A RECURRING THEME in the WORKS of EDWARD ALBEE Renu Yadav Assistant Professor of English G C W Ateli Mahendergarh, Haryana

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NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS JournalNX- A Multidisciplinary Peer Reviewed Journal ISSN No: 2581 - 4230 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6, June. -2021 DESCRIPTION OF DEATH: A RECURRING THEME IN THE WORKS OF EDWARD ALBEE Renu Yadav Assistant Professor of English G C W Ateli Mahendergarh, Haryana

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Albee’s work also demands a Death is a recurring theme in the works separation - separation from masked of all the realistic writers, and contemporary innocence in order to experience reality. American dramatists are no exceptions. They Art, for Albee, is a medium to make man are abnormally sensitive about death, as for confront reality, and this reality can never them death is more abstract and destructive. be embraced without accepting the final Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams have reality of his life i.e., death. Albee’s theater used death in their works in various ways – has portrayed a number of instances and sometimes their characters are unable to circumstances in order to make us strong accept the bitter reality, while at other enough to accept the ultimate separation moments they embrace death as a medium for from ‘life at death.’ Pleasure and pain, release from this absurd life. Edward Albee, the success and failure, life and death make up hardcore realist, has associated countless two sides of a coin. Only one side is visible passages to death in more than a dozen plays. at one time but the other side is also waiting This is why, Albee is able to shift from the for its turn, this is what Albee advocates. An naturalistic presentation of death to symbolic important part of this acceptance is this and surrealistic presentation of death. In an that the person who has taken birth is interview with Matthew C. Roudane Albee said, bound to die as well. Robert Rowland Smith There are only a few significant things has rightly asserted that, “Everything that to write about: life and death. I am very lives, dies . . . . Rather than being opposites, interested in the cleansing consciousness of therefore, it’s fairer to say that living and death; and the fact that people avoid thinking dying depend on each other, each the about death – and about living. I think we other’s condition” (01). Thus, if one has should always live with the consciousness of taken birth, his death is certain as well. But death. How else can we possibly participate in man forgets this certainty and starts living life fully? (195) expecting too much from life – power, Death is one of the significant things to possession, love, companions, happiness – write about because it highlights the value of as if he will remain in this state forever. life. Thus, Albee demonstrates various colours Forgetting that inevitability of death is also of death. In some plays Albee discusses death a ‘Life-Lie’ as it leads to plan so much which in general but Albee’s mastery can be judged is nothing but an illusion. The reality is this through the plays in which Albee portrays the nothing belongs to man as he is only a impact of death on the living persons rather traveler and can never attain stable than its impact on the person who is dying. position or state in the journey named life. Albee not only attacks human being’s inability to face death or death as a medium to release from this absurd world, but also makes a

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NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS JournalNX- A Multidisciplinary Peer Reviewed Journal ISSN No: 2581 - 4230 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6, June. -2021 wonderful presentation of death-watch in his order to make them realize the symbolic death plays. This death watch portrays the process of which is creeping in their lives. dying along with the presentation of the ritual Death scene is an important part in almost of waiting and shows us that how this death- half of Albee’s plays. In this chapter we will watch affects and haunts the life of survivors. dissect the plays which focus on death as a The Zoo Story ends with the Jerry’s death major theme, such as – The Sandbox (1960), which is brought in order to teach Peter the Box-Mao-Box (1968), All Over (1971), Listening importance of living life at its fullest – not as a (1976), The Lady from Dubuque (1980) and ‘vegetable’ but as an ‘animal’. Jerry impales Fragments: A Sit Around (1993). In these plays himself on the knife in order to get rid from his death is treated in various ways to save man alien and absurd life, and thanks Peter for from the life full of lies. The Sandbox, an comforting him by releasing him from the extremely short play, leaves the characters absurd life. So, in the very first presented play unnamed and makes them embodiment of their death is playing a very important role – roles which they are playing rather than working both as a teacher (for Peter) and a particular individuals. There are Mommy, comforter (for Jerry). The Death of Bessie Smith, Daddy, Grandma and Young Man (The Angel of too, revolves around the death of the Blues Death). The title of the play reminds us of the singer Bessie Smith. Through her death Albee child’s sandbox, but there is no child in the criticizes the White Americans for being play. So, the square sandbox symbolizes the inhumane to Blacks in America. Tiny Alice, the “oversized coffin” (Rutenberg 44). It is really a most debated play, also ends with the death of coffin because Grandma is destined to cover the protagonist Julian. Box-Mao-Box is full of herself up and remain in this box until the death symbols – the first part of the threnody Angel of Death takes over. Anne Paolucci fades to the sound of bell, with a darkened explains, stage and the second part unfolds the Long- The sandbox is the grave, regression, Winded lady’s autobiographical narrative dreams, heaven, escape, peace, even sexual which revolves around her husband’s death. fulfillment. The Young Man is the male body Listening, too, ends with the Girl’s suicide. beautiful, eternal youth, generosity, love, what Three Tall Women is a story of a dying lady who is gone, what is to come, sympathy, is recollecting her past on the death-bed. Who’s understanding, compassion. (27) Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ends with the death of The curtain goes up on a scene at a beach. the child – not the real death but the death of The play covers almost twenty-four hours – the illusionary child. All Over and The Lady from “which alters from bright day to deepest night” Dubuque are the plays which completely focus (TS 86) and ends with the birth of a new day on the process of dying and the impact of death and death of Grandma. The play opens and we on the survivors. Breda Murphy has rightly find Mommy and Daddy on a beach. Mommy remarked, “All Over concentrate on the finding this place perfect for Grandma’s death, situation of waiting . . . The Lady from Dubuque says “This will do perfectly . . . don’t you think is an intense treatment of the experience of the so, Daddy? There’s sand there, and the water loving survivors” (96). By this confrontation of beyond. What do you think Daddy?” (TS 87). death, Albee makes his audience aware not After this, she asks Daddy to help her in only of death but also of life. He wants to wake disposing Grandma. Mommy and Daddy return them up from their long death like sleep in to the beach, carrying Grandma, and they “dump her in” (TS 88) the sandbox. This act 421 | P a g e

NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS JournalNX- A Multidisciplinary Peer Reviewed Journal ISSN No: 2581 - 4230 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6, June. -2021 juxtaposes pathos with meanness because a a farmer, who died when she was just thirty helpless old woman (Mother of Mommy – years old and left her all alone to raise their Grandma) is brought to death by her own unpleasant daughter. Firstly, her husband’s daughter. death devalued her life, and now Mommy and The younger as well as the older Daddy are devaluing life. They are treating generation is discarding death and life both Grandma as a discarded animal by making her because they are captured in the web of ‘Life- sleep on a blanket in the kitchen, and at the Lies’. The younger generation discards the hour of death, they are dumping her in the older generation not only because of their sandbox. callousness, but there is a psychological reason As the play approaches towards end, the as well i.e., the older generation is representing Musician (brought by Mommy and Daddy for the old age and death in front of the younger funeral) plays nice and soft music. Off-stage generation which they do not want to confront. rumbles convey the message that Grandma’s The older generation is also surrounded by death is approaching. The author parodies ‘Life-Lies’ as they expect that the younger theatrical conventions in order to satirize the generation will look after them when they will vacuity and hypocrisy of a death-watch. grow old, but the reality is totally different – Mommy and Daddy are not concerned with they are thrown out of the house like trash- Grandma’s life or death but they are dedicated bags. to the principle of conforming outwardly what In the play, too, Mommy and Daddy dump other people expect from them. Grandma into the sandbox for the above MOMMY. It means the time has come for poor mentioned reasons. Grandma, too, cries and Grandma . . . and I can’t bear it. throws sand at them just like a child. DADDY. (vacantly) I . . . I you’ve to be brave. Unknowingly Grandma helps Mommy and (TS 92) Daddy by half-burying herself with sand. Mommy and Daddy put a good show Michael E. Rutenberg remarks, and when they think Grandma is dead, Mommy What she really doing is digging her says, “so is it! Our long night is over. We must own grave. The joke then becomes an ugly put away our tear, take off our mourning . . . one. There is nothing left for Grandma to do. and face the future. It’s our duty” (TS 93). With Her family doesn’t want her, and at the age of these words both the hypocrites leave the stage eighty-six the possibility of old friends still and Grandma has outwitted them by “playing alive is quite remote. (47) dead” (TS 93), as she is not dead till now and Along with digging her own grave, nor does she show any intention of dying, not Grandma narrates her own life story to the yet. Young Man on the beach who is actually the Finally, Grandma is completely shocked Angel of Death. She complains about the bad when she realizes the reality that she cannot treatment she receives, and says: “Honestly! move her legs. At this moment audience as well What a way to treat an old woman! Drag her as Grandma realizes that she is half-buried and out of the house . . . stick her in a car . . . bring half-way gone to death. Half-buried in the sand, her out here from the city . . . dump her in a pile Grandma can be compared to Beckett’s of sand . . . and leave her here to sit” (TS 90). submerged couple Willie and Winnie in Happy And finally she declares “There is no respect Days. At this moment it is difficult to return to out here!” Further she narrates her own life life. The Young Man –the Angel of Death – asks story and tells the Young Man that she married her to be quiet. He “kisses” Grandma and tells 422 | P a g e

NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS JournalNX- A Multidisciplinary Peer Reviewed Journal ISSN No: 2581 - 4230 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6, June. -2021 her “I am the Angel of Death. I am . . . uh . . . I am she merely departs from a form of life that is a come for you” (TS 94). This time Grandma does great deal more dead than anything else” not grumble and compliments the Young Man: (Rutenberg, Interview 232). “you did that very well, dear” (TS 94). The The Sandbox handles the theme of death Young Man thanks her for the compliment and and dying in such a broad and wonderful Grandma closes her eyes and finally says: manner. However, death purges Grandma’s “You’re . . . you’re welcome dear” (TS 94). In death-like-existence on this earth; but, unlike this way the last scene reveals an unexpected Albee’s other plays, the process of Grandma’s turn of events and brings the play to a dying does not result in the purgation, satisfying close. purification and reconciliation of the watchers. In the psychological context, death, as in Mommy and Daddy leave the stage with the Freud, appears like pleasure’s hidden agenda. same carelessness, indifference and In later writings, Freud elevates death and inhumanity with which they came. Thus, in pleasure into mythic forces, Eros and Thanatos this play death, just like Jerry’s planned death, – as if Greek Gods – as they sometimes oppose is a medium of salvation for the dying person; each other and sometime become the two but unlike Peter, Mommy and Daddy are facets of the same entity Gramdma’s address to unable to learn anything. the Angel of Death as “dear” makes it quite The Sandbox not only deals with death, clear that death seems more acceptable to this but also with the death-in-life existence of wretched woman than the senseless life. Thus, modern man in the modern absurd world the acceptance leads to an existential idea. This which is the central idea of Box and Quotation journey from denial to acceptance of death from Chairman Mao-Tse-Tung. Box is a common makes it crystal clear that from the mind, as Albee symbol which occurs in a number of his believes Freud, no experience can ever be plays. In The Zoo Story Jerry keeps a small erased. One can suppress his death instinct but strongbox, in The Sandbox Grandma buries can never erase it. Grandma’s acceptance herself in the box which symbolizes grave, in shows that death has a certain life in it, so is The American Dream Grandma packs her life believed by Freud, as once he said, “destruction away in the little boxes, in Tiny Alice the caused by winter before spring returns the mansion is curious set of Chinese boxes. In all beauty of nature to us” (qtd. in Smith 19). the plays box symbolizes coffin or graveyard. So to say, Albee, like Emily Dickinson, Anita Maria Stenz says, “The box could be treats death as a lover not as an enemy. This is suggesting a place where someone would like why, the Angel of Death is portrayed as a to go to die, a place with room inside for a sexually aware, masculine and attractive man. rocking chair and room to move about in . . Michael E. Rutenberg compares this portrayal .some. Enough. The box could be a coffin” (90). of Albee’s Young Man to Jean Cocteau’s film The symbol of box demonstrates that Orphee in which death arrives as a beautiful sometimes life can be worse than death itself, woman. In both the situations “Death’s sensual and at that moment, like Grandma, man guise attracts us and we naively follow with understands the value of death. Box-Mao-Box, mistaken expectations” (Rutenberg 45). In this too, gives a pathetic demonstration of this play, too, Grandma was not ready to die in the death-in-life existence. beginning, but in the final scene she easily surrenders herself to death’s gentle embrace because, as puts Albee, “she really doesn’t die; 423 | P a g e

NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS JournalNX- A Multidisciplinary Peer Reviewed Journal ISSN No: 2581 - 4230 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6, June. -2021 REFERENCES: 6) Marx, Leo. The Machine in the Garden: 1) Lear, Jonathan. Freud. New York: Routledge, Technology and the Pastoral Idea in 2005. Print. America. New York: Oxford UP, 1964. Print. 2) Lemay, J. A. Leo, ed. An Early American 7) May, Rollo. Psychology and the Human Reader. New Delhi: Asian Book Pvt. Ltd, Dilemma. New Jersey: D Von Nostrand Co, 1990. Print. 1967. Print. 3) Lodge, David, ed. 20th Century Literary 8) McCarthy, Gerry. Edward Albee. London: Criticism. London:Longman, 1972. Print. Macmillan, 1987. Print. 4) Magill, Frank N, ed. Critical Survey of 9) Meisel, Perry. The Literary Freud. New York Drama: English Language Series. New & London: Routledge, 2017. Print. Jersey: Salem P, 2015. Print. 10) Narasimhaiah, C. D, ed. Asian Response to 5) Mann, Bruce J, ed. Edward Albee: A American Literature. Delhi: Vikas Pub, Casebook. New York: Routledge, 2003. 1972. Print. Print.

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