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. 

Psychological analysis of Frankenstein

●Psychological analysis of Frankenstein : 

● Introduction : 

Mary shelley 's Frankenstein is an entertaining novel. It is a mental development of each of characters through out the story. The best way to display such a psychological process is to compare events and thoughts. 

    

● Sigmund Freud theory : 

Sigmund Freud theory is bases on the three Id , Ego, Super-Ego.

1) Id:  Id is shows through primitive action of certain characters those that involve little judgement and rely on instinct rather than informed decision.       

 

2)  Ego : The Ego can be observed through basic thoughts and decisions that made without the influence of conscience. 

3) Super - Ego :  The Super -Ego is in fact conscious thought itself often it characrist by the guit or other feelings that comes as a result of Id and Ego. 

    

● Psychological analysis of Frankenstein :  

                   

1) Id : 

        Id is most commonly applied to instinctual action. Id is probably the least prevalent of the three in Frankenstein. It plays a major role in shaping the characters most specially Frankenstein 's monster.

      The Monster finds himself satisfying his Id by teaching himself the basic mens of living and human actions. These skills gives him what he needs to live and obtain his necessities. Id is associated with primitive inhuman desires. Frankenstein 's Monster takes on bestial and primitive image.

2) Ego :

      Ego is applied to the organized and realistic part of character 's mentality and unlike Id requires judgement and next level thinking.

      Victor Frankenstein 's willing development into a scientifically learned being. He wants to creating life from inanimate body parts.it shows the more advanced and yet still some what surface. Through the process of and Ego influenced being.

      Additionally Frankenstein 's Ego that distance him from his family and friends. At this point he has capacity to make decisions and act on them but he not consider or feel what might come out from it.

3) Super -Ego : 

        Victor 's Ego soon turns into Super - Ego as the consequences of his actions become visible. The Super - Ego plays the moral role three and it allowing for emotional comprehension of the events that unfolds.

 ● Guilt : 

    Guilt seems to be common thread between the Super - Ego of Frankenstein and his Monster.

      After completing his creation victor couldn't accept his own creation Victor can't love Monster and so he hated him and later on it turns into guilt and wants to kill Monster. He fails to take his responsibilities and starting hated him and by killing him he wants to hide his mistake.

    Victor is suffers with guilt upon realizing that his creation is responsible for the death of his father , brother, friend and wife. He even seeks a temporary release from the guilt in isolation and appreciation of nature.

     The Monster finds himself in very similar situation facing guilt of actually killing the once that Frankenstein loved. The Mental punishment of guilt plays a large role in forming the Super -Ego of both protagonist and antagonist.

 

●Conclusion : 

   

    So Id characterizes the Monster 's initial struggle from survival within and unfamiliar world. Ego is played out by Frankenstein 's obsession with biological science and later creation of Monster. Super -Ego is also adds the ethical and emotionally conscious element. So Freud 's model of psyche almost perfectly outline the basic psychological activities with in and between the characters of Frankenstein.