Facing Illusions: "The Zoo Story" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" by Edward Albee

In this thesis, my intention is to point out how Albee uncovers the artifical and illusory values of the modern society. The introduction gives an initial point for the approach of the two dramas examined in this work, by exploring the effects of the American Dream on the people who live in it. The discussion is the analysis of the dramas drawing attention to Albee's depiction of the possibilities, how people from different layers of the society with different qualities and antecedents deal with the influence of the American Dream, and how those who live according to the values suggested by the society are forced to recognize the reality behind the illusory world. The conclusion is the comparison of the final suggestions of the dramas, in which my aim is to reveal the alternatives Albee suggests with the open endings.