Virginia Woolf

Edward Albee is arguably one of the most masterful American playwrights in history, and no where is this more apparent than in his script Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Albee's ability to create complex and intellectual conflicts between both genders in no way detracts from his ability to captivate and entertain. He is one of those rare writers who does not sacrifice quality for appeal, but as the same time, his plays are never lacking in appeal. Virginia Woolf in particular demonstrates, with impeccable realism, the cruelty and bitterness that can exist in a marriage. It is the first glimpse behind the facade of the ideal American family and it revolutionized the way Americans perceive plays as well as their own culture. The fact that this play is so widely renowned outside of the US as well shows just how powerful and interesting Albee's characters are. To me, it is this struggle between a man and wife or a mother and father that fascinated Albee the most through out his career.