‘Remember Me’: Examining Parallel Language and Structure in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross through Cultural Linguistics, The Eagle Feather

2007 Issue

Table of Contents | Editorial Board | Review Acknowledgements

‘Remember Me’: Examining Parallel Language and Structure in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross through Cultural Linguistics

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Author: David Hanna
Faculty Mentor:
Paul Menzer, Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences
Timothy Wilson, Department of Dance and Theatre, College of Arts and Sciences
Department:
Department of Dance and Theatre, College of Arts and Sciences & Honors College
Bio:
David Hanna is a junior at the University of North Texas. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a minor in English. Having finished an Honors Thesis and presented a workshop based on his findings at the Great Plains Honors Council in Oklahoma City, David is preparing to appear in another UNT production. When not working on a new show, David is writing new plays and looking to produce works independently. His future plans are to pursue postgraduate study in theatre, experimenting with new theories, works, and styles in both the academic and professional fields. This study is a first step in an ongoing exploration of the science and spirit of theatre.

Abstract:
This study, the first part of a full Honors Thesis, examines the linguistic connections between William Shakespeare and contemporary playwright David Mamet. Coupling recent advances in cultural criticism with formal, text-based analysis, the article looks at constructs of language, comparing two authors in extremely different cultures while examining new possibilities in analyzing dramatic literature. Both Shakespeare and Mamet create a power construct in their plays through language, a tactic that engages the actions of other characters and keeps the audience completely immersed in performance. The sources reveal that despite writing four hundred years apart, Shakespeare and Mamet write using the same patterns of language and create parallel dramas.

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