Lavinia In Mourning Becomes Electra example essay topic

House of Atreus is an Ancient Greek myth that has been passed from one generation to another for endless centuries. The lessons taught from this myth to the humanity at large about the meaning if being human are numerous and very interesting. The famous writer, Eugene ONeill recognized this and rewrote the Greek myth by creating his trilogy, Mourning Becomes Electra. It is a more modern version of the same story.

Within each story, there exists a very important daughter-figure who plays an important role in the deaths that occur in each household. Lavinia in Mourning Becomes Electra hates her mother and is jealous of her, that is what makes her behave the way she does throughout the book. In order to fully analyze the character of Lavinia from the book at issue, we will first compare her to the character of Electra from the Ancient Greek myth, to be followed by more close elaboration on various subtle aspects of Lavinias nature. Though the stories both exhibit similarities, Eugene ONeill changed his story by bringing Lavinia Mannon out to the front and making her the prominent character. This may be because the time period he wrote in is more modern than that of the Greek myth, and the audience he is addressing is more present day as well. In the House of Atreus, Electra plays a less important role and does not commit the same actions as that of Lavinia.

Although the stories are very similar, the lives and actions of Electra in House of Atreus and Lavinia Mannon in Mourning Becomes Electra exhibit many similarities as well as many differences. Both Electra from The House of Atreus and Lavinia Mannon from Mourning Becomes Electra exhibit many characteristics and actions that are very similar. Being the daughters of their houses, both girls share a common feeling of deep anger and hatred towards their mother. At the same time, both girls express an overwhelming love for their father. Each anticipated the arrival of their father home from war because of the sorrow the girls felt while their mother lived at home with a lover. In a plot to kill their mother, each girl experienced help from their brothers.

Without the help of Orestes or Orin, neither Electra nor Lavinia would be able to take the life of their mother. After the death of their mothers, each girl did not express any sense of shame or guilt. But in their triumph they did not stop to think that this death, to, like all the others, would surely bring evil in its train. Similar in their outcomes, the girls exhibit the same fate as well.

Neither one of the girls ends her life in murder or suicide, but it is assumed that each continued to live her life. Although each girl exhibits many similarities, they also display many differences as well. Although Electra in the House of Atreus and Lavinia in Mourning Becomes Electra are very similar, they exhibit more differences in their actions and traits. In the House of Atreus, not only does Electra have a brother, but she also has a sister, Iphigenia, whose death sets the curse on the house. Although she experiences much sorrow and pain for the death of her father, Electra does not plot the murder of her mother. She lives endless years of hardship under the rule of her mother, Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus.

Although she does not play a major role in the story, her significance is important to the death of her mother. In the story of Mourning Becomes Electra, the main character, Lavinia, plots the murder of her mother in response to the death of her father. Not long after their fathers murder, Lavinias jealous rage and great persuasive skills help her to convince her brother to take the life of their mother. On the other hand, Electra whole life was concentrated in one hope, that Orestes would come back and avenge their father. Electra expresses the need to kill her mothers lover, Aegisthus, whereas in Mourning Becomes Electra, Lavinia plots the murder of her mother. This may be because of Eugene Oneill decision to make Lavinia the more prominent character than Electra was.

Rather than following the story line of the Greek myth and giving the decision to take Christine's life to the male-figure, Orin, ONeill instead gave the decision to the main character, Lavinia, which is a very important fact to be considered when analyzing that very character.