Edward Albee - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

At long last, the explanation of why I chose this play.

When it came to by my turn to make the selection for October, I asked around what kind of book people were in the mood for, and it was suggested (by Emma, I think ?) that a play would be fun. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf immediately came to mind as an interesting play, and it is truly an American classic.    I think it is shocking, hilarious, and depressing all at once, and I think some of the ideas addressed should make for a very good discussion, even if not everyone enjoyed it.   It was enormously controversial when it first arrived in theaters in 1962, and won many awards.  The Pulitzer Prize for drama, however, was not awarded that year because the committee disliked the strong dialogue of WAoVW, yet they did not give the award to any other play.  An interesting statement in itself. 

Edward Albee, the play's author, has been frequently quoted as saying the title really means, "Who's afraid of living with false illusions ?"   I won't say too much about the play for those who have not yet finished it (and indeed it is a very short read so don't be discouraged to start it even the day before the meeting !) but I will try to describe the context of the times in which the play was written.  The early 1960's brought a new way of thinking to the US at a time when optimism and prosperity were pretty much at their zenith for both the country and individual families:  The American Dream was no longer a dream, but really a “given” for everyone.  JFK was president, the youngest ever, and a new generation was beginning to assert its opinions and ideas more than any generation in the past.  It was the height  of the cold war, and the older generations still tended to be weighed down by a bit of fear and cynicism, and within less than a decade the hippie revolution would be upon everyone.  

George and Martha (cleverly named after America's first couple, President George Washington and his wife, Martha) represent the old generation;  Nick and Honey represent the future….or at least on the surface.  The absurd evening of interactions between the four of them shows just how many illusions we create for ourselves, whether consciously or unconsciously, young or old, etc.  Is the American Dream itself just an illusion ?  I leave it at that for now, with the rest to be discussed on Thursday.  I realize the play is a bit strange but I hope it makes for an interesting discussion.  And if so inclined….we can one day watch the movie together.

Cynthia