Movie screening of Mourning becomes Electra :~

'Mourning becomes Electra', theis play written by Eugene O'Neill.

The film was directed by Dudley Nicholas. 

The film was helped in many ways to better understanding of the play. 

The play and the film has trilogy,
The Homecoming,
The Hunted, and
The Haunted

When film begins Seth Beckwith, the gardener and trustworthy of Mennon family, he converses with the visitors, about Brigadier General Ezra Mennon's journey from judge to brigadier. Beckwith called him 'gossip monger', and we can find these kind of people in our surroundings also. After that Lavinia who was the daughter of Ezra Mennon and Christian Mennon, showed her mother with the cousin of her, Edam Brant. Her mother has extra marital affair with Captain Edam Brant. 

Lavinia has excessive emotions for his father, that's why she hated his mother. Here, we can include the myth of Electra. After the death of her father she needs the concerned of her brother, Orin. But, he has fixation on his mother and also an alternate between mother and sister. Lavinia does the manipulation of his brother. Orin killed Adam Brant, it the cause of the death of Christian.

Somehow Lavinia becomes a responsible for the death of all of the family members. Her jealousy destroyed everything. Even Orin killed himself out of guiltness. Here I'm discussed the same elements of play and film.

#Death as a theme:-
Firstly the death taken the life of Ezra Mennon. Then the death of Christian, because she couldn't bare the death of Adam Brant, Orin killed him and he also feels guilty and attempts a suicide. So, The death is a main theme, because all the main character died in the play and in film also, only Lavinia remains at the end.

#Perception of tragedy:-
The title suggests the sadness, 'mourning' means, sorrow, someone's death. It has the theme of revenge. 

Everyone's death made the tragic end, Lavinia's sorrow, loneliness applies the tragedy.


#Fragmentation of family:-
It breaks the form of 'ideal family, everyone has their own thinking, absence of love, fake relationship. It can be the effect of war and the complexity of the Lavinia and Orin. 

We can apply the psycho-analytic elements, Electra complex, Oedipus complex. Christin's treatment towards her son, and Orin says to his mother,

ORIN-- And I'll never leave you again now. I don't want Hazel or anyone. (with a tender grin) You're my only girl!

Thus, the film helps me to understand the play and the characters as well. The film has power of visuals and sounds, that's why we can easily get the idea and better understand the play or a novel.

THANK YOU.....