English
260
Introduction
to Literary Studies
Dr. Morillo
Interpreting
Drama: Paper Assignment
4-5
full pages-standard margins,
double spaced text
Due
Monday, February 27, printed out
on paper, in class
Option 1: In his theory of the drama
in Three Uses of the Knife, David
Mamet is quite opinionated about what drama is, what good drama is, and
what
bad drama is. According to his own definitions and standards, is his Oleanna a tragedy, a melodrama, or a
problem play? Is it a good play? Justify your answer in an argument
citing
specific examples from the play.
Option
2:
Choose
any one idea from Three Uses of the Knife
that you think is especially relevant to understanding Mamet’s Oleanna, and explain why it is so
relevant and what it reveals about that play.
Option
3:
Find a
copy of the 1994 film of Oleanna (with
William Macy as John; North American
Video, in Cameron Village has had it). Is the movie a successful
representation
of what you think is most important in the play? Construct an argument
explaining why or why not.
Give yourself time to draft
and then revise the paper.
Feel free to discuss any proposed passage with me in person or via
email.