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Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Power Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue.

Quote #4

Martha: Our son does not have blue hair…or blue eyes, for that matter. He has green eyes…like me.
George: He has blue, eyes Martha. (1.675-1.676)

Here George and Martha use the illusion of their son as a battlefield for dominance.

Quote #5

George: I've been drawing you [Nick] out on this stuff, not because I'm interested in your terrible lifehood, but only because you represent a direct and pertinent threat to my lifehood (2.217)

George openly admits that he's intimidated by Nick's youthful potential, and that he's seeking a way to undermine it.

Quote #6

Martha: You want to know what big brave Georgie did?
George: (Advancing on her) You will not say this! […]
Martha: He came home and he threw the book in the fireplace and burned it! (2.476-2.479)

Revealing the secret of George's novel is a major power play on Martha's part.