Journal of Language Horizons, Alzahra University — 53 Volume 2, Issue 1, Spring – Summer 2018 (Biannual – Serial No. 3) — 53 Appendix 1 Item characteristics Items Power English hegemony Ideology 1 .195 .599 .273 2 .064 .329 .367 3 .358 -.290 .314 4 .204 .698 .198 5 .368 .431 .201 6 .326 .467 .225 7 .139 .094 .323 8 -.047 .282 .275 9 .731 -.140 .023 10 .748 .034 .169 A Foucauldian Analysis of 11 .608 .219 .259 12 .525 .171 .356 13 .710 .104 .234 Power Distribution in David 14 .611 .280 .118 1 15 .043 .745 .346 Mamet’s Faustus 16 .059 .683 .381 17 -.304 -.398 .289 18 .113 -.282 .512 2 19 .274 .354 .497 Mahya Hajigholam 20 .601 .072 .452 Nahid Mohammadi3* 21 .390 .-223 .321 22 .198 .293 .533 23 .374 .412 .291 Received: 2018/05/07 | Revised: 2018/07/07 | Accepted: 2018/11/06 24 .033 .132 .731 25 .302 -.127 .391 26 .541 .254 .121 27 .001 .313 .539 Extraction method: Principle component analysis Rotation method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization Abstract Faustus has a long history in European literature although its origin is Appendix 2 obscure. David Mamet, in a modern version of the old legend, presents a new perspective on the issues of power and truth. Michel Foucault, the Descriptive statistics influential post-structuralist historian and philosopher of the 20th centu- Standard ry, gives a novel insight into the nature of power relations and its manner Item Number Minimum Maximum Mean deviation of operation within human societies. In this sense, Foucault posits that 1 617 1 4 2.31 .944 power and knowledge are the same; moreover, power and resistance 4 715 1 4 2.33 .997 coexist in every social interaction. The current study aims to investigate 5 588 1 4 2.39 .910 the power relations in David Mamet’s Faustus in a Foucauldian frame- work. Faustus’s model of the periodic power offers a rigid paradigm to 6 627 1 4 2.43 .940 explain the mechanism of the world. Human will and resistance have no 9 493 1 4 2.55 .841 place in Faustus’s ideology. However, the study shows how Faustus gets 10 442 1 4 2.51 .839 disillusioned as he becomes aware of the hidden power relations func- 11 441 1 4 2.45 .828 tioning around him. It concludes that the significant role of truth and 12 384 1 4 2.47 .810 knowledge in power relations leads to the emergence of confession, re- 19 444 1 4 2.45 .928 22 445 1 4 2.47 .921 24 531 1 4 2.55 .973 1 DOI: 10.22051/lghor.2018.20204.1080 27 394 1 4 2.36 .945 2 MA student of English literature; Alzahra University; [email protected] 3 Assistant professor of English literature, Alzahra University, (corresponding author);[email protected] 54 — A Foucauldian Analysis of Power Distribution in David Mamet’s Faustus ward, and punishment: discourses which entangle the individual in a complex web of power and resistance. Keywords: David Mamet, Faustus, Michel Foucault, Power, Resistance. Introduction Philosophy, since its birth in ancient times, has always aimed to discover the underlying mechanism of the world and the universal laws. In this respect, philosophical viewpoints change over time with the development of sciences and human knowledge. On the other hand, a scientific approach seeks to define the world with the constraints of fixed formulas and empirical judgments. However, there might be a tendency to extend this approach to other areas of study like human nature. But, human beings, as creatures with will power, transgress the limits of scientific expectations because their behaviors and atti- tudes are not predictable. In fact, that is the main reason which gives rise to historical changes and developments in human societies. The conflict over power and dominance determines the formation of social structures and hu- man relations in every era. Moreover, it leads to wars, massacres, and geno- cide—the undeniable facts of human history. Recent philosophers and sociologists, especially since the 19th century, have addressed the issue of power and its association with human nature and politi- cal and social structures. Karl Marx defines power within economic terms, es- pecially money matters and he goes so far as saying “my power is as great as the power of money” (McLellan, 1977, p.118). Friedrich Nietzsche relates pow- er to personal will in a sense that the “sovereign individual” (Nietzsche, 2007, p.37) can break himself free of the established principles and values and take the control of his own life and destiny. Max Weber regards power as “the prob- ability that one actor within a social relationship will be in a position to carry out his own will despite resistance” (Parsons, 1947, p.152). Thus, the range of definitions and perspectives on power denotes its multiple dimensions and expanse of functionality. Media and literature are among the sites where philosophical and sociologi- cal viewpoints on human relations, including power, ethics, and politics, are reflected. David Mamet is the American playwright and movie director who mainly draws upon these issues in his works. Most of the researches upon Da- vid Mamet have highlighted these subjects. Some scholars consider Mamet as a playwright who is concerned with ethics. For instance, Kevin Alexander Boon, in “Ethics and Capitalism in the Screenplays of David Mamet,” studies the rela- tionship between ethics and capitalism and posits that Mamet’s plays are con- cerned with ethics, although they avoid direct “didacticism” (Boon & Mamet, 2011, p.174). Milena Kostic, too, in the chapter “Conclusion: Modern Versions of the Faustus Myth” studies the ethics in Faustus. She states that Faustus’s peri- odic paradigm of power due to excluding the soul is basically unethical (Kostic, 2013, p.121). Kostic concludes that the play is condemning “science” for its be- ing devoid of “conscience” (p.124). Journal of Language Horizons, Alzahra University — 55 ward, and punishment: discourses which entangle the individual in a While ethical themes might be the main concern of Mamet’s plays, the un- complex web of power and resistance. derlying mechanisms of power relations, which also influence moral matters, Keywords: David Mamet, Faustus, Michel Foucault, Power, Resistance. should not be disregarded. The relationship between discourse and power has been the center of focus in some studies on David Mamet’s plays. Brenda Mur- phy in “Oleanna: Language and Power” studies the power relations in the con- text of an educational place and in student-teacher interactions. She analyses Introduction the “linguistic communities” of the play and how “specialized language or jar- Philosophy, since its birth in ancient times, has always aimed to discover the gon” influences the relations of power between the individuals (Murphy, 2004, underlying mechanism of the world and the universal laws. In this respect, p.126). Moreover, Henry I. Schvey in “The Plays of David Mamet: Games of Ma- philosophical viewpoints change over time with the development of sciences nipulation and Power” investigates the issue of power in relation to the politics and human knowledge. On the other hand, a scientific approach seeks to define of the world with regard to the blank spaces within statements which can be the world with the constraints of fixed formulas and empirical judgments. “as part of a game involving manipulation or power” (Schvey, 1988, pp.88-89). However, there might be a tendency to extend this approach to other areas of Furthermore, in the analysis of the relationship between discourse and social study like human nature. But, human beings, as creatures with will power, structures, Jonathan S. Cullick, in the article “‘Always Be Closing’: Competition transgress the limits of scientific expectations because their behaviors and atti- and the Discourse of Closure in David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross,” examines tudes are not predictable. In fact, that is the main reason which gives rise to the institutions and the domain of discourses which are produced and author- historical changes and developments in human societies. The conflict over ized within them. Based on Foucault’s theory of language, Cullick argues that power and dominance determines the formation of social structures and hu- Mamet by “using the division of discourse into communal and competitive as a man relations in every era. Moreover, it leads to wars, massacres, and geno- paradigm” shows how different interactional patterns ensue among the charac- cide—the undeniable facts of human history. ters (Cullick, 1994, p.24). Recent philosophers and sociologists, especially since the 19th century, have Close to Foucault’s terminology, some studies have explored the subject of addressed the issue of power and its association with human nature and politi- ‘truth’ in Mamet’s plays. Christopher Bigsby, in a part of his article “David Mam- cal and social structures. Karl Marx defines power within economic terms, es- et: All True Stories,” investigates the characters in Mamet’s different plays and pecially money matters and he goes so far as saying “my power is as great as relates them to the general themes which are to be “the myths of capitalism, the the power of money” (McLellan, 1977, p.118). Friedrich Nietzsche relates pow- loss of that spiritual confidence” (Bigsby, 2004, p.164). He posits the idea that er to personal will in a sense that the “sovereign individual” (Nietzsche, 2007, the characters are generally tricky and the relations shape on ruse and fraudu- p.37) can break himself free of the established principles and values and take lence in order to gain benefit from others (p.164). Therefore, Mamet’s plays the control of his own life and destiny.