Student Question
By the end of the play, who admits to being afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Quick answer:
By the end of the play, George ironically admits to being afraid of Virginia Woolf with the line, "I am, Martha, I am." This statement highlights the mutual fear and ego clashes between George and Martha. The play explores themes of masculine versus feminine energy and dysfunctional family dynamics, using the reputation of Virginia Woolf as a feminist icon to underscore its central conflicts. Albee's work focuses on extreme familial conflicts rather than traditional realism.
In the last line of the play, George says, ironically, "I am, Martha, I am", by which Albee dramatizes the codenouement final resolution between him and Martha, a shouting match built on mutual fear of each other's ego. The title is a play on words, but the fact of Virginia Wolff's reputation as a strong feminist has formed the center of most scholarly interpretation of the play. Is this a play about masculine vs. feminine energy? Are the characters symbolic of Man and Woman in general, or is the play a set of full-length portraits of specific characters? Albee is a modern playwright, not directly connected with the realism of Ibsen or Chekhov, but rather experimenting with extreme manifestations of familial conflict--what is now called a dysfunctional family. The theme of dysfunctional family was a modern one. Arthur Kopit, a contemporary of Albee's, wrote "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Momma's hung you in the closet and I'm feeling so sad."
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.