tumultuous relationship shows society of the many failures that we keep behind closed doors. Negative attributes of everyone will fall into the open and true colors are shown. What made this book so weird in my opinion was the constant arguing between Martha and George. It was awkward for them to feel so comfortable doing it around company, so abnormal especially in a time frame such as the 50's/60's.
You can tell there were dissatisfaction's with all four characters; Martha for being too abrasive and yearning for attention, George for being considered a failure in his job at the History department of the college, and not mounting up to the “man” that Martha's father wished he was. Nick for being the “gorgeous genius” whose not as open to the world of deception until he meets the unhappy older couple, and Honey because her alcohol abuse and limited intelligence gets shunned by most because of her wealthy status.
This book took about four hours to read. I think it was the loudness of the characters that drew me in to read more and although I had questions about alot of moves being made by the characters, by the end, it was just so different to read a play that took America into a new direction about the stereotypical family and what it should include.
