QUESTION: Mourning Becomes Electra
I'm teaching Mourning Becomes Electra by Eugene O'Neill for the first time. The story is fantastic, anyone have ideas for supplemental material?
PLot SUmmary:
The story is an update of the Greek myth of Orestes to the family of a Northern general in the American Civil War. Agamemnon is now General Ezra Mannon, Clytemnestra is his second wife Christine, Orestes is his son Orin, and Electra is his daughter Lavinia. As an updated Greek tragedy, the play features murder, adultery, incestuous love and revenge, and even a group of townspeople who function as a kind of Greek chorus. Though fate alone guides characters' actions in Greek tragedies, O'Neill's characters have motivations grounded in 1930s-era psychological theory as well. The play can easily be read from a Freudian perspective, paying attention to various characters' Oedipus complexes and Electra complexes.
Lindsay
PLot SUmmary:
The story is an update of the Greek myth of Orestes to the family of a Northern general in the American Civil War. Agamemnon is now General Ezra Mannon, Clytemnestra is his second wife Christine, Orestes is his son Orin, and Electra is his daughter Lavinia. As an updated Greek tragedy, the play features murder, adultery, incestuous love and revenge, and even a group of townspeople who function as a kind of Greek chorus. Though fate alone guides characters' actions in Greek tragedies, O'Neill's characters have motivations grounded in 1930s-era psychological theory as well. The play can easily be read from a Freudian perspective, paying attention to various characters' Oedipus complexes and Electra complexes.
Lindsay
Views: 23
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Terisa King on
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I would make a few suggestions. The interactive found through ArtsEdge allows students to write, stage and costume a Greek play. Use this typically grecian format to insert the plot lines of O'Neill's play. This will draw a visual picture for your students between classic Drama and modern drama.
For teaching characterization, I am utilizing Gallop News book by Tom Rath, Strenghts Finder 2.0 Based on a list of inherited learning preferences called apptitudes. Have your students find a free apptitude test online and take the test. Ask each student to select a parent or trusted adult to take the test also. Using a Venn or other Compare/Contrast diagram have your students compare the results of the tests. Discuss inherent learning abilities and how that might affect character. What strenghts do the students think Gen. Mannon possesses? Does his strenght serve him or not (hubris?). For a non-fiction spin, students might read about or South Korea's Dictator. Are we the Master's of our fate or are we inherently guided by our genetics. -
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I just thought of another literature connection. Look for Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Masters. You should be able to find collaborative poems.
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