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Summary: Communication Problem
Review: Edward Albee truly explores and humiliates the human fallacy of communication and insecurity in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with the use of repetition and a critical and satirical tone. In the play, Albee creates a tension between the two main characters of George and Martha. Throughout the play, Martha repeatedly sings "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Although this song correlates to the title of the play, it also contains a deeper and more stylistic purpose to it. It basically means "Who's Afraid of life without false illusions?" according to Albee. When Martha sings George this very song, she is really asking him if he can continue life without lying to himself, but rather be honest with himself and live with the truth. This repetition of questioning with the song creates the feeling of insecurity within the characters. It arrives to the question if they can really handle the situation. In another example of repetition, Albee repeatedly has the characters of George and Martha suspiciously talk of and mention about their son. The repetition of this illusion by these characters creates the fantasy, which they live by, and how they carry on with this fantasy to fulfill their happiness. This correlates to the problem of insecurity Albee wishes to create through the use of the characters. Not only does Albee use this repetition to carry out his philosophical views on human existence, but he also validates the communicable issues with the satirical and critical tone throughout the play. The satirical tones of the sick games the couples fancy during the play spark a disturbing appearance toward the characters and their disgusting communication. Albee truly makes a disturbing communication problem when Martha plays "Humiliate the Host". She picks and edges at George's weakest aspects and embarrassments. This satirical tone demeans the couple's communication as Martha humiliates her husband in front of the guests. These disturbing game shows the true disgust of the American society as Albee demonstrates. Not only does his writing open a new door for us to look in to, but it also helps to pinpoint our nation's problems. The use of the character's insecurities not only relate to Albee's purpose of demonstrating a couple's in ability to cope and deal with life, but it also deals with society's problems. The stylistic strategies of Albee aid in our discovery of his purpose in the play but also in society.
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Summary: "You're right at the meat of things, baby"
Review: Edward Albee's play "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" is one of those plays that is also a great read as a book. The play involves an older college professor who, with his foul-mouthed wife, plays sick mind games with a younger prof and the younger prof's wife. Albee creates some taught drama with these four characters.I understand that this play was considered quite shocking when it premiered on Broadway in the early 1960s. Some of its language ("monkey-nipples"?) and revelations will probably sound tame, or even quaint, to contemporary readers. But the play as a whole really stands the test of time. And much of the dialogue remains sharp and memorable (like the suggestive line I borrowed to use as the title of my review). The three acts of the play are suggestively subtitled: "Fun and Games," "Walpurgisnacht," and "The Exorcism." "Who's Afraid..." is a memorable text, filled with bitter humor, rage, and despair.
Rating: 
Summary: Great play
Review: I read the book expecting it to be a bit boring like the rest of the books I've had to dig through this semester, but this turned out to be a great one. It made me want to read it all over again when I was finished. Although sometimes it got a little bit confusing, I liked all the quarrels, the intrigues and everything. I recommend this one =)
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Summary: tense and shocking
Review: I read this play so the movie (which I haven't seen)would make some sense. I started reading it and didn't realy get into it until after Nick and Honey arrive at Geoarge and Marthas.The first act starts with just some harmless cruel jokes, ok first of all you must be thinking ,"Thats what you call harmless" well just you wait for the next to acts. I thought the second act pretty grusome I couldn't believe George would take advantage of Honey, but then you realize there is more to her than you think same goes with Martha and George. Personally I thought Nick was just to self righteous but that was the point of the character. I dare not give away what happens in the third act properly entitled "The Exorcism". You are in for a shocker.
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Summary: Good read, not so great to watch
Review: I really enjoyed reading the play, the character development, the natural language and conversation, the contrast between the two couples as if shifts from beginning to end. However, I did not enjoy watching the play. Maybe it is because I don't enjoy conflict to begin with, but listening to screaming and angry conversation for three hours was so unpleasant that I wasn't even able to enjoy the aforementioned attributes of the play. Too tense, and I don't know...too much like listening to parents before they get divorced?
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Summary: Avoid seeing this play at all costs
Review: I saw a production of this play recently and so vehemently hated it that I want to warn the world about how terrible it is. Do not under any circumstances go to see it done without first knowing what it is about. It painful to watch because the characters scream and fight continuously with each other from the first 30 seconds of the show which equals 3 straight hours of agony. I'm certain that it takes incredible acting ability to star in this show, but I was unable to suspend my disbelief. THEY WOULD HAVE GONE HOME. Enough said.
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Summary: Shattering and affecting.
Review: If there has ever been a play as theatrical, dramatic, and attention-grabbing as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, I have yet to read or see it. This play never fades even as it moves into Act Three and pushes 250 pages. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is the story of a couple (George and Martha) fighting reality and its implications. Their need for each other grows along with their ostensible mutual contempt. All this is brought out over the course of one late-night get-together with a younger couple whose presence catalyzes the shattering and inevitable conclusions that George and Martha must come to. This play is monumentally important, while managing to keep a crisp sense of humor and pacing. Everyone should read this fabulous play.
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Summary: using x to show y
Review: In his most famous play, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Edward Albee uses a seemingly non-violent and peaceful setting, coupled with sarcastic and very violent dialogue, along with a game motif to give the reader a sense of what true love is. The play opens with an older couple, George and Martha, who have just returned from a party at the college at which George works. The two invite a newly hired professor, Nick, and his young wife, Honey, to some over afterwards. Even before Nick and Honey enter, George and Martha are arguing and bickering over what seems like nothing, who should go and get the door. Nick and Honey timidly enter into the whirlwind of cut-downs and the constant apologies. They enter into a game, a number of games in fact, that leads to their confessions of true love for one another. George uses sarcasm and a friendly tone to cause Nick to open up to him and befriend him. George uses this newly found companionship to coerce Nick into sleeping with Martha, which just furthers her intuition that George is the only man that makes her truely happy. Albee, throughout all of these transgressions, shows a complete and total understanding of the human psyche. The characters constant bickering and their reactions to one anothers insults, holds true to mankind. The not always pleasant dialogue, and sexually explicit happenings allow the average reader to feel connected to this story. It reads like a soap opera, with innumerable plot twists and incessant back-stabbing. And, as most of us know, the vast majority of soap operas end in a confession or discovery of love. Through his use of many different situations, plot twists, and dialogue, Albee allows his characters George and Martha to realize how much they love one another.
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Summary: Just read it.
Review: Kept my attention from beginning to end. Really makes me want to re-read it and see the movie. The dialogue is absolutely wonderful!
Rating:
Summary: The Most Beautiful Modern Drama
Review: Looking past the rough language and the slew of verbal insults, one can see a sheer literary masterpiece. It wonderfully shows the struggle of George and Martha trying to come to terms with the reality they have created for themselves. When George discloses the secret of their son's nonexistence, he is forcing he and his wife to forfeit their mind games and live as functional human beings. By the way, in rebuttal, the title is absolutely perfect. Anyone with literary knowledge knows that Virginia Woolf was a realist who tried to present life as it truly is. Martha, at the end, is afraid of Woolf, or the symbol of life without pretenses.
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