Who IS Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Just an interesting story to add to my earlier post. I know all my fellow started-out-to-be-English-majors will appreciate it.
I went from a small working-class high school to a relatively prestigious East Coast liberal arts college, the product of many teachers who kept everyone happy by asking a little and grading us well. As a teacher, I later fought against this, but at the time I thought it was great. Except that I was totally unprepared. Just to give you an idea of the mismatch, most kids there were "preppies," because they were from prep schools. As the product of a public school, I and several others were- ready?- "pubies."
My freshman advisor- an English professor, of course- hosted a sherry party. Now, not having drunk for real before, I thought the idea of getting drunk on sherry was pretty classy, and the sick feeling that washed over me was my own failing. (There is a deeper significance to this I may explore later.)
The advisor approached two of us- probably because we looked the most uncomfortable- and said casually "You know the play 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" It was a play, too? I thought, but wisely said "Yeah, sure."
"See that couple over there?" pointing to the Chairman of the department and his wife, who (I later realized) was flouncing across the room with him in tow.
"Yeah?"
"They are George and Martha."
She *was* kinda flouncing. "Yeah, I get it."
No- THAT is George and THAT is Martha."
"Yeah, like the play," my soon-to-be-ex-fellow-English-major said. "We get it."
"Listen to me," the advisor said slowly. "That man is George, and his wife is Martha. For real."
And then he explained. Edward Albee's career as a student at my college was short-lived and memorable, but the decision to make it short was the decision of the English Department Chair. Albee was not so sweetly asked not to return, and later on got his revenge with the creation of his play.
So in highbrow circles, the couple was honored by inclusion in a major work of American literature, but I sometimes wonder if, in the quiet of his study, late at night, Albee wasn't working really hard and really well just to make sure they were well and truly punk'd.
Advertisement
I love this. Years ago friends of mine and I used to read that play at parties. It was so much fun doing some of the scenes and taking different parts, even gender switched parts. I can't wait to share this story with them. Thanks a million.
June 10, 2009 7:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Cool anecdote. A good chunk of literature can begin as revenge. For the fledgling undiscovered writer, there is nothing like a corrupt successful person to bring out creativity. I have turned more than one into a pinata. It also helps that Albee used this revenge as a launching pad into a powerful and profound piece of literature.
June 10, 2009 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds as if your advisor was in the bag, as well.
Pro ecclesia et patria and All That Jazz
June 10, 2009 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink