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Three Uses of the Knife : On the Nature and Purpose of Drama

david mamet

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Playwright David Mamet's three lectures at Columbia University are ostensibly about issues of dramatic structure, but as they unfold, and Mamet continually explores the relationship between dramatic structure and the lives we live, much broader concerns are revealed. Here, for example, is Mamet on political propaganda:

It is ... essential to the healthy political campaign that the issues be largely or perhaps totally symbolic--i.e., non-quantifiable. Peace With Honor, Communists in the State Department, Supply Side Economics, Recapture the Dream, Bring Back the Pride--these are the stuff of pageant. They are not social goals; they are, as Alfred Hitchcock told us, the MacGuffin.... The less specific the qualities of the MacGuffin are, the more interested the audience will be.... A loose abstraction allows audience members to project their own desires onto an essentially featureless goal.

Although occasionally academic, the overall tone of the lectures is consistent with Mamet's no-nonsense manner of speech. He has no time for obfuscation and little time for repetition, save when he must absolutely employ it for emphasis. He is passionate about good theater, and passionate about the truth. 3 Uses of the Knife makes an excellent companion piece to his True and False, which addressed similar philosophical matters in the form of advice on the actor's craft.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1991

This edition

Format
128 pages, Hardcover
Published
January 1, 1768 by Methuen Drama
ISBN
9780413771339
ASIN
0413771334
Language
English

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About the author

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david mamet

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David Alan Mamet is an American author, essayist, playwright, screenwriter and film director. His works are known for their clever, terse, sometimes vulgar dialogue and arcane stylized phrasing, as well as for his exploration of masculinity.

As a playwright, he received Tony nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988). As a screenwriter, he received Oscar nominations for The Verdict (1982) and Wag the Dog (1997).

Mamet's recent books include The Old Religion (1997), a novel about the lynching of Leo Frank; Five Cities of Refuge: Weekly Reflections on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (2004), a Torah commentary, with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner; The Wicked Son (2006), a study of Jewish self-hatred and antisemitism; and Bambi vs. Godzilla, an acerbic commentary on the movie business.

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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100 reviews All reviews
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critic111
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I had a strange feeling when reading this book. It engages the reader, or perhaps I should say it burns the reader's mind? I don't know. The author writes and you listen, even though sometimes you may disagree with him, but you remain silent and enjoy it in a hidden way as if the story is whispering to you. It closely reveals fragmented and scattered things around a certain theme, just like the lectures of university professors in my classes, the topics that they bring up. Maybe it's even confusing, jumbled, and inconsistent. I don't know, but I liked this book. It lingers in my memory and engages my mind.

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JosephSaber40
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Okay, well.

I'm truly glad that this book was of a short length. But to be honest, it was indeed quite beneficial for me to read it. I found myself disagreeing with a significant portion of its content. However, I firmly believe that it served a useful purpose. Sometimes, reading materials that you oppose can actually assist you in better expressing your own genuine thoughts.

Overall, Mamet elevates theatre or drama to a level that it perhaps cannot sustain on its own. He almost seems to worship it, associating it with religion, magic, and the Bible. He posits that art should bring peace and "inspire cleansing awe". But can anything other than Jesus truly bestow those things upon us?

In a nutshell, this book gave the impression of idolatry and atheism, concealed beneath overly elaborate language and meandering trains of thought. Seriously, there were numerous instances where he phrased things as eloquently and pretentiously as possible. Or at least that's how it came across to me. There are authors who employ beautiful words simply for their aesthetic value, being infatuated with the beauty of language as a gift from God. And then there are those who use lovely words to sound intelligent. Second-handers who are more concerned with lecturing or impressing rather than sharing their joy in a particular thing. That's precisely how the entire book felt to me.

Moreover, there were so many incomplete thoughts that he left hanging, as if presuming that every reader would be able to understand the remainder of his idea, leaving any reader who didn't understand feeling foolish or out of place.

There were certain aspects that I liked. Sentences and small sections where I thought, "Yes!" (I'll share some quotes below.) But overall... this is a vision of drama that truly requires a lesson from the Storyteller.

I don't necessarily wholeheartedly agree with these, but they caught my attention:
"The demand of immediate gratification is death for any art which takes place over time. That the audience be teased, disappointed, reassured, frightened, and finally freed is the essence of dramatic/musical form. It is only... garbage that'makes us feel good all the time.'"
"Dramatic art raises the creators and the viewers to the status of communicants. We who made it, formed it, saw it, went through something together, now we are veterans. Now we are friends."
"We cannot gamble enough to find peace, eat enough to be thin, arm ourselves or strut enough to feel secure."
"But life is not simple, the truth is not simple, true art is not simple. True art is as deep and convoluted and various as the minds and souls of the human beings who create it." (I feel like a really long and fascinating discussion could be sparked based solely on this sentence.)
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orbitkosmos
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I just finished reading this book two minutes ago, and my mind is completely filled with thoughts.

At times, it becomes rather confusing due to its profound philosophical ponderings, making me really think hard.

However, at other times, it is crystal clear with its straightforward anecdotes and interesting, playful metaphors.

Without a doubt, it is easily one of the very best books on drama that I have ever read.

What's truly amazing is that it manages to condense an enormous amount of thought and wisdom into just 81 pages.

It doesn't simply present a step-by-step guide like a "here is how it's done" sort of book. Instead, it challenges the reader to engage with the ideas and form their own interpretations.

This book has truly opened my eyes to a whole new world of drama and has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation for this art form.

I can't wait to pick it up again and explore its pages further.
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fallenbunzx
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This short little book is truly a treasure trove, containing a multitude of information and ideas.

In the unique way that only Mamet can manage, he skillfully swerves among various diverse subjects such as drama, politics, religion, and all sorts of other fascinating areas.

Moreover, just as only Mamet has the ability to do, he presents these topics in a manner that is not only interesting but also highly controversial.

This makes the book definitely worth a re-read, as each time one delves into its pages, new insights and perspectives are likely to emerge.

It is a work that challenges the reader's thinking and engages them on multiple levels, leaving a lasting impression and inviting further exploration of the ideas presented within.

Overall, this short book by Mamet is a remarkable piece of writing that combines depth, creativity, and controversy in a truly engaging way.

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Narmina
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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It's quite possible that I detested this book mainly because it deviated from what I had anticipated.

If only I had picked it up with the intention of delving into Mamet's cynicism towards almost everything else, perhaps I would have found enjoyment in it.

However, my desire was to explore the nature and purpose of drama, and unfortunately, this book failed to fulfill that need.

Moreover, I didn't consider it to be particularly well-written. It seemed to jump around haphazardly, lacking a coherent structure.

Frankly speaking, I probably would have derived more pleasure from poking myself in the eye with rusty nails than from reading this book.

In conclusion, my disappointment with this book stems from its failure to meet my expectations and its subpar writing quality.
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Darkzepheran
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has even a moderate level of interest in theatre and plays. There is a good possibility that you might disagree with some, if not a significant number of the points that Mamet makes. He has a reputation for being something of an iconoclast, which means he challenges traditional beliefs and ideas. However, I firmly believe that the ideas he presents in this book are truly fascinating. They are delivered in a convincingly and wittily manner, which makes the reading experience not only engaging but also thought-provoking. At first, I had the impression that a superiority complex was emanating from the pages, but as I delved deeper into the book, I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing with him. This book has the power to change your perspective on theatre and plays and is definitely worth a read for anyone interested in this field.

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otaku_horrorhime
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Even a broken clock shows the correct time twice a day. Well, in Mamet's case, it happens a bit more than twice, but he's still a broken clock.

He's really not an intelligent person. Sometimes naïve, other times maniacally convinced of certain self-deceptions bordering on conspiracy theories. Many passages in the book are truly to be picked up and thrown away because they are completely useless and border on illuminated preaching that one doesn't understand a damn thing about.

The most useful part is the one about the actor. And yet, despite everything I've said, the times when he's shown the correct time have really stuck with me and have really helped me.

Overall, Mamet is a complex figure. His work contains both elements that are frustrating and those that are valuable. It's important to approach his ideas with a critical eye and to take what is useful while discarding the rest. This way, we can make the most of his contributions and avoid being misled by his less-than-stellar moments.

Perhaps this is the key to understanding Mamet and his work. We need to see him for what he is – a flawed but sometimes brilliant thinker – and use his ideas as a springboard for our own exploration and growth.

Only then can we truly appreciate the value that he brings, even if it comes packaged with a fair amount of nonsense.
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KazeKogi
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I think this is my favorite of Mamet’s books that I’ve read so far.

Curiously enough, this copy was underlined by two people before me. It must be assigned reading at one of the local universities.

Whomever it was that underlined using a red pen completely missed the point at every stroke. They spent time and energy to sloppily underline passages of minimal relevance to the point of the chapter or even the paragraph.

It’s like they were underlining just to impress us that they have read it. But in reality, their underlining didn't add any value or show a true understanding of the text.

So, I would like to say to anyone who might pick up this book in the future: DO NOT FOLLOW THE RED LINE.

You should read the book with an open mind and form your own interpretations, rather than being influenced by someone else's haphazard underlining.

This way, you can truly appreciate the depth and meaning of Mamet's work and gain a more valuable reading experience.
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