Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Introduction

In Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee explores the social construct of gendered roles through the dominant masculine and feminist traits manifested by the main characters, in particular, Martha and George. Butler (2004) contends that in developing gender and identity discourses, gender is largely viewed as a culturally and socially constructed phenomenon that is best manifested by being masculine.  This is best exemplified by a patriarchal society, rigid gender norms, and dominant male psycho-social needs at the expense of their female counterparts (Kauffmann, 1966). As they go about performing the roles approved to them by society, individuals are likely to subvert or repress themselves as they try to overcome social banishment. They may also resist the violence or discrimination to which they might be exposed. Such gender-related issues are quite evident in Albe’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. The essay examines how Albe uses Martha and George’s relationship to explore aspects of femininity and masculinity as they relate to social behaviour. 

Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is by far his most controversial play. It nullifies and undermines many of the values that defined American society in the 50s and 60s by way of presenting characters whose behaviour seems disrespectful of traditional values. During the early 1960s, the American society held the family in high esteem.

Friedan’s work, The Feminine Mystique laid the foundation for the re-assessment of gendered roles in American society. She opines that women require more fulfilment than that provided by housekeeping and childrearing. Friedman also endeavours to delineate the gendered role of women. In this case, it was to get married, give birth to and take care of children, and make their marriage more exciting by looking and dressing well for their husbands (Friedan 1963). In particular, Friedan describes the suburban housewife as a healthy, concerned, beautiful and educated woman who had concerns for her family. These traits, according to Friedman, are a true depiction of having attained true femininity. Similar sentiments have also been echoed by Albee who has contrasted the ideal traits of women and men in 1962. Albee demonstrates to us through the characters of Martha and George how society at the time had failed to keep up with the socially accepted gender roles. 

Albee portrays Martha as a rebellious woman. She is shown to defy the socially accepted gender roles at various stages in the play.  Martha drinks bourbon and whiskey which are forms of hard liquor meant for tough guys. Martha no longer desires the drinks she favoured as a youth: “brandy Alexander s, crème de cacao frappes…seven-layer liqueur things…real lady-like little drinkies.” (Albee, 2003, p. 24). Whereas Martha used to behave like a woman ought to, this is no longer the case, and her behaviour is quite unsettling and off-putting to George. Albee portrays Martha as a sexually active woman who even chooses whom to marry, again defying the existing cultural norms. However, Martha’s father had her marriage annulled as society frowned on women who made their own decisions or were sexually active. George also comments on Martha’s improper sexual expression with comments such as “your skirt up over your head.” (Albee, 2003, 17).  

As opposed to depicting George as a stereotype and Martha as a typical woman, Albee suggests that individuals are constantly endeavouring to develop their genders. What this appears to indicate is that we do not have something like a predetermined gender. This is a position that Butler also holds through his suggestion that performative acts precede gender (Purcell, 2013). Therefore, Albee does not portray Martha as a woman who is out of touch with her prescribed gender roles; instead, he depicts her as a woman who has played a key role in the development of her gender. Martha utilises these performances as a way of expressing her displeasure with the socially prescribed gender roles, and hence her defiant behaviour. Even Martha’s continued ridicule of George could thus be seen as a result of her own suppressed desires.

 Martha is an ambitious woman who seeks to establish her own identity over and above the constrained domestic sphere of life. Martha is unable to get a child of her own, and this evokes a feeling of loss and emptiness. She cannot therefore fulfil the role of an ideal woman as was culturally accepted in the 1950’s and 60’s, and this could perhaps her defiant behaviour to hit back at society which helped develop these gendered roles. She adopts certain masculine traits as she is not content in playing the role of a submissive woman. Therefore, she indulges in heavy drinking of hard liquor and also engages in assaults and abuses as a means of expressing her displeasure with the established conventions (Billington, 2017). However, once she fails to fulfil her desires and ambitions, she vents her frustration and anger on George. She describes George as a good-for-nothing husband who has not made progress in his professional career. She even seduces Nick in front of George as a way of openly challenging his masculinity. 

George’s failure to fit into the socially acceptable notion of the manly-man image makes him feel as if he is almost non-existent: “Don’t I sort of fade into the backgrounds… get lost in the cigarette smoke?” (Albee, 1990, p. 19). Some of the comments made by Martha only serve to humiliate and overpower him even more, as she endeavours to elevate herself.  She claims that George did not father their imaginary child.  Even when Martha taints and humiliates him in front of his guests by bringing up the topic of his impotency, George tolerates all of this silently and behaves passively. This is a clear indication that he is not the ‘macho’ male figure that society expects him to be.  

Albee uses Martha and George’s relationship to show what happens when society compels people to accept gender roles. The play reveals that even those individuals who endeavour to be the ideal also suffer serious consequences. George and Martha resort to alcoholism, violence and infidelity in search of identity and happiness that they cannot find in their socially prescribed gendered roles.  Partaking in this behaviour partly makes up for their non-existent gender identity. George turns violent to Martha and this allows him to fulfil his macho fantasy. On the other hand, Martha’s seductiveness allows her to feel like a woman.  

George acknowledges that he married Martha not out of love, but apparently so that he could rise through the hierarchical ranks of the college where he worked as an associate professor, and where Martha’s father was the president. Such a revelation, according to Julier (n.d.)  is both embarrassing and emasculating as it shows that George is reliant on Martha for his livelihood, something that a true macho man would not ever wish to be associated with. In the beginning of their relationship, George is submissive and appears helpless to the humiliation he suffers at the hands of Martha who declines to listen to him, insults him, orders him around and even humiliates him. However, George becomes defiant later in the play by acting aggressively and making objections. He even becomes physically aggressive as he beats and pushes Martha. He is finally turning into the macho man that society expects him to be all along.  

Martha and George are constantly involved in role-playing and verbal games is a clear indication that they are essentially playing fun at socially prescribed female and male roles as they endeavour to play femininity and masculinity. Their actions are in conformance with Butler’s assertion that human beings are always playing gender roles. Therefore, gender is a practice, as opposed to an attribute (Horn, 2003). Martha and George show that there is no such thing as a fixed gender role as each woman and man endeavours to portray feminine and masculine traits, and even go to the extent of performing gender, as opposed to just being identified as being of a certain gender. 

The behaviour of these two characters reveals the fluidity of gender, with each of them being seen to shift between genders in different contexts and at varying times, as opposed to subscribing to fixed gender stereotypes at all times. In this sense, George and Martha’s relationship symbolises the Butlerian concept that gender does not have a natural or original form save for the socially constructed ones but is instead a continuum (Horn, 2003). Both the characters of Martha and George reveal dynamicity as they try to assert their gendered roles. As opposed to seeing a masculine man in a patriarchal society, one sees a man who is very submissive but who is also able to manipulate the situation to rule over and gain the upper hand. We also see the aggressive and harsh wife shifting towards sentimental and emotional behaviour.  

Conclusion

In his play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Albee uses George and Martha’s relationship to portray what can go wrong when society tries to force down our throats culturally accepted gender norms. It is evident in Martha’s defiance as she adopts male-dominant traits such as being aggressive, being seductive. On the other hand, George is submissive at the start of the play and takes it cool as Martha abuses and disrespects him even in the presence of colleagues. This is contrary to the behaviour of a macho man. However, he finally asserts himself by becoming physically abusive and aggressive towards Martha, who eventually portrays the emotional and sentimental behaviour of a submissive wife. What this appears to suggest is that gender role is a social continuum, as opposed to an attribute, and that men and women will alternate feminine and masculine traits as they try to assert their defiance to socially prescribed gendered roles. 

References

Albee, E., 1962. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? New York: Atheneum House.

Albee, E., 1990. Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? New York: Dramatists Play Service Inc. 

Albe, E., 2003. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: A Play. New York: Simon & Schuster. 

Billington, M., 2017. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? review – Staunton ignites Albee’s marital battle. [online].  Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/mar/09/whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf-review-imelda-staunton-albee-conleth-hill-harold-pinter-theatre [Accessed 12 June 2017]

Butler, J., 2004. Undoing Gender. London: Routledge.

Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. New York: WW. Norton & Company, 1963.

Horn, B.L., 2003. Edward Albee: A Research and Production Sourcebook. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood Publishing Group. 

Julier, L., n.d. “Faces to the Dawn: Female Characters in Albee’s Plays.” Edward Albee: 

Planned Wilderness. Interviews, Essays and Bibliography. ed. Patricia De La

Kauffmann, S., 1966. Screen: Funless Games at George and Martha’s: Albee’s ‘Virginia Woolf’ Becomes a Film. [Online]. Available at:  http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E04E3DA1731E43BBC4C51DFB066838D679EDE&mcubz=0 [Accessed 13 June 2017]

Purcell, C., 2013. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: A Feminist Response to the 50th Anniversary. [online]. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carey-purcell/whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf_b_2068631.html [Accessed 11 June 2017]