The first real show of physical power and control comes mid-way through Act One. George and Martha’s guests have arrived to the dissatisfaction of George, who try’s his best to intimidate and belittle them. Martha nevertheless wastes no time emasculating George ‘George isn’t to happy when we get to muscle. You know... flat bellies, pectorals.’ Conversation moves to a boxing match held by Martha’s father. Martha ends up punching George in the face. ‘Martha: I got on a pair of gloves myself... I let go sort of a roundhouse right... CRASH, he [George] landed... flat... in a huckleberry bush. Martha takes delight in telling this story, this is due to the fact it emasculates George in a very public manner, George appearing to get punched by his wife definitely causes him to loose power. Significantly Martha punching George shows their relationship is not only characterized by verbal battles, but it also culminates in an actual combat through this fight. This further implies the contest- like quality that is embedded in their relationship. George however is seen to quickly regain the power lost; ‘[George takes from behind his back a short barrelled shot gun, and calmly aims it at the back of Martha’s head...POP! From the barrel of the gun blossoms... a parasol.]’.
George aiming a gun at Martha's head, and declaring that someday he will kill her with a real gun, can be seen to be an example of the potential cruelty he harbours as well as his growing frustration with their relationship. In fact, after pulling the trigger he announces "You're dead! Pow! You're dead!" The show of such a violent outburst may be reministant of his past and theredfore his need to re-enact his parents' death at his hands. His feelings of responsibility come out in a warped show of violence. George is seemingly regaining power from Martha, as she had openly emasculated him in the company of guests. George’s violence towards Martha seems to be almost instinctive. With little or no thought process involved.
Instinctive violence is also seen in The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood. During a women’s particicution a man accused of rape is unveiled to the handmaids. What followed is a public slaughter of the man, in a dreadful spectacle of female violence, for it was the Handmaids who were encouraged to kill and dismember him. It is conducted by Aunt Lydia who blows a whistle as in a football game. This represents the ideology behind this act of violence just a ‘game’ this is similar to Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? where the first scene is named ‘Fun and Games’ which can similarly suggest that the events that take place in the Act are simply ‘fun’ and ‘games’. This includes George aiming a gun at the back of Martha’s head, which has an amount of ambiguity involved; as the audience are not sure of the authenticity of the gun; then on releasing the parasol, is characteristic of slap stick comedy, which again relates to ‘fun’ and ‘games’; this seems to be used as justification for these violent acts. Whenever George is unable to check his wife's vicious tongue, he threatens to punch her in the mouth and rip her to pieces. Moreover, she is manhandled by him twice. He can only respond to her violently when she emasculates him in public. He warns her that she cannot withdraw from a game whenever she has gotten her share of "blood." This again indicates the gruesome quality of the play.
Throughout Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? it is implied that George seems to find enjoyment in using the power of language to confuse Martha and his guests and sometimes even the audience. This is achieved through the use of intellectual corruption for example George says to Nick he is a form of ‘pragmatic idealism’. This is an oxymoron because pragmatic and idealism are contradictive of each other. George may find that by confusing people using language, he possesses a power Martha does not have as an ‘uneducated’ women. Examples of Georges confusing dialogue is seen in Act two, when George and Nick are having conversation about Martha and Honey. Nick suggests that his marriage happened under false pretences after ‘hysterical pregnancies’. ‘Nick: She gets sick easily. George: Martha hasn’t been sick a day in her life. Nick: No, no my wife gets sick quite easily, your wife is Martha. George: OH, yes... I know’. By having people at your mercy through language and words could be very powerful for George.
However in The Handmaids Tale language is restricted. Gilead has implemented a prescribed language, based on Biblical references. In such a society Biblical references pervade every level of discourse. Gilead understands fully the importance of language as the main instrument of ideological control. So therefore by controlling thoughts those that live within the realm of Gilead have no alterative way of thinking. When Offred is however given the chance to explore again with language she describes it as a sensuous thing ‘I would like to put them in my mouth [scrabble pieces]... the letter C. Crisp, slightly acid on the tongue, delicious’. This shows Offred’s desire for the use of exotic language.
In Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? we see George playing with language at will, which is seen to at times cause confusion. Where as in The Handmaids Tale we are aware of the restriction of language and how it forms as a restriction of the power and thinking in addition to a form of social control. This is seen when Offred meets Offglen to go shopping, on the surface this seems very ‘normal’ however they greet one another with prescribed language, ‘Blessed be the fuit, … may the lord open I answer’. The language appears to be very devoid of emotion.
At various stages throughout Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? there seems to be a continuous battle between Martha and George for power. George seems to use physical violence frequently to control Martha, or have sense of power over her. George is unable to control his wife's vicious tongue. However not all characters within Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? seem to possess a kind of power. Honey (Nicks wife) is depicted as a character with little or no power; she appears to live her life in the shadow of Nick. Honey almost crows about Nick’s achievements; a feeling of embarrassment follows this. For example when talking about his qualifications ‘Nineteen really [To Honey] Honey, you needn’t not have mentioned that…’ It could be suggested that the fact Honey seems to almost gloat about Nicks academic achievements shows how she lives in his shadow, with no identity of her own. This is also implied when Honey speaks of the previous college Nick worked at ‘ we had to make our own way… I had to go up to wives… and say ‘hello I’m new here you must be Mrs. so and so, Doctor so and so’s wife’. Again we see Honey regarding herself as her husband’s property to an extent. It also shows her lack of academic and interlectual power. Resulting to her not having her own identity.
This is similar to The Handmaids Tale. The handmaids are powerless and are forced to live within the strict suppressed society that is Gilead. The power of having and being addressed by their own name is fundamentally stripped from them. They are regarded as ‘Off’ and their ‘Commanders’ names for example ‘Offglen’ she is of Glen his possession; suggestive of his ownership over her. This is similar to Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as Honey defines herself as the property of and living her life in the shadow of her husband Nick, therefore she is effectively powerless.
In conclusion the types of power represented in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? are similar and different to the power represented in The Handmaids Tale. Similar as the female figures in both seem to be controlled through the fear of physical violence. Whenever George is unable to control his wife's vicious tongue, he threatens to punch her in the mouth and rip her to pieces. Moreover, she is manhandled by him twice in the play. He can only respond to her violently when she emasculates him in public. This to a certain extent also shows the power Martha has over George; which is where the drama and novel contrast. Since the female figures in The Handmaids Tale have little or no power over the dominant male figure; although it is ambiguous what power and control the ‘Commanders’ actually have. As Offred says ‘I don’t know what he is Commander of. What does he control, what is his field as they used to say.’ This may suggest that Offred does not see the Commander in control of her. A thematic similarity between both The Handmaids Tale and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is in that both, the female figures refuse to be suppressed by the dominant male order. As Offred declares ‘whatever is silenced will clamor to be heard, though silently.
