A Psychological Re-visioning of O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms

Abstract

Desire Under the Elms reveals the influence of a number of psycho-analytical theories of Freud, Jung and other contemporary psychologists. One such theory is Freud’s theory of the Oedipus complex. It is thorough study of the damaging influences of a mother’s love upon the life of the son. Mother-fixation is one of its themes.  As a matter of fact, the term Oedipus has been borrowed from the classical story of Kind Oedipus of Thebes and Jocasta, who unknowingly married his own mother, and had children by her. The present play by O’Neill depicts the harmful effects of Oedipus complex or mother fixation. It is mother-image which comes in the way of harmonious relationships in the Cabot-household and wrecks the family. Mother-love becomes an obsession with Eben and comes in the way of his establishing satisfactory sex-relationship.  To a very large extent, the damaging influence of the mother-fixation is responsible for the tragic end of Eben and Abbie.