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The Analysis of Archetypal Characters in Eugene O'Neill's Desire under the Elms:Mythological Approach
Mitra Sabet Mehrjardi1
Through a close study of Eugene O’Neill’s later plays, the reader comes across the characters who are guilty of a moral transgression, of a betrayal of their own individual standards, and thus of a truth which the community does not share and if they want to face their own truth, they require great courage which often leads to death. The characters are aware of, as O’Neill observes, the Force behind, including Fate, God, the biographical past forming their present, and of an eternal tragedy of man in his self-destructive struggle. In these contexts, most of O’Neill’s characters become character types who have lost their individuality and personal integrity, all faded away in the mechanical and materialistic society. Equipped with theatrical techniques and the very rich classical-mythological literature especially Greek Drama, O'Neill deploys symbolic elements in his plays to dramatize the disintegration of his characters's lives under psychological and social pressures, characters who in their struggle to improve their lives ironically have to lose their integrity and be crushed in the mechanical and materialistic milieu surrounding them and thus their American dream changes to a nightmare. This study focuses on the symbolic elements employed by O'Neill in his Desier Under the Elms to scrutinize the way he implements symbolic title, setting, names and symbolic mythological figures to express and prsent his meaning.Of coures, in many instances allusins to the symbolic mythological figures and images are ironically utilized to intensify the effect of characterization or thematic aspects of the play.
1
- Islamic Azad University - Maybod Branch
Introduction Generally acknowledged as the greatest of all American playwrights, Eugene O’Neill’s works have proved highly influential in developing the great literary legacy of twentieth...
Mitra Sabet Mehrjardi1
Through a close study of Eugene O’Neill’s later plays, the reader comes across the characters who are guilty of a moral transgression, of a betrayal of their own individual standards, and thus of a truth which the community does not share and if they want to face their own truth, they require great courage which often leads to death. The characters are aware of, as O’Neill observes, the Force behind, including Fate, God, the biographical past forming their present, and of an eternal tragedy of man in his self-destructive struggle. In these contexts, most of O’Neill’s characters become character types who have lost their individuality and personal integrity, all faded away in the mechanical and materialistic society. Equipped with theatrical techniques and the very rich classical-mythological literature especially Greek Drama, O'Neill deploys symbolic elements in his plays to dramatize the disintegration of his characters's lives under psychological and social pressures, characters who in their struggle to improve their lives ironically have to lose their integrity and be crushed in the mechanical and materialistic milieu surrounding them and thus their American dream changes to a nightmare. This study focuses on the symbolic elements employed by O'Neill in his Desier Under the Elms to scrutinize the way he implements symbolic title, setting, names and symbolic mythological figures to express and prsent his meaning.Of coures, in many instances allusins to the symbolic mythological figures and images are ironically utilized to intensify the effect of characterization or thematic aspects of the play.
1
- Islamic Azad University - Maybod Branch
Introduction Generally acknowledged as the greatest of all American playwrights, Eugene O’Neill’s works have proved highly influential in developing the great literary legacy of twentieth...