Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: Essay Sample

Introduction

The following commentary is based on a play, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" that was authored by the popular Edward Albee. The play premiered on October 13th, 1962 for the first time. The context of this particular excerpt encompasses a conversation held by Nick and George. Its setting is a small campus in New England. It starts with George and Martha, the main characters, coming home at two in the morning from a party at her dad's. That seems to be a non-issue for the visitors that are expected at the same time in their home: Nick and Honey.

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Albee, the author of the play, through the use of carefully selected and placed literary devices, shows the tension thereafter between them, and Nick's inferiority to George as implied by the former. George is talking to Nick, whom he tells that he hits persons younger than himself and repeats it. He even goes ahead to explain to Nick in a mocking tone how weak he is and that he feels no shame in hitting animals nor women (Gale, 56). George mentions that Nick is a "smug...scientist" which is sufficient evidence to conclude that he is judgmental. He is seen to criticize Nick and this fuels more their conflict by creating anticipation for the final insult in his words "easily impressed" (Roy, Ananya, 204). The entire play makes use of ellipses whose intention for its use by the author is to give room for the readers to incorporate their thoughts. For instance, the words, "Can...it...Mister!" show that Nick was trying so hard to control his anger.

The theme of illusion versus reality with specific regard to both children even though none had kids is evident in the excerpt. George tells a story about a boy that shot his parents by accident and went mad (Bennett, Michael, 77). It is not quite clear whether or not the boy in the story was George. George talked of "any children" since both didn't have children, whereas Nick said Honey had a hysterical pregnancy which he connotated using the word blown up balloon. George seems to be thrown off by Nick's confession and the attributed theme, in this case, would be lies that hold marriages together.

Conclusion

Towards the end of the play, it is written that the two shared laughter that earned Nick, the term 'animal' which figuratively meant primitive. The uncontrolled laughter was a surprise as it was unexpected to both of them. Of significance to note is the use of the element of surprise to depict the fact that everyone was stunned by the unexpected development of their friendship. Due to their differences in ideologies and generation, they feel like they ought to be enemies. This pragmatic idealism can be deemed a theme in the play of the old versus the new.

References

Bennett, Michael Y. Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Routledge, 2018.

Gale, Cengage Learning. A Study Guide for Edward Albee's" Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". Gale, Cengage Learning, 2016.

Roy, Ananya. "Who's afraid of postcolonial theory?." International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 40.1 (2016): 200-209.