A GENDER STUDY OR SHIFT OF BALANCE IN DAVID MAMET’S OLEANNA

One of the distinctive people in American literature and cinema, David Mamet writes a great number of plays and scripts and many of which are produced or directed by Mamet himself. Consisting of three acts and having minimalist characterization, Oleanna concerns about John, a faculty member in a university, and his female student Carol. Mamet primarily questions about capitalism, American education system and also tends to the subjects of sexual harassment. Even though Mamet arguing about the relationship between man and woman is criticized by many feminists, he seems to be very accomplished to indicate the deep psychology in both sexes. John who lectures in a university looks superior to his student Carol in terms of his masculinity and linguistic ability. However, this superiority relays to Carol charging him with sexual harassment. The play ends with his endeavor to manhandle her. In this study, one of Mamet’s most important works, Oleanna will be argued in terms of feminism, linguistics and American education system