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Teachers & SchoolsPhilosophical Viewpoints: The Absurd
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is often cited as one of the chief examples of American absurdism. All of the philosophy's main tenants are on full display. Get ready to think about the stripping of illusions and the overall meaninglessness of life. (To learn more about absurdism, check out "Genre.")
The play argues that people must come to terms with absurdity of their existence before they can lead honest lives.
With Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Albee uses an outwardly realistic framework to explore absurdist ideas.