HOW HAS YOUR STUDY OF A VARIETY OF TEXT CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR RESPONSE TO RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT.
Relationship conflict can be defined as a disagreement, fight or struggle between two people bounded by a relationship. For a "real" relationship to exist, conflict is an inevitable part of the package. For a relationship to work successfully, it needs the partners involved to be aware of the other's insecurities and desires. Understanding, tolerance and empathy can stop the result of conflict such as the mental and physical distancing of the partners involved as was the case in the song "The Living Years" by Mike and The Mechanics. Relationships can come under a lot of strain because of outside influences such as family, societal and parental expectations as was the case in Edward Albee's characters in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" The play manifests relationship conflict in a number of ways through the use of dialogue, characterisation, symbolism, atmosphere and the overall effect of the play.
Martha is an aggressive fifty-two year old woman married to George. Although being well educated she is lewd, crude and unpleasant. George is a history professor at the local college. He is 42, unlike his wife Martha, he lacks aggression in most aspects of his life. .
Nick represents the scientific concept and the idea of technological advancement. He represents the future with his good looks, intelligence and values. According to Martha he depicts "the perfect paragon of beauty and achievement". Honey is the "mousy little type, with no hips" the pleasant woman in Nick's life and like her name suggest she is sweet and pleasant. She represents the perfect image of the devoted little housewife and in the beginning, we as the readers believe this to be true. In appearances Nick and Honey's relationship illustrates the perfect ideal marriage. As the play progresses Edward Albee exposes that there is no such thing as a "perfect" marriage.
