Review of Film : Mourning becomes Electra

       Review of Film : Mourning becomes Electra

On 24th September , In the department of English we have film screening of Mourning becomes electra.This film was directed by Dudley Nichols in 1947.  This movie is similar to the Play written by Eugene O' Neill. It is divided into three parts : 1) The Home coming 2) The Hunted and 3) The

● Fragmented Family : 

     Family is the symbol of care , love , unity , trust but this thing can't find into this film. The manon family is opposite than other family. Into this family no one can trust each other. Everyone has their different world ,  desire , aims and feelings. Even the most worst thing is no one trust each other. They always spy and keeping eye on each other rather than trust each other. The relationship between father and son and daughter and mother are based on hatred and revenge. They not love each other even they don't care about each other. It also reflects the modern age in which we see fragmentation of family. So in this family we can't see love , loyalty , forgiveness so because of lack of this things becomes the reason of destruction.

● War : 

War is responsible for family collapse. At those time it was a rule that one male member of family should be in the army. So because of that Ezra Mannon has to go in army. This makes Christine alone during the birth of his daughter. When she needed Ezra at that time he was not there. She also says that

" It was his duty as Mannon to go! He'd be sorry the rest of his life if he hadn't. " 

So this things create hatred into Christian for Ezra. She hatred Lavinia because she constantly remind her that Ezra left her when she needed him the most.

War is also symbol of hopeless , Death and unhappiness. So this all things also reflect in the movie. Death of family members and hopelessness and unhappiness.

● Psychological suffering : ( Oedipus complex and Electra complex ) 

The characters also suffering from Psychological disease of Oedipus complex and Electra complex . The  character of Orin suffering from Oedipus complex. He also attracted towards his mother. When his father come back  at home from the war.  He doesn't like it. Also the mother Christine love her  son not daughter.

       Also it reflects Electra complex between Father and Daughter. When Ezra came from war he first spent time with his wife  Lavinia doesn't like this thing. When her father want into his room with his wife at that time she try to call her father by throwing stone on window. She also rejects love of Peter because of her father. She wants to care her father.

        So this way we can see into movie the psychological disorder like Oedipus and Electra Complexes. 

● Death : 

Death bacome the main theme of play. It also reflected in war. War also it self the symbol of death. It also make impression on character's mind. Ezra and Orin commented suicide.  Death of Adam and Christine. So every member of family died except Lavinia. But she also dead mentally only her body lived. So everyone is dead into this play mentally, spirituality ,  morally. Death of Morality in form of Christine. She has affair with Adam. She unfaithful towards her husband.  Also attraction between father and daughter and mother and son also consider death of Morality. 

● Representative of American society : 

War and fragmentation of family also representative of American society. In that time war becomes reason of broken family. Women has affair with others. So this play also a representative of American society. Condition of Family and people's minds reflected into play.