Blog#3"Oleanna"

Q #5:J.K Curry (“David Mamet's Oleanna as Commentary on Sexual Harassment in the Academy”) asserts that "The problem with Oleanna is that it is not really, or not primarily, about sexual harassment at all, ut rather about false allegations. Or, perhaps more accurately, about exaggerated or distorted claims of harassment, for John actually has said or done many of the things in Carol's report, though in slightly different context. The work obscures the issue of sexual harassment by suggesting that sexual harassment is really a ploy of militant feminists to disempower and destroy white, middle-class, male academics. (The article as a whole offers a Marxist/feminist analysis of the play.)

Do you agree with Curry? If so, how and where does the play argue that sexual harassment is simply a tool of disempowerment meant to destroy those with more power and cultural cache (educated white males being a major such group)? Be sure to quote directly from the article.

 

A: I do somewhat agree with Curry. "In the play 'Oleanna' it suggests that the play is really about feminist wanting to dis empower white, middle class males." I do agree with this statement. Carol wants nothing more than to dis empower John by taking away everything he's worked so hard to obtain. His career, families happiness, book and 10year. Simply by using the rape card and accusing John falsely he will lose it all. Which makes us, the audience hate Carol's character. We know nothing about Carol, other than her being in Johns class. And with all her ridiculous claims she loses the audiences credibility." People actually cheered when John was hitting Carol." Although Carol might have deserved the beating, It is never right to lay a hand on anyone. So I somewhat think John should get a punishment for hitting Carol. It is against the law. Even though sexual harassment can be used as a tool to get what one wants, it should never be used at such an extent to ruin someones life. In the end "Oleanna" is a play where you cannot take sides, you'll be wrong on either side. "Oleanna" is in fact not really about sexual harassment but rather about false allegations and manipulative characters who have exaggerated and disorted claims. It makes us question both characters credibility.