Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

1. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Act II

2. Relieving the tension • How does Albee relieve the tension built up in the previous Act?

3. 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)

4. George & Nick • Nick for the first time is particularly aggressive towards George. • Nick’s aggression: ‘[genuine threat]: CAN…IT…MISTER!’

5. Flagellation (p49) • Two meanings to this: It’s whipping • 1. used in certain religious sects for self-discipline. • And • 2. Sadomasochistic sex.

6. 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?

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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)

11. 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.

12. 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?

13. 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)

14. 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?

15. 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)

16. 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)

17. Nick VS George • Which character is more admirable? • George, with his self-pity & passivity? • Nick his coldhearted ambition? • (p60-62)

18. 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)

19. 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)

20. 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.

21. Nick joining in. • ‘Nick [egging her on]: A book? What book?’

22. Allusions to all-out war • George: ‘Guerilla tactics, maybe…internal subversion’ (p66)

23. The Dance • George tries his best to disrupt the dance. He first puts on Beethoven’s 7th a piece of classical music.

24. Dance Scene • What does the dance scene tell us about the characters?

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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)

28. 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.

29. 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)

30. ‘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?

31. Truth & illusion again… • ‘I mean true or false that there was ever such a thing’ (74) George about the book.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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?

36. George & Martha • Both characters are left ‘raw & bleeding’ at the end of the encounter.

37. 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?

38. 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?

39. ‘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.

40. 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.

41. 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.

42. 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?

43. 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?

44. 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.