Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Classic Tragedies Possess

¶ … Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Classic tragedies possess tragic heroes and cataclysmic endings. Otherwise strong and potentially great leaders fall prey to human character flaws such as hubris. In a true tragedy, the protagonist does not emerge victorious, but rather, typically brings about their own and others' downfalls. Tragic heroes squander their personal power and usually learn from their mistakes, but moments too late. Classical tragedies rarely have more than a smidgen of comic relief and are typically devoid of lighter moments. Comedies, on the other hand, can include tragic elements and remain comedies. So-called "black" comedies include elements of the tragic and the funny. Through farce, the themes of the drama are imparted powerfully. Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is therefore an example of a comedy, not a tragedy. The play's protagonist, George, is no tragic hero, and nor is his wife Martha. Unlike classic heroes like Othello, George was not a once-great and powerful man. In fact, his lack of success and consequent sense of impotence show that he is far from being a tragic hero. Neither George nor Martha seems noticeably changed by the end of the play either. Moreover, Albee's play contains too many moments of comic relief to be a true tragedy. While the comedic moments in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf are dark and inherently tragic, the play cannot be correctly defined as a classical tragedy.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is a comedy more than it is a tragedy mainly because the play does not possess a tragic hero who learns a horrible lesson about the destructive nature of pride. George was never a great man but rather, has led a mediocre life. His career as a professor is decent but not glamorous and his wife Martha wishes he had been more of a success. George feels further emasculated by the young Nick, who represents the potential that George never had. George does exhibit excessive pride in his attitude toward Nick as well as during conversations and arguments with Martha. However, his pride does not cause his or anyone else's downfall as is the case with a classical tragedy.

The emotional intensity that characterizes the play existed before the events depicted occur, and will continue to plague George and Martha. Although both George and Martha learn a few things about how they feel, no major changes take place in their lives. In classical tragedies, huge shifts in the consciousness of the protagonist occur. The hero learns through death and devastation to overcome personal pride. Also, in a classical tragedy, the events of the play lead to cataclysmic changes in the world. George's consciousness is not considerably changed by the end of the play, and nor is his world. Therefore, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is not a true tragedy.