Winning three Pulitzers (1966: A De...

Winning three Pulitzers (1966: A Delicate Balance, 1974: Seascape, and 1994: Three Tall Women) Edward Albee has seen three of his greatest in number substantial tragedies passed over for that particular prize. The ruling committee decided controversially against Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1963 perhaps puzzl about Tiny Alice in 1965 and maybe pondering enough's enough when it came to The Goat in 2002 Bagsful of Tony, Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards won by dint of these three plays must nevertheless comfort Edward Albee in his Outcast' state as he periodically characterizes himself as the scapegoat for American theater critics.

In the Playbill for the opening of The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? in succession March 10, 2002, Albee announced a next to the first subtitle coming for the published script: "(Notes toward a definition of tragedy)" Copyrighted in 2000 The Goat wore its promised subtitle when finally published in 2003 "Whatever resonance or metaphors there are," he told Jerry Tallmer, "everything's clearly embedded in fact;" it is what Albee calls "naturalistic" [Playbill, 6-7] After the first performance, was there anyone who didn't attend the play already knowing that the beloved Sylvia is a goat? in the same manner much for surprise and suspense, as in Oedipus. Straight-on, no evasions, and no vengeance from a neglected Aphrodite as in Hippolytus, for Martin has worshipped at and gloried in Love's grotto for 21 years since knowing his wife Stevie, and for six month since knowing Sylvia. delight in is, of course, the question I want to address Albee's artistry in weaving his "naturalistic" story line, in its ofttimes comic and nuanced levels, with his deliberate mental action "toward a definition of tragedy" in its many dimensions. Aristotle speculates that tragedy as a form may have originated in rustically satiric vineyard staffs and satyr-dances [Ch. 4]. Perhaps those early 'tragedians' won a prize goat (or wine-filled goatskin) for the best 'tragedy', from tragos, literally "goatsong." Albee, who teaches and writes 'dramatic literature', has aimed for the tragic drift for his plays since his The Zoo Story in 1959-60 Albee's definition of tragedy reaches an intricate fullnes in The Goat.

The individual tragedy of The Goat is that of the 'hero' Martin Gray. he has reached a "pinnacle" in his accomplished maturity. Trying to tape a tv-show his best friend Ros turtle-pigeon characterizes Martin as one of those "people [who] matter in extraordinary ways, affect [our] lives, enrich [and] inform them" [i; 24] A contemporary hero, at fifty he is the youngest recipient of the Pulitzer-like Pritzker Prize for Architecture, and as an artist he has been enabled to design The World City with the commercial blessing and value of $200-billion (up from $27 billion in the program note). he is politically liberal, financially and intellectually independent- if it be not that also loving. His domestic succes appears remarkable as well. His teenage son Billy describes Martin (before today) as a "great proper Dad" [iii; 101], he says he and his wife have "always been upright together," in bed and revealed "honest" and "considerate" [i; 35] and Stevie remarks in its passing, "You'd not at any time imagine a marriage could be with equal reason perfect." [ii; 75]. In a delicate paraphrase and the rhyme of Mary Tyrone's final line in O'Neill's great tragedy, she summarizes what they have had: "I've married the man I lov and I've been ... to such a degree happy" [ii.77]. For a time, yes? Their rich literacy and allusive language sometimes spill above disruptively, humorously, revealingly in conversation. ofttimes these 'interruptions' glance down at the dark abyss that, at first, Martin alone is struggling to cros as a distracted however uncontrollable "semanticist" [iii; 94]. he is doing with equal reason when he sabotages Ross's attempt "to boost your ego" [i; 33] and tape their interview [i; 26]: Ross: You're at the . . pinnacle of your succes Martin.

MARTIN: (Considers that) You mean it's all downhill from here?

This instant revision, the two teasing and self-destructive, adds the downslope to Ross's ego-enhancing allusion to the top of the hill (or heap): "Pinnacle." Martin's life has in fact deviceed and his fall begins with his confession to Ros however a more mysterious, perhaps sinister note is being generated around this highpoint. Twice -to his friend Ros [i; 41] and to his wife Stevie [ii; 79]-Martin describes the significance the time and place, in which he first saw and relentless for his Sylvia. he uses the same words to the one and the other and both friend and wife 'correct' him by means of interjecting the single word "Crest" Albee emphasizes this exactly parallel phrasing that is unexplainable at the 'naturalistic' level: " and I stopped at the top of a hill " "Crest" "What!?" a startled Martin asks Stevie; "Who are you!?" [ii.79] The wave shakes there the moment before it advances crashing down. Something mysteriously beyond the natural has signaled its presence

Calamity leashs with heroic achievement in a tragedy, and as Bill Pullman played Martin Gray, depression is knocking upon the door with dark, unexplained conversational pauses from the first; he appears "preoccupied" and distracted as well as forgetful. When in the silliness of their opening gambit [i; 7-19] Martin prodigys what's wrong with him, Stevie (Mercede Ruehl) chances "The old foreboding? The perception that everything going right is a never-failing sign that everything's going sinful of all the awful to come? all that?" [i; 1O] easily during his sound-check [i; 22] Ros turtle-pigeon (Stephen Rowe), then Martin and the audience hear