The Satire In Who
& # 8217 ; s Afraid Of Virgina Wolff Essay, Research Paper
Edward Albee? s drama? Who? s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ? is a play researching the anxiousnesss of modern life. By personalising facets of the heroic poem Albee has inverted many of its characteristics to make sarcasm. This internalisation pits persons against each other and themselves. M. H. Abrams? s definition of heroic poem, in his book? A Glossary of Literary Footings, ? is used relatively to show how Albee achieves sarcasm.
Abrams? s first definition of heroic poem is the closest to which? Who? s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ? adhere- it is about a serious topic. The earnestness of the drama is developed through its linguistic communication, which is non elevated or formal as in a traditional heroic poem, instead, it is rough and drunk. When Nick and Honey arrive at George and Martha? s topographic point they are sober and speak officially. Any vacillation they have comes from the unusual state of affairs they find themselves in. As they drink, Nick and Honey? s engagement in the conversation becomes more fluid and the comments become more affecting. This, in bend, increases the strength of the abuses between George and Martha. For them nudging is a game of one-upmanship with words their lone arm. As the drama progresses the deductions of this become progressively serious.
In an heroic poem, Abrams explains that the? destiny of a folk, a state, or the human race? lies in the out semen of the hero? s conflict. The conflict between George and Martha merely affects their relationship and on this dark spills into the lives of Nick and Honey. Drunkenness exaggerates their actions, so that the extremes of the state of affairs are explored. This allows the reader to see feelings which may be outside their ain experience. George and Martha continually seek to derive the upper manus in the relationship by degrading each other. This debasement is an fact a type of ego abhorrence. For George it seems peculiarly acute. He can non come to footings with his past both because he is non able rid himself of it and Martha? s insisting on doing it public & # 8211 ; on her ain footings. George wants to speak ( or compose ) about his yesteryear and in so making, allow it travel. This type of exposure is unheard of in a traditional hero, yet one
N this drama is the footing of each character’s actions.
Abrams writes that the heroic poem is centered around a? heroic or quasi-divine figure. ? Albee has created an blossoming ; George and Martha are hapless characters. There is nil heroic, and surely nil Godhead about them. All of their sorrow and unfulfilment semen to the bow on this bibulous dark. George is acrimonious about non come oning within the college and Martha is unrealized with the life and position she has. Why, so, are they of import characters when they are non, as in an heroic poem, figures? of great national or even cosmic importance. ? ( 54 ) In their debauched province, modern-day readers are able to sympathise with them in a more direct manner so a traditional hero. Broader issues of province and humanity are frequently felt to be outside of their control. Motivation such as forfeit for a greater good, which leads a traditional heroic poem hero to action, would be unthinkable to George and Martha. The issue so is how an single makes it through life. Because George and Martha are no more or less epic so anyone else their battles are common to all.
Unlike the sweeping magnificence on the heroic poem, the scene of? Who? s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ? is modest. It is dry that in a quiet, conservative? New England college town? the uncontainable and grim onslaughts between George and Martha occur. This apposition removes outside influences which might be considered as a ground for their actions. Albee farther reduces the range of the drama by making a really late eventide within a individual room which progresses in existent clip. This, once more, reinforces the narrow focal point of the drama and heightens its tenseness.
By the terminal of the drama the sarcasm has given manner to tragedy. While each of the four characters has some ugly characteristic, scorn bends to sympathy as George and Martha realize that all they have in the the universe, despite the scruples, are each other. Morning over the loss of an fanciful kid cuts through the harangue and raving to uncover integrity and caring between Martha and George. Unlike the traditional heroic poem this interior play is able to pass on a more modern-day set of feelings which relate to modern life.
