The play takes place in the living room of a middle-aged couple, George and Martha, on a New England college campus in the 1960s. George is a history professor and Martha is the daughter of the college president. After returning home drunk from a party at Martha's father's house, they invite a younger couple, Nick (a biology professor) and his wife Honey, over for drinks.
Throughout the play, George and Martha engage in a series of games, including a game of "humiliating the guests" and a game of "making up stories." As the night wears on, the couple's verbal sparring matches become increasingly intense and personal, exposing their deep-seated insecurities and the underlying tensions in their marriage. The secrets of both couples are laid bare and illusions are exposed.
In a climactic moment, George decides to "kill" the imaginary son he and Martha have invented to compensate for their childlessness. This forces George and Martha to finally face the truth about their marriage.
In the quiet ending, they stand together against the world, sharing their sorrow.

Marriage and Relationships The play centers on the turbulent marriage of Martha and George, an older couple who engage in vicious verbal and emotional games with each other. It portrays marriage as a battlefield and dissects the darker aspects of relationships, such as resentment, mind games, and the inability to have children.

Illusion vs. Reality A major theme is the contrast between illusion and reality. Martha and George have created an imaginary son to cope with their inability to have children. Their made-up stories and games represent their retreat into illusion to avoid facing the harsh realities of their marriage.

Societal Expectations The play challenges the 1950s idealized notion of the perfect American family. It exposes the emptiness and dysfunction that can lie beneath the facade of a respectable, middle-class couple. Albee critiques the pressure to conform to societal expectations of marriage and family life.

Competition and Power Dynamics Martha and George's relationship is characterized by a constant struggle for power and one-upmanship. Their games and verbal attacks are a means to assert dominance over each other and their guests Nick and Honey.

By exploring these themes through the lens of Martha and George's marriage, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" offers a scornful commentary on the unpleasant side of American suburban life in the 1960s.