Irony in David Mamet’s American Buffalo

Az Zahra, Salwa Diva (2024) Irony in David Mamet’s American Buffalo. Sarjana thesis, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung.

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Abstract

This research examines the use of irony in David Mamet's play American Buffalo, which is recognized as one of the most prominent works in modern American theater. The main focus of this research is on verbal irony, situational irony, and cosmic irony, and how they interact to enrich character development and plot. Using the literary theoretical framework of irony, character development, and plot, this thesis applies a contextual and textual analysis approach to identify and explore the various forms of irony used by Mamet. The study reveals that verbal irony in American Buffalo is often used to show the contradiction between what is said and what the characters actually mean, reflecting the moral ambiguity and confusion of values in a society. Meanwhile, situational irony in the play shows the discrepancy between expectations and reality, which highlights the uncertainty in social and economic interactions portrayed by Mamet. Furthermore, cosmic irony in the play adds a deeper layer of interpretation, where fate and outside forces often play tricks on the characters, exposing the absurdity and helplessness of the individual in the face of greater forces. Through this in-depth analysis, this thesis concludes that David Mamet not only uses irony as a narrative tool, but also as a medium to criticize and question the values espoused by American society.

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