True West | Essays and Criticism

  • The Nature of Myth

    Nienhuis is an associate professor of English at Western Carolina University. In this essay he examines the nature of myth as it pertains to Shepard's play. Nienhuis also discusses the abundant humor in the work.

  • Cain, Canaanites, and Philistines in Sam Shepard's True West

    In this essay, Hoeper outlines the parallels between Shepard's True West and the biblical parable of Cain and Abel, comparing the two tales of sibling rivalry.

  • Reveiw of True West

    In this review of True West's Broadway debut, Rich offers a mixed assessment of the play, praising Shepard's text yet lamenting the shortcomings of this particular production.