Transcript Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Act II
Relieving the tension
 How does Albee relieve the tension built up in the
previous Act?
George & Nick
 Both characters are (as always) critical of each other.
 George’s ‘[contemptuous dismissal] YOU’ (p48)
suggests that Nick means little to him.
 George also refers to him as ‘smug’ & ‘self-righteous’.
(p48)
George & Nick
 Nick for the first time is particularly aggressive
towards George.
 Nick’s aggression: ‘[genuine threat]:
CAN…IT…MISTER!’
Flagellation (p49)
 Two meanings to this:
It’s whipping
 1. used in certain religious sects for self-discipline.
 And
 2. Sadomasochistic sex.
Flagellation
 What do you think might be the meaning behind it
within the context of the story?
 How does it describe George & Martha?
 Can it be extended to describe Nick & Honey’s
relationship?
Honey’s Pregnancy
 How does Honey’s pregnancy reflect some of the
themes in the play?
 What are the themes.
 After the revelation both characters laugh.
 Explain why this might be.
George’s Story
 One of the most controversial parts of the entire play.
 Why might this be?
 Note: There is a FIVE SECOND silence at the end of it.
This is very long in theatre.
George’s Story
 It has been read in a number of ways:
 1: George is speaking about himself. This could be
suggested through the line ‘He was not killed, of course.’
(p51)
 2: It is just an invention by George to entertain the guests.
 3: It is an allegory for George's past hatred for his parents &
the statement that he hasn’t said a word (p51) is
representative of George’s feeling that he has done nothing
worthwhile in his later life.
The invented child
 ‘Martha doesn’t have pregnancies at all.’ (p52)
 Nick assumes this to mean that she doesn’t any more.
 However, what can we assume it to mean?
 Also what does the reference to the bean-bag suggest?
(p53)
Martha & Mythology
 Why do you think George calls the son ‘the apple of
our three eyes’? (p53)
 What’s the purpose of the Cyclops reference?
 It is another example of Albee twisting cliques in an
absurdist way.
George & Martha
 They switch languages effortlessly and the argument
continues in French.
 ‘I’ve been trying for years to clean up the mess I made’
(George) (p54)
 What is George referring to in this line?
Nick & Honey
 What does Nick’s suggestion about him and Honey’s
relationship tell us about:
 Him as a character?
 And
 Their relationship.
(p54-56)
George
 Why do you think George is so eager to hear Nick’s
story? Think about what we learn later in the story.
 Do you think that the kindness is an act? Why/Why
not?
Truth and Illusion
 George’s story about Martha’s father re-marrying is
again a possible invention of George’s.
 It could once again be George’s way of manipulating
Nick.
 (p57)
Honey’s Father
 It’s very obvious that Albee is indicating the failure of
religion in our lives, that he considers it a collection of
corrupt and useless institutions.
 ‘Honey, (being) seemingly inane and idioitic,
constantly sick and giggling, doesn’t suggest that
religion has produced healthy offspring.’
 (p60-63)
Nick VS George
 Which character is more admirable?
 George, with his self-pity & passivity?
 Nick his coldhearted ambition?
 (p60-62)
George’s speech
 A suggestion that man has created a civilised society
only to have it jeered by the future generation.
 Nick’s ‘UP YOURS’ (p62)
Act II, Scene II
 George & Martha’s son:
 Martha suggests that George’s presence made their son
sick.
 George suggests that Martha sexually abused the boy.
 (p64)
Martha’s Newest Assault
 ‘You used to drink bergin, too’ (p65)
 ‘how he would have amounted to something if it
hadn’t been for Daddy’ (p66)
 George’s reaction:
 Please, Martha.
Nick joining in.
 ‘Nick [egging her on]: A book? What book?’
Allusions to all-out war
 George: ‘Guerilla tactics, maybe…internal subversion’
(p66)
The Dance
 George tries his best to disrupt the dance. He first puts
on Beethoven’s 7th a piece of classical music.
Dance Scene
 What does the dance scene tell us about the
characters?
Paganism & Fertility
 George’s comment to Martha ‘Sacre du Printemps’ a
ballad evoking an old pegan ritual in which a young
woman dances herself to death for the fertility of the
soil. (p68)
 Themes of paganism & fertility are explored once
again.
George’s humiliation
 Martha begins by being overly flirtatious with Nick.
 However, when this doesn’t have the effect of
completely emasculating & humiliating George she
moves on to tell his deepest secrets.
The story
 Some readers suggest that Martha is telling the truth
with the story.
 Others point out that she blends truth & fantasy.
 What do you think?
 (p70-71)
George’s Violent side
 George violently attacks Martha when his temper gets
the better of him.
 The theme of Murder is made very explicit in this
scene.
 Albee seems to be suggesting that people resort to
violence when all else fails, but that it’s no substitute
for true communication.
Games & Gamesmanship
 George very clearly articulates this theme in which he
speaks directly about it.
 ‘Hump the hostess’: At this point George has lost all
sense of tact & subtlety.
 (p73)
‘Get the Guests’
 Why do you think that George turns on the guests?
 Is he jealous of their apparent success?
 Is he resentful of Nick’s overt sexual approach to
Martha?
 Or does he try to get them because he can’t get at
Martha?
Truth & illusion again…
 ‘I mean true or false that there was ever such a thing’
(74) George about the book.
Get the Guests…
 Some readers have suggested that this is George &
Martha being cruel to their guests for no reason.
 What evidence is there to back such a suggestion up.
George’s ‘Story’
 He purposely uses an informal style in order to ensure
Honey understands.
 She is devastated that Nick has told their secret.
 Nick threatens to make George regret his decision.
George
 ‘You gotta have a swine to show you where the truffles
are.’ (p79)
 You need to sometimes get an animal to show you
where the truth is.
George and Martha
 This is arguably the first truly honest scene between
George and Martha in the play. What does it tell us
about them?
George & Martha
 Both characters are left ‘raw & bleeding’ at the end of
the encounter.
Honey getting ill…
 This has been described as a justification for why
Honey & Nick didn’t leave despite the violence and
hostility.
 Notice also that on his return Nick is much more
broken & placid than he was when he left.
 Why might this be?
Nick & Martha
 This is also described as a reason that Nick doesn’t
want to leave. He wants to seduce her.
 George watches them momentarily. Why do you think
that he doesn’t intervene?
‘The worm turns’
 This is an allusion to Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part II’
 ‘The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on’
 Even the lowliest creature will survive persecution.
 However, Martha suggests that George won’t he’ll die.
The grave also suggests the theme of death once more.
George and Martha
 Their destructive relationship continues.
 George almost dares her to take Nick’s bed.
 Which of the two are worse in this exchange? Why?
 They behave like overgrown children.
Allusions
 The chimes Martha brushes against have been
compared to those rung at important moments of a
Catholic mass.
 The book George is reading echo’s George & Martha’s
relationship.
Honey & George
 George immediately realises that contraception is
being used.
 ‘A dry run for the wave of the future.’
What is this suggesting?
George ‘Bang…’ could have two meanings. What might
they be?
Walpurgisnacht
 Sexual orgies & evil characterise this festival from
German legend about Witches who meet on the 1st of
April.
 What might be the reference here?
Walpurgisnacht
 ‘Old Nick’ – Martha the witch?
 It’s too simple to assume George as the ‘good’ hero
character.
 Therefore, it seems that Albee is suggesting the
problems of the modern world but not offering any
solutions.