Within the play, " Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf," written by Edward Albee, there are two main contrasting, strikingly different male characters Nick and George.

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Within the play, “ Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf,” written by Edward Albee, there are two main contrasting, strikingly different male characters Nick and George. This essay hopes to examine the different characteristics of George, the acknowledged 46-year-old failure and Nick, the young, handsome professor who has the potential to succeed where George has failed. The main differences presented in this playwright are based mainly on different levels of potential and ambitions. George is the antagonist in the play who is frustrated with his life and the illusions that his wife and he have created. Nick contrastingly is yet to rise in his conquest for power. However, both Nick and George possess certain traits or characteristics that the other lacks and envy’s. Throughout the entire play, George and Nick proceed through an ongoing verbal battle, competing for the position of high standing prestige.

It is important to present Nick and George’s characteristics to infer a comparison between them.

George is the 46-year-old husband of Martha. He is characterised as thin with greying hair. George is a member of the history department at his father in- laws university in New Carthage. During the play it is evident that George was once in a young loving relationship, but now it is defined by sarcasm and acrimony, (bitter, ill- natured animosity, especially in speech and behaviour.) George is presented as a character who has to constantly live in the shadow of his father- in – law, who he describes as, “ a great, white mouse with red eyes.” George is controlled under the tyranny of his loud- mouthed wife who, “ wears the pants,” (as she quotes,) in their relationship. George has an extremely passive role in this play. This can be inferred from scenes in which he refused to fight back to Martha’s constant verbal animosities towards him. An example of this can be portrayed through “ The Exorcism.” Martha reveals to their guests Nick and Honey her true feelings of her marriage to Nick. “ I have tried to raise, to protect, to raise above the mire of this vile, crushing marriage.” George makes no attempt to suppress Martha, or reprimand her, but instead starts to chant the requiem and Kyrie eleison in Latin to distract himself from angry emotions that he tries to conceal. Another example of George’s passive quality is made evident in Act two. Martha aggravates George by referring to the topic of, “ Succession.” He, “ too patiently,” attempts to stop her, but in the process fails. George realises that he cannot prevent Martha from humiliating him, so instead goes over to the bar and fumes to himself.  “ Daddy thought this grooming was a good idea until he watched George for a couple of years and realise that George didn’t have the stuff, that George was a great big FLOP.”  Whilst Martha makes her speech of George’s failure, he fails to retaliate. Under Martha’s speech, George sings, “ Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf.”  George subsequently can be seen as a contemplative person who “ cannot make anything out of himself, somebody without the guts to make anybody proud of him.” George’s name has some

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The characteristics of Nick on the other hand contrast immensely compared to those of George. Nick contrastingly is a new member of the faculty at the university of New Carthage, whereas George has been a faculty member since the Second World War. Nick is presented to the audience as a good looking blond Midwestern who is clean cut and appealing. Nick has what can be seen as, “ young potential,” at the age of 28. He is married to his young, childhood love who proudly boasts that Nick is a young genius, “ who received his masters degree at just ...

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