How does Albee present the theme of ‘marriage’ in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’?

During a welcoming after-party drink, the two couples, George and Martha, and Nick and Honey, before long are neck at neck with each other, revealing deep flaws in their marriages. Albee portrays how feeble and questionable, the line between love and hate can be. Both hatred and love for one another in the relationship of George and Martha is intertwined, making it more or less impossible to differentiate between the two. However, the audience can see, at the end of the play, their marriage seems more hopeful than Nick ad Honey’s, as the events of the evening have seemingly strengthened their relationship.

In his portrayal of the marriage of George and Martha, Albee asserts love and hate are entwined components of a single entity. Their spiteful banter gives the impression there are feelings of major resentment, towards one another, perhaps too much, contrasting a ‘typical’ marriage. However, these displays of hatred could cover up their intense love for one another, instead. In fact, George even goes as far as saying he’ll “battle (her) to the death”. This can be seen as typical to one of the arguments the both have, for show, however some of their arguments are for the challenge of arguing, and some may be intended to hurt each other. In this, Albee, arguably, presents an unrealistic portrayal of marriage by revealing the extent they’d go in their arguments, some unworthy of perhaps being an ‘argument’, however this too can be seen as realistic as some couples may enjoy a relationship like this. Contradicting this hatred nevertheless, the audience can see there are various moments of compassion. Martha declares George is the only one capable to “satisfy” her, suggestive of a positive characteristic to their marriage. Albee highlights as much as they may fight, they are clearly in need of each other, even if that means to just sustain the illusions that they appear to benefit from.

Albee sheds light on the concept of private and public images portrayed in the couples’ marriages. Albee implies the capability of married couples to portray a false image of themselves in uncovered public situations, and that this is a chosen route instead of exposing the truth of their problems, publically. This is a realistic depiction of marriage; however in Albee showing that these couples are capable of creating peculiar illusions for their other half as well as to their friends, can be accounted for as a bit bizarre. In this statement by George, “I'll hold your hand when it's dark and you're afraid of the bogey man […] but I will not light your cigarette.”, the audience may conclude Georges care and sincerity towards Martha comes through when he mentions he’ll “hold (your) hand”, nevertheless it also reveals a weakness of Martha’s to the guests. This fantasy, made by George, alludes to the love within their marriage that’s apparent through unconscious efforts, as seen in this statement, which act to relieve the pains they have had to experience in their lives. As well, in this interaction, the audience sees the complexity of love binding George and Martha together: “Martha: Well…you're going bald. George: So are you. (Pause…they both laugh) Hello, honey. Martha: Hello. C'mon over here and give your mommy a big sloppy kiss”.  They both seem to enjoy the kick out of each other’s insulting, as seen in the cheery, lighthearted tone, suggested in “they both laugh”. Albee presents a marriage whereby the partnership centers upon a degree of teasing and wit.

The breakdown of a marriage is emphasized in a difficulty Martha and George experience in their marriage, which is George’s lack of achievement at his job. Through George’s mocking resentment of the younger, strong-minded Nick, Albee demonstrates how this longing for success can demolish one's confidence and individuality, and ultimately a marriage. Martha states “I swear…if you existed I'd divorce you […] I haven't been able to see you for years […] you're a blank, a cipher”. Here, the harshness of Martha’s words renders an insight into how she continually cites George’s lack of vitality and drive, as an important cause of the cracks in their marriage. Furthermore, Martha’s frustration in George’s failed profession could account for the idea of women taking more of an interest in a successful career, and so this anticipation of her husband’s success, can be seen as an attempt for her to thrive, through him. During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, many women desperately wanted a career and success, outside of the housewife role, but their options were restricted. However, more options became obtainable, and Albee represents how the breakdown of a marriage can occur due to the breakthrough of independence women undertake, away from passivity.

Generally, what are seen as an element of the ideal of marital success, are children. Albee explores the relationship between children and parents, focusing on how they affect each other, interestingly however, by depicting neither couple as bearing a child. The marriage of George and Martha is similar to Nick and Honey’s is similar in this way, although Honey and Nick do not communicate upon the fact they have no child, however for Martha and George, it is evident, their lack of a child is an additional failure to them.  Albee puts forward the thought that perhaps neither of the couples is ready to have a child because, to some extent, they live their lives resembling children, partly due to the fact that Martha and Honey’s fathers heavily influence the couples, independently.

In comparison, the marriage explored in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ of George and Martha, has some similarities to the marriage of Emma and Charles, in Madame Bovary.  Flaubert suggests what actually differentiates a typically bad marriage from a really awful one is the length to which those concerned are eager to go, in their discontent. The dislike caused by familiarity is expressed by Emma, of who has become sick of Charles, that she's infuriated just to see his back as he sleeps: "even his back, his tranquil back, was irritating to behold, and in the very look ... she found all the banality of the man." Flaubert exceeds in portraying the qualities that Emma detests, similar Albee’s depiction of Martha’s of George’s. A technique used by both writers is the capability to correspond mood through language, for example when both Emma and Martha experience sensual delight, the script moves thrillingly and swiftly. Similar to Martha, Emma’s male associations hold the control to alter her life for better or worse; something she is short of herself. Like in George and Martha’s marriage, Charles adds to Emma’s hopelessness. His idleness and lack of ability stops him from pursuing a career as a doctor, increasing his social superiority, which may gratify Emma’s desires.

M Chacko