Pathological interaction in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Abstract

Edward Albee's Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf? is the portrayal of one of the forms of entrapment in relationships, one of the forms of pathological interactions the anti-psychiatrists explore in their work. Studying this play, the reader asks himself, how come that two people who are quite nice when considered on their own can be such devils when put in each another's company? George and Martha are entrapped in their relationships and there is no vent out of it for them. The more they try to set themselves free the more the noose tightens and this is truly because of their pathological interaction. They are engulfed in an untenable situation since once a person entrapped in it he should choose between "badness" and "madness" which seem to be the only explanation and whatever he chooses is a failure for him. Employing communication theory, this study tries to investigate George and Martha's pathological interaction and the game of collusion they play upon their guests. © 2014 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.