Oleanna: A Play

by David Mamet

Book Overview

In David Mamet's latest play, a male college instructor and his female student sit down to discuss her grades and in a terrifyingly short time become the participants in a modern reprise of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 067974536X
• ISBN13: 9780679745365
• Release Date: May 1993
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.2" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

David Mamet's Masterpiece

Known most for his unique drama "Glengarry Glen Ross," David Mamet has written another masterpiece of a play. "Oleanna" is an unforgettable play that will leave you unsure of who's side you're on until the last remaining moments that will stay with you for a long time.The story is very simple, or it starts out simple. It all starts as an innocent meeting between a school teacher and his female student. He knows there's been problems with her doing well in the class, so he offers to help. Then before you know it, everything goes to hell and shortly there are accusations of sexism, abuse of power, and sexual harassment. This is play that will mess with your head, leaving you unsure of who is in the right, if any of them are.I was hooked from the very first page. As soon as I started, I couldn't put it down, and I had no idea of where it was heading. What's great is that it reads very quickly. It's short but accomplishes what it's trying to do. Once again Mamet has a talent of capturing human behavior and reflecting it back through his writing. He can take the simplest conflict and magnify it a hundred times. And once again he is able to catch us off guard when it counts the most."Oleanna" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys reading plays, or just reading in general. Like I said, it's very short so chances are that as soon as you start it you'll be able to finish it in no time. You'll be sad when it's over so quickly, but will be happy to re-read it again and again. A terrific masterpiece that is beautifully written and structured on every front, David Mamet's "Oleanna" is a breathtaking read.

A harsh look at the educational system

Oleanna was the first David Mamet play I read, and I was very impressed. Oleanna is fast, harsh, and a real jolt. The two characters in the play are a teacher and a student, both with weaknesses and issues. No side is innocent in this play, and that adds to the realism. Neither character is a protagonist, and sections where you think one may be correct are just illusions. Oleanna harshly but craftly shows the faults of the educational system. However, I think this book demonstrates an exchange of power between teacher and student. Without giving the plot away, this power struggle shifts radically in the story and ends with amazing results. I highly recommend this book to anyone and I think it is a great topic for debate!

One of Mamet's all-time greatest

I do not think there has been a play in the past twenty years that has inspired more arguments than David Mamet's "Oleanna". Mamet has never been angrier, sharper, or more inspired. More than that, however, Mamet has added a new aspect to this work: ambiguity.The play revolves around two characters. The first, John, is a college professor. He sits behind the desk in his office, hiding behind a large vocabulary and a cocky disposition. Enter Carol, an attractive student who is having trouble understanding John's concepts in his class. John only half-listens to her problems. He spends most of the time listening to himself talk and distracting himself with complications from buying a new house.Act One is initially hard to follow, and seems to go nowhere. However, when Act Two rolls along, the purpose is sealed. It turns out that certain words and one key gesture were misinterpreted, and John's career is on the line. As the play progresses, it turns out that Carol has more than a few tricks up her sleeve.The play is insanely intriguing because of the motivations behind the two characters. We know people like this in our life, and to see both of them on their last leg, relying on whatever resources they have to get on top, is fascinating.The most incredible aspect of this play, however, is the aforementioned abiguity. Although certain productions may lean toward one character or the other, the script itself presents two very flawed characters, making the hero/villain line rather blurry. Men tend to side toward John, while women find Carol the victim, but the play takes no sides.Years from now, when Mamet has passed, and his work remains, I believe this will sit on the shelf with his best works. It is a quick, inexpensive read, and one of the best American plays in years.

Oleana: The Loss of cordiality

I am not sure if David Mamet wrote "Oleana" in response to Anita Hill's accusations against Clarence Thomas, but, his insightful portrayal of how some feminist activists sometimes misuses men as a means to accomplish their agenda would be humorous were it not truly sad. Mamet critiques several relationships in this play including that of humans to humans. In the final analysis of the sexual harassment situation demonstrated in the play, Mamet illustrates how cruel humans can be to one another. Can there really be interest in and cordiality between men and women, student and professor? Does there alwyas have to be or assumed to be some sexual tension or inuendo going on? Or has the declining morals in society dictated that in age of uncertainity and suspicion, people must distance themselves from one another for fear that words, gestures, and intensions can be totally miscontrued and taken out context?

Envy, Greed, and Political Correctness

I have seen three separate productions of David Mamet's controversial two-hander "Oleanna", and the audience has been driven into polarized frenzy each time. Mamet correctly assumes that the engines that drive contemporary society are envy and greed, and his corrosive attack on the verbal manipulations of political correctness is razor-sharp. Mamet's use of language is extraordinary and in this play -- for a change -- the characters are educated, white-collar academics, not filthy-mouthed lowlifes. Obscenity, however, takes many forms. Do yourself a favour: when you take this book home, READ IT ALOUD with someone else. You will discover that "Oleanna" is a passionate, provocative, and powerful piece of theatre.