Mourning Becomes Electra (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Eugene O’Neill
- First Published: 1931
- Type of Work: Play
- Genres: Drama, Tragedy
- Subjects: Murder or homicide, Nineteenth century, New England, Civil War, Punishment, Revenge, Tragedy, Greek or Roman times
- Locales: New England
O’Neill conceived of creating a modern psychological drama rooted in Greek legend in the spring of 1926, but Mourning Becomes Electra was not completed until the spring of 1931. Actually a trilogy of three full-length plays, it opened in October and was deemed a masterpiece by more than one critic. O’Neill said: “By the title Mourning Becomes Electra I sought to convey that mourning befits Electra; it becomes Electra to mourn; it is her fate; black is becoming to her and it is the color that becomes her destiny.”
The Greek source for O’Neill was the...
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