Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf？
9.Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf？
Edward Albee
【简介与赏析】
爱德华·阿尔比（Edward Albee，1928— ），美国著名剧作家，尤金·奥尼尔逝世后，与阿瑟·米勒、田纳西·威廉斯一起引领美国剧坛。生于华盛顿（一说生于弗吉尼亚），后为富商收养，养祖父拥有多家剧院，因而阿尔比从小接触剧坛名流，熏陶渐染，十二岁即开始创作诗歌、戏剧。后肄业于三一大学，迁居纽约格林尼治村，虽生活窘迫，终不弃文志。1958年创作《动物园的故事》，次年在柏林首演，后转演外百老汇，虽毁誉并兴，亦初露锋芒。1962年创作《谁害怕弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫？》轰动剧坛，获纽约剧评奖，剧名始定。后笔耕不辍，其他重要作品有《贝西·史密斯之死》（1960）、《沙箱》（1960）、《美国之梦》（1961），《小艾丽斯》（1960）、《微妙的权衡》（1968）等。三次获普利策戏剧奖，2005年获托尼终生成就奖。现任爱德华·富（兰克林）·阿尔比基金会主席，及休斯敦大学教授。
阿尔比被认为是荒诞派戏剧美国化的第一人。惯用象征、暗喻、夸大的手法描写美国社会生活，刻画牢骚满腹式人物，表现人之孤独痛苦，语言辛辣，发人深省。《动物园的故事》、《沙箱》和《美国之梦》之主题、手法，均现其荒诞派特点。
《谁害怕弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫？》
《谁害怕弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫？》被公认为是阿尔比的巅峰之作，也是当代美国戏剧的经典剧目。在百老汇连演664场，并赢得了包括纽约剧评奖和托尼奖在内的6项戏剧大奖。该剧共三幕，较之阿尔比的其他荒诞剧作，较为写实。主要描述了一次家庭拜访，主人乔治是新迦太基大学的历史学教授，妻子玛莎是校长的女儿。幕启时，他们进行着琐细、平淡、略带揶揄的对话。随后新到大学任教的尼克带着妻子哈妮到来。于是四个人在一起喝酒、聊天、跳舞，相互戏弄、挑逗……从凌晨两点一直到天亮。剧情就在这种拉拉杂杂戏谑愚弄中演了不间断的三幕。
本剧标题别有深意，明出于一句童谣“谁害怕大灰狼？”的诙谐改写（Woolf与wolf同音），又暗指英国女作家弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫，表明了剧中主人公的高级知识分子身份。伍尔夫就是因为精神错乱，无法忍受现实而自杀，故这一标题也暗合了该剧表现上层知识分子的苦恼和困扰的主题。故剧中虽没有明显的悲剧情节，实则是一出典型的现代美国悲剧。剧作家似乎刻意与现实保持距离，剧中没有传统意义上的故事，没有悬念，也没有戏剧冲突，情节推进完全依靠荒诞的“戏谑”，揭示了美国社会人们精神上的空虚、麻木与欺骗。另外，本剧自问世以来长演不衰，并被改编为影视作品。
【剧本选读】
Characters
George：a college history professor，forty－six years old and an acknowledged failure
Martha：George’s wife，fifty－two－year－old
Nick：ayoung genius who received his Master’s degree at twenty，thirty years old and blond
Honey：Nick’s twenty－six－year－old wife
ACTⅠ
NICK：Indeed？
GEORGE：No kids，hunh？
NICK：Not yet.
GEORGE：People do...uh...have kids.That’s what I meant about history.You people are going to make them in test tubes，aren’t you？You biologists.Babies.Then the rest of us...them as wants to...can screw to their heart’s content.What will happen to the tax deduction？Has anyone figured that out yet？（Nick，who can think of nothing better to do，laughs mildly.）But you are going to have kids...anyway.In spite of history.
NICK：（hedging）Yes...certainly.We...want to wait...a little...until we’re settled.
GEORGE：And this...（with a handsweep takingin not only the room，the house，but the whole countryside）...this is your heart’s content—Illyria...Penguin Island...Gomorrah①...You think you’re going to be happy here in New Carthage②，eh？
NICK：（a little defensively）I hope we’ll stay here.
GEORGE：And every definition has its boundaries，eh？Well，it isn’t a bad college，I guess.I mean.it’ll do.It isn’t M.I.T....it isn’t U.C.L.A....it isn’t the Sorbonne...or Moscow U.either，for that matter.
NICK：I don’t mean...forever.
GEORGE：Well，don’t you let that get bandied about.The old man wouldn’t like it.Martha’s father expects loyalty and devotion out of his...staff.I was going to use another word.Martha’s father expects his...staff...to cling to the walls of this place，like the ivy...to come here and grow old...to fall in the line of service.One man，a professor of Latin and Elocution，actually fell in the cafeteria line，one lunch.He was buried，as many of us have been，and as many more of us will be，under the shrubbery around the chapel.It is said...and I have no reason to doubt it...that we make excellent fertilizer.But the old man is not going to be buried under the shrubbery...the old man is not going to die.Martha’s father has the staying power of one of those Micronesian tortoises.There are rumors...which you must not breathe in front of Martha，for she foams at the mouth...that the old man，her father，is over two hundred years old.There is probably an irony involved in this，but I am not drunk enough to figure out what it is.How many kids you going to have？
NICK：I...I don’t know...My wife is...
GEORGE：Slim－hipped.（rises）Have a drink.
NICK：Yes.
GEORGE：MARTHA！（no answer）DAMN IT！（to NICK）You asked me if I knew women...Well，one of the things I do not know about them is what they talk about while the men are talking.（Vaguely）I must find out some time.
MARTHA’S VOICE：WHADD’YA WANT③？
GEORGE：（to NICK）Isn’t that a wonderful sound？What I mean is...what do you think they really talk about...or don’t you care？
NICK：Themselves，I would imagine.
MARTHA’S VOICE：GEORGE？
GEORGE：（to NICK）Do you find women...puzzling？
NICK：Well...yes and no.
GEORGE：（with a knowing nod）Unh－hunh.（Moves toward the hail，almost bumps into HONEY，re－entering）Oh！Well，here’s one of you，at least.
（HONEY：moves toward NICK.GEORGE goes to the hall.）
HONEY：（to GEORGE）She’ll be right down.（to NICK）You must see this house，dear...this is such a wonderful old house.
NICK：Yes，I...
GEORGE：MARTHA！
MARTHA’S VOICE：FOR CHRIST’S SAKE，HANG ON A MINUTE，WILL YOU？
HONEY：（to GEORGE）She’ll be right down...she’s changing.
GEORGE：（incredulous）She’s what？She’s changing？
HONEY：Yes.
CEORGE：Her clothes？
HONEY：Her dress.
GEORGE：（suspicious）Why？
HONEY：（with a nervous little laugh）Why，I imagine she wants to be...comfortable.
GEORGE：（with a threatening look toward the hall）Oh she does，does she？
HONEY：Well，heavens，I should think...
GEORGE：You don’t know！！
NICK：（as HONEY starts）You feel all right？
HONEY：（Reassuring，but with the echo of a whine.A long－practiced tone）Oh，yes，dear...perfectly fine.
GEORGE：（fuming...to himself）So she wants to be comfortable，does she？Well，we’ll see about that.
HONEY：（to GEORGE，brightly）I didn’t know until just a minute ago that you had a son.
GEORGE：（wheeling，as if struck from behind）WHAT？
HONEY：A son！I hadn’t known.
NICK：You to know and me to find out.Well，he must be quite a big...
HONEY：Twenty－one...twenty－one tomorrow...tomorrow’s his birthday.
NICK：（a victorious smile）Well！
GEORGE：（to HONEY）She told you about him？
HONEY：（flustered）Well，yes.Well，I mean.
GEORGE：（nailing it down）She told you about him.
HONEY：（a nervous giggle）Yes.
GEORGE：（strangely）You say she’s changing？
HONEY：Yes...
GEORGE：And she mentioned...？
HONEY：（cheerful，but a little puzzled）...your son’s birthday...yes.
GEORGE：（more or less to himself）O.K.，Martha...O.K.
NICK：You look pale，Honey.Do you want a...？
HONEY：Yes，dear...a little more brandy，maybe.Just a drop.GEORGE：O.K.，Martha.
NICK：May I use the...uh...bar④？
GEORGE：Hm？Oh，yes...yes...by all means.Drink away...you’ll need it as the years go on.（For MARTHA，as if she were in the room.）You goddamn destructive...
HONEY：（to cover）What time is it，dear？
NICK：Two－thirty.
HONEY：Oh，it’s so late...we should be getting home.
GEORGE：（nastily，but he is so preoccupied he hardly notices his own tone）For what？You keeping the babysitter up，or something？
NICK：（almost a warning）I told you we didn’t have children.
GEORGE：Hm？（realizing）Oh，I’m sorry.I wasn’t even listening...or thinking.（with a flick of his hand）...whichever one applies.
NICK：（softly，to HONEY）We’ll go in a little while.
GEORGE：（driving）Oh no，now...you mustn’t.Martha is changing...and Martha is not changing for me.Martha hasn’t changed for me in years.If Martha is changing，it means we’ll be here for...days.You are being accorded an honor，and you must not forget that Martha is the daughter of our beloved boss.She is his...right ball，you might say.
NICK：You might not understand this...but I wish you wouldn’t talk that way in front of my wife.
HONEY：Oh，now...
GEORGE：（incredulous）Really？Well，you’re quite right...We’ll leave that sort of talk to Martha.
MARTHA：（entering）What sort of talk？
（MARTHAhas changed her clothes，and she looks，now，more comfortable and...and this is most important...most voluptuous.）
GEORGE：There you are，my pet.
NICK：（impressed；rising）Well，now...
GEORGE：Why，Martha...your Sunday chapel dress！
HONEY：（slightly disapproving）Oh，that’s most attractive.
MARTHA：（showing off）You like it？Good！（to GEORGE）What the hell do you mean screaming up the stairs at me like that？
GEORGE：We got lonely，darling...we got lonely for the soft purr of your little voice.
MARTHA：（deciding not to rise to it）Oh.Well，then，you just trot over to the barie－poo...
GEORGE：（taking the tone from her）...and make your little mommy agweat big dwink.
MARTHA：（giggles）That’s right.（to NICK）Well，did you two have a nice little talk？
You men solve the problems of the world，as usual？
NICK：Well，no，we...
GEORGE：（quickly）What we did，actually，if you really want to know，what we did actually is try to figure out what you two were talking about.（HONEY giggles，MARTHA laughs.）
MARTHA：（to HONEY）Aren’t they something？Aren’t these...（cheerfully disdainful）...men the absolute end？（to GEORGE）Why didn’t you sneak upstairs and listen in？
GEORGE：Oh，I wouldn’t have listened.Martha...I would have peeked.
（HONEY giggles，MARTHA laughs.）
NICK：（to GEORGE，with false heartiness）It’s a conspiracy.
GEOROE：And now we’ll never know.Shucks！
MARTHA：（to Nick，as HONEY beams）Hey，you must be quite a boy，getting your Masters⑤when you were...what？...twelve？You hear that，George？
NICK：Twelve－and－a－half，actually.No，nineteen really.（to HONEY）Honey，you needn’t have mentioned that.It...
HONEY：Ohhhh...I’m proud of you...
GEORGE：（seriously，if sadly）That’s very...impressive.
MARTHA：（aggressively）You’re damned right！
GEORGE：（between his teeth）I said I was impressed，Martha，I’m beside myself with jealousy.What do you want me to do，throw up？（to NICK）That really is very impressive.（to HONEY）You should be right proud.
HONEY：（coy）Oh，he’s a pretty nice fella.
GEORGE：（to NICK）I wouldn’t be surprised if you did take over the History Department one of these days.
NICK：The Biology Department.
GEORGE：The Biology Department...of course.I seem preoccupied with history.Oh！What a remark.（He strikes a pose，his hand over his heart，his head raised，his voice stentorian.）“I am preoccupied with history.”
MARTHA：（as HONEY cad NICK chuckle）Ha，ha，ha，HA！
GEORGE：（with some disgust）I think I’ll make myself a drink.
MARTHA：George is not preoccupied with history...George is preoccupied with the History Department.George is preoccupied with the History Department because...
GEORGE：...because he is not the History Department，but is only in the History Department.We know，Martha...we went all through it while you were upstairs...getting up.There’s no need to go through it again.
MARTHA：That’s right，baby...keep it clean.（to the others）George is bagged down in the History Department.He’s an old bog in the History Department，that’s what George is.A bog....A fen...A G.D.swamp.Ha，ha，ha，HA！A swamp！Hey，swamp！Hey SWAMPY！
GEORGE：（with a great effort controls himself...then，as if she had said nothing more than“George，dear”...）Yes，Martha？Can I get you something？
MARTHA：（amused at his game）Well...uh...sure，you can light my cigarette，if you’re of a mind to.
GEORGE：（considers，then moves off）No...there are limits.I mean，man can put up with only so much without he descends a rung or two on the old evolutionary ladder...（Nowaquick aside to NICK.）...which is up your line...（Then back to MARTHA.）...sinks，Martha，and it’s a funny ladder...you can’t reverse yourself...start back up once you’re descending.（MARTHA blows him an arrogant kiss.）Now...I’ll hold your hand when it’s dark and you’re afraid of the bogey man，and I’ll tote your gin bottles out after midnight，so no one’ll see...but I will not light your cigarette.And that，as they say，is that.（Brief silence.）
MARTHA：（under her breath）Jesus！（Then，immediately，to NICK.）Hey，you played football，hunh？
HONEY：（as NICK seems sunk in thought）Dear...
NICK：Oh！Oh，yes...I was a...quarterback...but I was much more...adept...at boxing，really.
MARTHA：（with great enthusiasm）BOXING！You hear that，George？
GEORGE：（resignedly）Yes，Martha.
MARTHA：（to NICK，with peculiar intensity and enthusiasm）You musta been pretty good at it...I mean，you don’t look like you got hit in the face at all.
HONEY：（proudly）He was intercollegiate state middleweight champion.
NICK：（embarrassed）Honey...
HONEY：Well，you were.
MARTHA：You look like you still got a pretty good body now，too...is that right？Have you？
GEORGE：（intensely）Martha...decency forbids...
MARTHA：（to GEORGE...still staring at NICK，though）
SHUT UP！（Now，back to NICK.）Well，have you？Have you kept your body？
NICK：（unselfconscious...almost encouraging her）It’s still pretty good.I work out.
MARTHA：（with a half－smile）Do you！
NICK：Yeah.
HONEY：Oh，yes...he has a very...firm body.
MARTHA：（still with that smile...aprivate communication with NICK）Have you？Oh，I think that’s very nice.
NICK：（narcissistic，but not directly for MARTHA）Well，you never know...（shrugs）...you know...once you have it...
MARTHA：...you never know when it’s going to come in handy.
NICK：I was going to say...why give it up until you have to.
MARTHA：I couldn’t agree with you more.（They both smile，and there is a rapport ofsome unformed sort established.）I couldn’t agree with you more.
GEORGE：Martha，your obscenity is more than...
MARTHA：George，here，doesn’t cotton much to body’s talk⑥...do you sweetheart？（No reply.）George isn’t too happy when we get to muscle.You know...flat bellies，pectorals...
GEORGE：（to HONEY）Would you like to take a walk around the garden？
HONEY：（chiding）Oh，now...
GEORGE：（incredulous）You’re amused？（shrugs）All right.
MARTHA：Paunchy⑦over there isn’t too happy when the conversation moves to muscle.How much do you weigh？
NICK：A hundred and fifty－five，a hundred and...
MARTHA：Still at the old middleweight limit，eh？That’s pretty good.（swings around）Hey George，tell’em about the boxing match we had.
GEORGE：（slamming his drink down，moving toward the hall）Christ！
MARTHA：George！Tell’em about it！
GEORGE：（with a sick look on his face）You tell them，Martha.You’re good at it.（Eixts）
HONEY：Is he...all right？
MARTHA：（laughs）Him？Oh，sure.George and I had this boxing match...Oh，Lord，twenty years ago...a couple of years after we were married.
NICK：A boxing match？The two of you？
HONEY：Really？
NICK：Yup⑧...the two of us...really.
HONEY：（with a little shivery giggle of anticipation）I can’t imagine it.
MARTHA：Well，like I say，it was twenty years ago，and it wasn’t in a ring，or anything like that，you know what I mean.It was wartime，and Daddy was on this physical fitness kick...Daddy’s always admired physical fitness...says a man is only part brain...he has a body，too，and it’s his responsibility to keep both of them up...you know？
NICK：Unh－hunh.
MARTHA：Says the brain can’t work unless the body’s working，too.
NICK：Well，that’s not exactly so...
MARTHA：Well，maybe that isn’t what he says...something like it.But...it was wartime，and Daddy got the idea all the men should learn how to box...self－defense.I suppose the idea was if the Germans landed on the coast，or something，the whole faculty’d go out and punch’em to death...I don’t know.
NICK：It was probably more the principle of the thing.
MARTHA：No kidding.Anyway，so Daddy had a couple of us over one Sunday and we went out in the back，and Daddy put on the gloves himself.Daddy’s a strong man...Well，youknow.
NICK：Yes...Yes
MARTHA：And he asked George to box with him.Aaaaannnnd...George didn’t want to...probably something about not wanting to bloody－up his meal ticket...
NICK：Unh－hunh.
MARTHA：...Anyway，George said he didn’t want to，and Daddy was saying，“Come on，young man...what sort of son－in－laware you？”...and stuff like that.
NICK：Yeah.
MARTHA：So，while this was going on...I don’t know why I did it...I got into a pair of gloves myself...you know，I didn’t lace’em up，or anything...and I snuck up behind George，just kidding，and I yelled“Hey George！”and at the same time I let go sort of a roundhouse right...just kidding，you know？
NICK：Unh－hunh.
MARTHA：...and George wheeled around real quick，and he caught it right in the jaw...POW！（NICK laughs.）I hadn’t meant it...honestly.Anyway...POW！Right in the jaw...and he was off balance...he must have been...and he stumbled back a few steps，and then，CRASH，he landed...flat...in a huckleberry bush！（NICK laughs.HONEY goes tsk，tsk，tsk，tsk⑨，and shakes her head.）It was awful，really.It was funny，but it was awful.（She thinks，gives a muffled laugh in rueful contemplation of the incident.）I think it’s colored our whole life.Really I do！It’s an excuse，anyway.（GEORGE enters now，his hands behind his back.No one sees him.）It’s what he uses for being bogged down，anyway...why he hasn’t gone anywhere.（CEORGE advances.HONEY sees him.）
MARTHA：And it was an accident...a real，goddamn accident！（GEORGE takes from behind his back a short－barreled shotgun，and calmly aims it at the back of MARTHA’S head.HONEYscreams...rises.NICK rises，and，simultaneously，MARTHA turns her head to face GEORGE.GEORGE pulls the trigger.）
GEORGE：POW！（Pop！From the barrel of the gun blossoms a large red and yellow Chinese parasol.HONEY screams again，this time less，and mostly from relief and confusion.）
You’re dead！Pow！You’re dead！
NICK：（laughing）Good Lord.
（HONEY is beside herself.MARTHA Laughs too...almost breaks down，her great laugh booming.GEORGE joins in the general laughter and confusion.It dies，eventually.）
HONEY：Oh！My goodness！
MARTHA：（joyously）Where’d you get that，you bastard？
NICK：（his hand out for the gun）Let me see that，will you？
（GEORGE hands him the gun.）
HONEY：I’ve never been so frightened in my life！Never！
GEORGE：（a trifle abstracted）Oh，I’ve had it awhile.Did you like that？
MARTHA：（giggling）You bastard.
HONEY：（wanting attention）I’ve never been so frightened...never.
NICK：This is quite a gadget.
GEORGE：（leaning over MARTHA）You liked that，did you？
MARTHA：Yeah...that was pretty good.（softer）C’mon...give me a kiss.
GEORGE：（indicating NICK and HONEY）Later，sweetie.
（But MARTHA will not be dissuaded.They kiss，GEORGE standing，leaning over MARTHA’s chair.She takes his hand，places it on her stage－side breast.He breaks away.）Oh－ho！That’s what you’re after，is it？What are we going to have...blue games for the guests？Hunh？Hunh？
MARTHA：（angry－hurt）You...prick！
GEORGE：（a Pyrrhic victory）Everything in its place，Martha...everything in its own good time.
MARTHA：（an unspoken epithet）You...
GEORGE：（over to NICK，who still has the gun）Here，let me show you...it goes back in，like this.（closes the parasol，reinserts it in the gun）
NICK：That’s damn clever.
GEORGE：（puts the gun down）Drinks now！Drinks for all！（takes NICK’s glass without question...goes to MARTHA.）
MARTHA：（still angry－hurt）I’m not finished.
HONEY：（as GEORGE puts out his hand for her glass）Oh，I think I need something.（he takes her glass，moves back to the portable bar）
NICK：Is that Japanese？
GEORGE：Probably.
HONEY：（to MARTHA）I was never so frightened in my life.Weren’t you frightened？Just for a second？
MARTHA：（smotherinq her rage at GEORGE）I don’t remember.
HONEY：Ohhhh，now...I bet you were.
GEORGE：Dld youreally think I was going to kill you，Martha？
MARTHA：（dripping contempt）You？...Kill me？...That’s a laugh.
GEORGE：Well now，I might...some day.
MARTHA：Fat chance.
NICK：（as GEORGE hands him his drink）Where’s the john？
GEORGE：Through the hall there...and down to your left.
HONEY：Don’tyou come back with any guns，or anything，now.
NICK：（laughs）Oh，no.
MARTHA：You don’t need any props，do you，baby？
NICK：Unh－unh.
MARTHA：（suggestive）I’ll bet not.No fake Jap gun for you，eh？
NICK：（smiles at MARTHA.Then，to GEORGE，indicating a side table near the hall）May I leave my drink here？
GEORGE：（as NICK exits without waiting for a reply）Yeah...sure...why not？We’ve got half－filled glasses everywhere in the house，wherever Martha forgets she’s left them...in the linen closet，on the edge of the bathtub...I even found one in the freezer，once.
MARTHA：（amused in spite of herself）You did not！
GEORGE：Yes I did.
MARTHA：（ibid）You did not！
GEORGE：（giving HONEY her brandy）Yes I did.（to HONEY）Brandy doesn’t give you a hangover？
HONEY：I never mix.And then，I don’t drink very much，either.
GEORGE：（grimaces behind her back）
Oh...that’s good.Your...your husband was telling me all about the...chromosomes.
MARTHA：（ugly）The what？
GEORGE：The chromosomes，Martha...the genes，or whatever they are.（to HONEY）You’ve got quite a...terrifying husband.
HONEY：（as if she’s being joshed）Ohhhhhhhhh...
GEORGE：No，really.He’s quite terrifying，with his chromosomes，and all.
MARTHA：He’s in the Math Department.
GEORGE：No，Martha...he’s a biologist.
MARTHA：（her voice rising）He’s in the Math Department！
HONEY：（timidly）Uh...biology.
MARTHA：（unconvinced）Are you sure？
HONEY：（with a little giggle）Well，I ought to.（Then as an afterthought.）Be.
MARTHA：（grumpy）I suppose so.I don’t know who said he was in the Math Department.
GEORGE：You did，Martha.
MARTHA：（by way of irritable explanation）
Well，I can’t be expected to remember everything.I meet fifteen new teachers and their goddamn wives...present company outlawed，of course...（HONEY nods，smiles sillily.）...and I’m supposed to remember everything.（pause）So？He’s a biologist.Good for him.Biology’s even better.It’s less...abstruse.
GEORGE：Abstract.
MARTHA：ABSTRUSE！In the sense of recondite.（Sticks her tongue out at GEORGE.）Don’t you tell me words.Bilolgy’s even better.It’s...right at the meat of things.（NICK re－enters.）You’re right at the meat of things，baby.
NICK：（taking his drink from the side table）Oh？
HONEY：（with that giggle）They thought you were in the Math Department.
NICK：Well，maybe I ought to be.
MARTHA：You stay right where you are...you stay right at the...meat of things.
GEORGE：You’re obsessed with that phrase，Martha....It’s ugly.
MARTHA：（ignoring GEORGE...to NICK）You stay right there.（laughs）Hell，you can take over the History Department just as easy from there as anywhere else.God knows，somebody’s going to take over the History Department，some day，and it ain’t going to be Georgie－boy，there...that’s for sure.Are ya，swampy...are ya，hunh？
GEORGE：In my mind，Martha，you are buried in cement，right up to your neck.
（MARTAH giggles.）No...right up to your nose...that’s much quieter.
MARTHA：（to NICK）
Georgie－boy，here，says your’re terrifying.Why are you terrifying？
NICK：（with a small smile）I didn’t know I was.
HONEY：（a little thickly）It’s because of your chromosomes，dear.
NICK：Oh，the chromosome business...
MARTHA：（to NICK）What’s all this about chromosomes？
NICK：Well，chromosomes are...
MARTHA：I know what chromosomes are，sweetie，I love’em.
NICK：Oh...Well，then.
GEORGE：Martha eats them...for breakfast...she sprinkles them on her cereal.（to MARTHA，now.）It’s very simple，Martha，this young man is working on a system whereby chromosomes can be altered...well not all by himself—he probably has one or two co－conspirators—the genetic makeup of a sperm cell changed，reordered...toorder，actually...for hair and eye color，stature，potency...I imagine...hairiness，features，health...and mind.Most important...Mind.All imbalances will be corrected，sifted out...propensity for various diseases will be gone，longevity assured.We will have a race of men...test－tube－bred...incubator－born...superb and sublime.
MARTHA：（impressed）Hunh！
HONEY：How exciting！
GEOROE：But！Everyone will tend to be rather the same...Alike.Everyone...and I’m sure I’m not wrong here...will tend to look like this young man here.
MARTHA：That’s not a bad idea.
NICK：（impatient）All right，now...
GEORGE：It will，on the surface of it，be all rather pretty...quite jolly.But of course there will be a dank side to it，too.A certain amount of regulation will be necessary...uh...for the experiment to succeed.A certain number of sperm tubes will have to be cut.
MARTHA：Hunh！...
GEORGE：Millions upon millions of them...millions of tiny little slicing operations that will leave just the smallest scar，on the underside of the scrotum（MARTHA laughs.）but which will assure the sterility of the imperfect...the ugly，the stupid...the...unfit.
NICK：（grimly）Now look...！
GEORGE：...with this，we will have，in time，a race of glorious men.
MARTHA：Hunh！
GEORGE：I suspect we will not have much music，much painting，but we will have a civilization of men，smooth，blond，and right at the middleweight limit.
MARTHA：Awww...
GEORGE：...a race of scientists and mathematicians，each dedicated to and working for the greater glory of the supercivilization.
MARTHA：Goody.
GEORGE：There will be a certain...loss of liberty，I imagine，a result of this experiment...but diversity will no longer be the goal.Cultures and races will eventually vanish...the ants will take over the world.
NICK：Are you finished？
GEORGE：（ignoring him）And I，naturally，am rather opposed to all this.History，which is my field...history，of which I am one of the most famous bogs....
MARTHA：Ha，ha，HA！
GEORGE：...will lose its glorious variety and unpredictability.I，and with me the...the surprise，the multiplexity，the sea－changing rhythm of...history，will be eliminated.There will be order and constancy...and 1am unalterably opposed to it.I will not give up Berlin！
MARTHA：You’ll give up Berlin，sweetheart.You going to defend it with your paunch？
HONEY：I don’t see what Berlin has to do with anything.
GEORGE：There is a saloon in West Berlin where the barstools are five feet high.And the earth...the floor...is so...far...below you.I will not give up things like that.No...I won’t.I will fight you，young man...one hand on my scrotum，to be sure...but with my free hand I will battle you to the death.
MARTHA：（mocking，laughing）
Bravo！
NICK：（to GEORGE）That’s right.And I am going to be the wave of the future.
MARTHA：You bet you are，baby.
HONEY：（quite drunk—to NICK）I don’t see why you want to do all those things，dear.
You never told me.
NICK：（angry）Oh for God’s sake！
HONEY：（shocked）OH！
GEORGE：The most profound indication of a social malignancy...no sense of humor.None of the monoliths⑩could take a joke.Read history.I know something about history.
NICK：（to GEORGE，trying to make light of it all）You...you don’t know much about science，do you？
GEORGE：I know something about history.I know when I’m being threatened.
MARTHA：（salaciously—to NICK）So，everyone’s going to look like you，eh？
NICK：Oh，sure.I’m going to be a personal screwing machine！
MARTHA：Isn’t that nice.
HONEY：（her hands over her ears）Dear，you mustn’t...you mustn’t...you mustn’t.
NICK：（impatiently）I’m sorry，Honey.
HONEY：Such language.It’s...
NICK：I’msorry.All right？
HONEY：（pouting）Well...all right.（suddenly she giggles insanely，subsides.to GEORGE）...When is your Son？（giggles again）
GEORGE：What？
NICK：（distastefully）Something about your son.
GEORGE：SON！
HONEY：When is...where is your son...coming home？（giggles）
GEORGE：Ohhhh.（Too formal.）Martha？When is our son coming home？
MARTHA：Never mind.
GEORGE：No，no...I want to know...you brought it out into the open.When is he coming home，Martha？
MARTHA：I said never mind.I’m sorry I brought it up.
GEORGE：Him up...not it.You brought him up.Well，more or less.When’s the little bugger going to appear，hunh？I mean isn’t tomorrow meant to be his birthday，or something？
MARTHA：I don’t want to talk about it！
GEORGE：（falsely innocent）But Martha...
MARTHA：I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT！
GEORGE：I’ll bet you don’t.（to HONEY and NICK）Martha does not want to talk about it...him.Martha is sorry she brought it up...him.
HONEY：（idiotically）When’s the little bugger coming home？（giggles）
GEORGE：Yes，Martha...since you had the bad taste to bring the matter up in the first place...when is the little bugger coming home？
NICK：Honey，do you think you...？
MARTHA：George talks disparagingly about the little bugger because...well，because he has problems.
GEORGE：The little bugger has problems？What problems has the little bugger got？
MARTHA：Not the little bugger...stop calling him that！You！You’ve got problems.
GEORGE：（feigned disdain）I’ve never heard of anything more ridiculous in my life.
HONEY：Neither have I！
NICK：Honey...
MARTHA：George’s biggest problem about the little...ha，ha，ha，HA...about our son，about our great big son，is that deep down in the private－most pit of his gut，he’s not completely sure it’s his own kid.
GEORGE：（deeply serious）My God，you’re a wicked woman.
MARTHA：And I’ve told you a million times，baby...I wouldn’t conceive with anyone but you...you know that，baby.
GEORGE：A deeply wicked person.
HONEY：（deep in drunken grief）My，my，my，my.Oh，my.
NICK：I’m not sure that this is a subject for...
GEORGE：Martha’s lying.I want you to know that，right now.Martha’s lying.（MARTHA laughs.）There are very few things in this world that I am sure of...national boundaries，the level of the ocean，political allegiances，practical morality...none of these would I stake my stick on any more...but the one thing in this whole sinking world that I am sure of is my partnership，my chromosomological partnership in the...creation of our...blond－eyed，blue－haired...son.
HONEY：Oh，I’m so glad！
MARTHA：That was a very pretty speech，George.
GEORGE：Thank you，Martha.
MARTHA：You rose to the occasion...good.Real good.
HONEY：Well...real well.
NICK：Honey...
GEORGE：Martha knows...she knows better.
MARTHA：（proudly）I know better.I been to college like everybody else.
GEORGE：Martha’ve been to college.Martha’ve been to a convent when she were a little twig of a thing，too.
MARTHA：And I was an atheist.（uncertainly）I still am.
GEORGE：Not an atheist，Martha...a pagan.（to HONEY and NICK）Martha is the only true pagan on the eastern seaboard.（MARTHA laughs.）
HONEY：Oh，that’s nice.Isn’t that nice，dear？
NICK：（humoring her）Yes...wonderful.
GEORGE：And Martha paints blue circles around her things.
NICK：You do？
MARTHA：（defensively，for the joke’s sake）Sometimes，（beckoning）You wanna see？
GEORGE：（admonishing）
Tut，tut，tut.
MARTHA：Tut，tot yourself...you old floozie！
HONEY：He’s not a floozie...he can’t be a floozie...you’re a floozie.（giggles）
MARTHA：（shaking afinger at HONEY）Now you watch yourself！
HONEY：（cheerfully）All right.I’d like a nipper of brandy，please.
NICK：Honey，I think you’ve had enough，now...
GEORGE：Nonsense！Everybody’s ready，I think.（Takes glasses，etc.）
HONEY：（echoing GEORGE）Nonsense.
NICK：（shrugging）O.K.
...
【注释】
①lllyria...Penguin Island...Gomorrah：generally refer to a place for sexual freedom
②New Carthage：the college where George and Nick work
③Whadd’ya want＝what do you want
④bar：place where drinks are stored in George’s home
⑤Masters：holders of the second university degree
⑥body’s talk：apun indicating sex appeal
⑦Paunchy：here means George with a fat belly
⑧Yup：yes
⑨Honey goes tsk，tsk，tsk，tsk：clicks of tongue given off by Honey.
⑩monolith：individuals with no divergence or distinction
【讨论题】
1.Explain the significance of the title，Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf？
2.Why do Martha and George decide to tear each other apart in front of Honey and Nick？
3.What is the significance of sexuality in the play？