Electra complex and Oedipus complex in "Mourning become Electra

1. Name :- Alisha Vaghasiya
M.A. Sem :- 3
Paper :- 10 (The American literature)
M.K.B.U

2. Introduction
 What is Freudianism ?
 Whether Eugene O’Neill
had Knowledge of
Psychology or not ?

3. Continuation of the Greek tradition.
Rare to find two complexes in one work of
art.
Parallel themes goes together.
Tragic implication generates emotion of
purgation and gives emotional relief.
Replacement of the character by modifying
their name

4.  Mourning Becomes
Electra
 Lavinia Mannon
 Christine Mannon
 Ezra Mannon
 Orin Mannon
 Greek
Tragedy Oresteia
 Electra
 Clytemnestra
 Agamemnon
 Orestes , Oedipus

5. Electra Complex
The Electra complex
is a psychoanalytic
term used to describe
a girl’s sense of
competition with her
mother for the
affection of her father.
Lavinia
[ Daughter]
Ezra
[Father]

6. Oedipus Complex
 Oedipus complex is a term
used by Sigmund Freud in his
theory of psychosexual stage
of development to describe a
boy’s feeling of desire for his
father. A boy fills like he is in
competition with his father for
possession of his mother.
Becouse he has some
attentions and affection
towards his mother.
Orin
[Son]
Christine
[Mother]

7. According to the play ‘ The
Oedipus complex’ arises
because the mother loves the
father too little and the son too
much.
The Freudian hypothesis
explains the attraction and
attachments that motivates the
event.

8. Specific details of Freudianism
 Its is a oversimplified
proportion that every male is
attracted to the woman who
resembles his mother in
physical appearance and..
 Every female desires a male
who resembles her father.

9. Mourning Becomes Electra
 How to apply Psychoanalysis
in the Mourning Becomes
Electra ?
 Reciprocally
 Lavinia hates Christine.
 Adam hates Ezra and Orin.
 Orin hates rivals for his
mother’s love, Adam and Ezra.

10.  Mourning Becomes Electra
The prototype of the play is Marie
Brantome.
Christine and Lavinia both resembles her ,
especially in their “Peculiar shade of
coppergold hair”.
Adam says to Lavinia : “Lavinia, you are so
like your mother in some ways. Your face
is the dead image of hers. And look at your
hair. I know only one often woman who
had it. It way my mother”.

11. On Death of Adam…
Orin says : “ Mother don’t moan
like that How could you grieve
for that servants bastard , I know
he was the one who planned
father’s murder, You couldn’t
have done that……….. But you
will forget him ! I will make you
forget him! I will make you
happy”.