The famous playWho´s afraid of Virginia Woolf?,written by Edward Albee in 1962, is the subject of this essay. Albee, one of the most important American playwrights of the second half of the 20thcentury, is the link between the nearly elderly generation of playwrights such as Eugene O´Neill, Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams, and the playwrights from the 1970´s and modern drama. Albee writes plays about the traditional American dreams and myths. But unlike O´Neill or Williams, he tells stories about people and their lies, illusions and the destruction of some of their lifelong lies, which helped them to survive. WithWho´s afraid of Virginia Woolf?,he created a drama about love, hate, truth, and illusion. It is nearly a mixture between a “livingroomcomedy and a naturalistic tragedy” (Eisenmann 93). The play is not a pure realistic play, it contains absurdist elements- for example the games, rituals and metaphors which are used by the protagonists. In this essay, I will give an overview of the games between the protagonists Martha and George, Nick and Honey and the battles between them. In this context, I will show how the protagonists act and which roles they have to underline and to support the cruel intentions of the others. For this purpose, the child, the imaginary son of Martha and George, gets an important role in the play. In this regard, the issue, whose purpose the games and the individual roles that the protagonists have, is to be questioned. Why do Martha and George act in the way we know and which role do Nick and Honey have in the battles between Martha and George? Which purpose shall be served by the son? With this following essay I will try to emphasize the individual roles and the acting and behaviour of the protagonists and I will give an explanation for the games and their meanings in Who´s afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The acting in Albee's drama Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?
- Martha and George and their relationship
- Nick and Honey and their relationship
- Different roles and the role-playing of the protagonists
- The role of Martha
- The role of George
- The role of Nick
- The role of Honey
- The child and its particular role in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?
- ,,All the world's a stage“- games and rituals in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?
- The different games and rituals and their meanings
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay examines Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, exploring the acting and role-playing of the characters within the context of games and rituals. The essay seeks to analyze the motivations behind the characters' actions and the purpose served by their roles in the drama. It delves into the dynamics of the relationships between Martha and George, Nick and Honey, and how their interactions contribute to the play's overall themes.
- Acting and role-playing in the context of games and rituals
- The complex relationships between the protagonists
- The dynamics of power and manipulation
- The interplay of truth and illusion
- The impact of past experiences on present behavior
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The essay begins by introducing the play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and its author, Edward Albee, highlighting his significance in American drama. The introduction then lays out the essay's objectives and outlines its focus on analyzing the acting and role-playing of the protagonists, particularly Martha and George, as well as their interactions with Nick and Honey.
The first chapter delves into the portrayal of Martha and George's relationship, characterized by a destructive and sado-masochistic dynamic. The chapter highlights Martha's manipulative nature, her constant prodding of George, and his passive response. This section analyzes specific instances from the play where their actions demonstrate their complex and often destructive relationship.
The second chapter examines the roles played by the four protagonists – Martha, George, Nick, and Honey – and explores the motivations behind their actions. This chapter sheds light on how each character uses their individual roles to manipulate and control others. It also explores the significance of the "child" in the play and its role as a symbol of the characters' desires and frustrations.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this essay include American drama, Edward Albee, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, acting, role-playing, games and rituals, relationship dynamics, truth and illusion, manipulation, and power struggles. The essay examines the complex interplay between these themes as they are manifested through the actions and motivations of the protagonists in the play.
- Citation du texte
- Daniela Artuso (Auteur), 2005, "All the world´s a stage": Acting and role-playing in "Who´s afraid of Virginia Woolf", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/60646
