Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Reading Guide – Act I (model)
Act I (3-21)
1. Identify the setting: temporal, physical, and social. (Hint: the description of the Bette Davis film is supposed to parallel the social setting).
It is 2:00am at the home of George and Martha. It is after a faculty party. Martha refers to their house as “a dump.” The Bette Davis movie is about a frustrated housewife whose miserable surroundings and physical ailments are simply a representation of her discontentedness. The late hour and the supposed “dumpiness” of the setting are also a symbolic representation of George and Martha’s marriage as well as George’s failure in life as the primary “bread-winner.”
2. What state of being does Martha accuse George of having? Include 3 of the four textual references. Significance?
“If you existed, I’d divorce you”- Obviously there is disharmony in this marriage. Martha negates George’s existence as a human being which would suggest that he has failed repeatedly in life… “I can’t even see you” – By his own actions, he has rendered himself non-existent. Martha seems to question his manliness… “you’re a blank, a cipher” – George is void of accomplishment. According to the dictionary, a cipher is “The mathematical symbol (0) denoting absence of quantity; zero.” Thus George is absent of quality. He is“a zero.”
3. What are some of the admonishments that George gives to Martha in this section? Significance?
I wish you’d stop springing things on me all the time. My God, you can swill it down. Try to keep your clothes on. These lines suggest that some uncommon events will transpire. The reader is left to wonder what Martha will “spring” on George…other than the fact that she has invited another couple over at 2:00am. Martha is obviously a heavy drinker, and heavy drinking typically yields negative results. Lastly, the reader must wonder why Martha’s husband suggests that she “try to keep [her] clothes on.” Uh-oh!
4. Summarize the scene involving the kiss. What does it tell you about the marriage of George and Martha.
First of all, Martha requests a kiss…right on the heels of a malicious exchange about their advancing age (how many teeth? how much hair?). Any suggestion of intimacy between George and Martha seems unexpected and incongruous to the relationship that has been established. Martha, who has established herself as the “leader” in this marriage, appears unexpectedly needy in this scene as well. George’s rejection of her is unsettling. And the fact that he brings her father into this conversation suggests that he has had significant influence on their marriage.
5. How does George set Martha up for embarrassment as he opens the door? Why?
George gets Martha riled up by refusing to answer the door for their guests. Obviously, Martha is accustomed to being in control. Instead of affording her that luxury, George baits her into an explosion. This puts Martha in a bad light and ultimately makes George appear to be the more refined one in the couple. People typically put others down in an effort to feel better about themselves; it seems George has done this by embarrassing Martha before she is even able to greet their guests.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Reading Guide – Act I
Act I (22-30)
1. Explain how Martha and George came to own the abstract painting (according to George). What does he say it is an image of? What is the purpose of the exchange between Nick and George about the painting?
2. Compare George and Martha's behavior to that of scene 1. Explain what their behavior in front of guests reveals about them.
3. Compare George and Martha's attitudes toward her father and its effect on George's career. George claims that "there are easier things...than being married to the daughter of the president of the university." What does he mean by this?
4. What does it tell you about Honey's character that she cannot bring herself to say the word "bathroom" aloud?
5. In what way does the subtitle of Act I (fun and games), fit the action of the scene?
Act I (31-44)
1. Why does George continue to provoke Nick throughout the scene?
2. Explain how the declension "good, better, best, bested" characterizes George's life. Consider its meaning in the context of George and Nick’s discussion.
3. George seems to be a proponent of history while Nick values science. What are George's specific views on science?
4. George asks, “Do you believe that people learn nothing from history?” What is the underlying meaning of this question?
5. In what ways does Martha's father value "loyalty and devotion"? Explain why George sees this as a negative thing.
Act I (45-63)
1. Characterize the attitude George has to Martha bringing up their son as a topic of conversation. Is this a typical reaction? Why or why not? What is the significance of this reaction for the audience?
2. What is the difference between being the history department and being in the history department? Which is
George? Why? How does this affect him?
3. How would you characterize Nick's reaction to Martha's behavior? Is he aware that she is flirting with him?
4. Summarize the story Martha tells about boxing. How is it symbolic?
5. Describe what George does with the gun. In what way is it part of the night's "fun and games"? In what way is it real?
Act I (64-95)
1. It seems that Martha may be an alcoholic. Speculate as to why she drinks.
2. What is the room's reaction to George's claims that Nick plans to alter the world's chromosomes?
3. What additional information do we gain about Martha and George's son? In particular, what is the significance of the dispute about his eye color?
4. What does George compare Martha's father to? What does this comparison suggest?
5. Describe Martha's first marriage. Why is the diction important when she describes her second marriage to George as "marry[ing] into the college"? Did she ever feel affection for George?
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Reading Guide – Act II
Act II (99-131)
1. Why is Nick dissatisfied with the evening so far?
2. Describe the motivations that Nick has for marrying Honey; there are multiple. Based on these reasons, do you think Nick and Honey are likely to share a successful marriage? Why or why not?
3. Which mythical creature does George compare Martha to as he discusses his son with Nick? Significance?
4. What "trap" does George warn Nick about? Is this a legitimate warning? If it is, why might George warn someone who he considers an "enemy"?
5. George's final speech in this scene ("You take the trouble to construct a civilization....") is supposed to be about the state of American society. Explain.
Act II (132-156)
1. How does Honey reference her hysterical pregnancy in this scene?
2. Describe how Martha claims their son interacted with George growing up. How does George describe how Martha interacted with their son?
3. Martha keeps pursuing the idea of George telling Nick "his [George's] side of the story." Obviously, George has not so why does Martha keep pushing the issue? Why does she ultimately tell it for George?
4. What is George's response when Martha accuses him of giving up on their private game of one-upmanship?
5. What is the topic of George's book that Martha's father will not let him publish? Why will he not allow the book to be published? Why do you think George originally claimed that the story happened to one of his friends?
Act II (157-175)
1. Describe George's different "party games."
2. Describe the plot of George's second novel. Why does he bring this story up? What is his motivation?
3. Nick claims that this second party game is damaging. To whom? What does this tell you about Nick?
4.Why does Martha think George has married her. Based on the play so far, do you believe her argument?
5. Martha claims that she is now going to hold nothing back in her fight with George--that it will be "total" war. Do you believe Martha has been pulling her punches so far? Why or why not?
Act II (176-192)
1. Think back to Nick's plan about taking over the university and how he claimed he was just joking. Based on his actions here, how serious was his plan?
2. George, in a sense, dismisses Martha once she physically begins to approach Nick. What is Martha's reaction? What does this tell you about why she's been flirting with Nick in the first place?
3. Based on his final actions in the scene, determine whether Martha has or has not been unfaithful in the past.
4. Why do you think George has decided to tell Martha that their son has died?
5. The subtitle of the act "Walpurgisnacht" is a reference to a pagan celebration of spring. It is most closely associated with the holiday of May Day. Consider that " Walpurgisnacht" may refer not only to a celebration but also to the idea of calling out "mayday!" In what ways, might both be appropriate?
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Reading Guide – Act III
Act III (195-207)
1. Look closely at Martha's opening monologue. To some degree she seems to be acting out her "ideal" relationship with her husband. What tone would you have the actress give to this speech? What message is being communicated? Do you believe that her pain is genuine? Why or why not?
2. Explain Martha's line "[Insanity is] the refuge we take when the unreality of the world weighs too heavy on our tiny heads."
3. Summarize the events that have taken place off stage between Nick and Martha in relationship to the game "Hump the Hostess." What new term does she use to describe Nick's current roll in the games?
4. How does Martha describe George to Nick? Why does she hate George?
5. Nick, a scientist – the wave of the future, is ultimately a “flop.” What is Albee suggesting here?
Act III (208-222)
1. Translate the description of the snapdragons as "florespara los muertos." Also consider that snapdragons, in the language of flowers, mean deception or concealment. In what ways is the snapdragon an appropriate choice by George?
2. Pay attention to George's line "Truth and illusion. Who knows the difference?" After finishing the act, come back and reflect on its significance.
3. Martha claims that George doesn't know the difference between truth and illusion. Is she right? Does she know the difference?
4. Why does George throw snapdragons? How does this relate back to Martha's speech about things going
"snap" in act II?
5. George insists on one final game--one that they're "going to play to the death." What is Martha's reaction to this? Why?
Act III (223-233)
1. Describe Honey's condition when she returns to the stage.
2. Explain the metaphor of peeling labels. In what way is George about to peel some labels?
3. According to George, how old was their son when Martha was still trying to bathe him herself? Why does George continually make such lewd accusations about mother and their son?
4. Summarize a few of the anecdotes Martha tells about their son, Jim. What tone does she use?
5. Review the passage in which Martha describes how her son "walked evenly between us [George and
Martha]." Explain his multiple functions.
Act III (234-257)
1. George begins to speak in Latin and perform the Mass for the Dead. What is his purpose in doing so?
2. What does Honey loudly announce that she wants? What does this suggest? Significance?
3. What does Nick finally realize about George and Martha's son? Explain the significance of George saying and Martha repeating "We couldn't."
4. What is the "rule" that Martha broke? Describe her emotional outburst explaining why she broke the rule.
5. At what time of day does the play end? How is this symbolic? Characterize the final scene of the play after Honey and Nick have left. What does it suggest about George and Martha's future relationship?