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Dialectic of Two Cultures : Edward Albee, C. P. Snow, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as Dramatized Epistemology

Tranvik, Andreas LU (2023) In Partial Answers: Journal of Literature and the History of Ideas 21(1). p.91-111
Abstract
Since its publication and first performance, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) has often been interpreted with regard to the theme of truth and illusion. A less studied but nonetheless important aspect of the play concerns its relation to C. P. Snow’s concept of the “two cultures.” This article argues for the convergence of these two discussions, resulting in an epistemological understanding of Albee. The play not only rejects of the mutual alienation of the “two cultures” but also constitutes a dramatic move toward a synthesizing “third culture.” Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is read as an epistemological drama of ideas.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Partial Answers: Journal of Literature and the History of Ideas
volume
21
issue
1
pages
21 pages
publisher
Johns Hopkins University Press
ISSN
1565-3668
DOI
10.1353/pan.2023.0005
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cebe3d55-bde5-4c5a-a1ce-7018995733db
date added to LUP
2022-09-08 12:33:50
date last changed
2023-12-19 15:32:48
@article{cebe3d55-bde5-4c5a-a1ce-7018995733db,
  abstract     = {{Since its publication and first performance, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) has often been interpreted with regard to the theme of truth and illusion. A less studied but nonetheless important aspect of the play concerns its relation to C. P. Snow’s concept of the “two cultures.” This article argues for the convergence of these two discussions, resulting in an epistemological understanding of Albee. The play not only rejects of the mutual alienation of the “two cultures” but also constitutes a dramatic move toward a synthesizing “third culture.” Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is read as an epistemological drama of ideas.}},
  author       = {{Tranvik, Andreas}},
  issn         = {{1565-3668}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{91--111}},
  publisher    = {{Johns Hopkins University Press}},
  series       = {{Partial Answers: Journal of Literature and the History of Ideas}},
  title        = {{Dialectic of Two Cultures : Edward Albee, C. P. Snow, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as Dramatized Epistemology}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pan.2023.0005}},
  doi          = {{10.1353/pan.2023.0005}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}