Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

When we take a look at the characters in the play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? we can see the disfunctionality  of the main couple, George and Martha, who spend most part of the play arguing , pointing each other’s flaws , screaming and constantly looking for different ways to hurt each other through their wicked games. Furthermore, once their guests arrive- Nick and Honey, a young couple that they met at the faculty party- they are also dragged to participate on these games, incentivized by the alcohol as well as George and Martha.

As we keep reading the play we can notice the different rituals that George and Martha had, such as respecting the rules regarding to not talking about their son, or their intimacy to protect themselves of what was expected from a couple by society at the 60s (a happily married couple with kids), that is part of the fragility that is broken once that Martha decides to invite Nick and Honey and talk about their son.

"Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf

                              Virginia Wolf,

                             Virginia Wolf…"

This quote that first is used as a joke that was told during the party at the faculty in which both couples participate, is used again at the end of the play, when George sings softly  to Martha, who answers “I….am….George” .

But, what does it mean?  

Virginia Wolf is used as a euphemism to refer to life and how cruel this can turn, as in the case of their relationship and its fragility, life back in the post war time was the Big Bad Wolf since they are not able to project a lovely family but instead show who they really are, two people with serious issues that even though still love each other, can’t stand the other.

But, how did they get there?

To be capable to show such passion at some instances

-George (too matter-of-fact) Well, dear, if I kissed you I’d get all excited… I’d get beside myself, and I’d take you by force, right here on the living room rug, and then our little guests would walk in, and… well, just think what your father would say about that. (151)

And at the same time, be able to hurt themselves in so many different ways

Martha: THEY ARE MY TEETH!

George: Some of them...some of them

Martha: I’ve got more teeth than you’ve got

George: Two more

Martha: Well, two more’s a lot more

George: I suppose it is. I suppose it’s pretty remarkable…considering how old you are

Martha: YOU CUT THAT OUT! (151)

Who do we have to blame for this?  Society?  Alcohol?  Themselves?

Allen Ginsberg , part of the Beat Generation, wrote “Howl”  in 1955 as part of the collection of poetry titled Howl and Other Poems, and dedicated to his friend Carl Solomon. He used his poem as an angry critic against the fake hope and broken promises of the history of his country, specially after the war.

The beat generation was disappointed of the post-war society, and Ginsberg as part of the beat generation was also disillusioned. They were trying to get a new America and unveil the unseen in this materialistic 1950s. Trying to eliminate the capitalism and selfishness from society. 

Another important author of the Beat Generation was Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who wrote From a Coney Island of the Mind in 1958, 

"and its surrealist landscape of
mindless prairies
supermarket suburbs
steamheated cemeteries 
cinerama holy days
and protesting cathedrals
a kissproof world of plastic toiletseats tampax and taxis
drugged store cowboys and las vegas virgins"

In this quote, we can see Ferlinghetti's point of view related to society and its "mindless prairies" and " kissproof world". I think that this last quote in particular is quite related to the relationship of Martha and George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf, they were living in a "kissproof world", where the only way to interact that they knew was full of violence, sarcasm and, sometimes pure hate.

So, how do we overcome this kissproof world? Considering that we are still living in an individualistic  society, I believe that many other couples like Martha and George will be still existing as long as we don't make an actual change around us.

    

References
https://www.facebook.com/libreriabarcodepapelny/posts/970050823060520:0
https://www.facebook.com/USBotschaftBern/posts/1010872848949247