O' Neill Must Be Understood REAL QUESTIONS on "Desire Under the Elms"
1. Go back and reread the description of the house, the elms, etc in the beginning of the
play. How does his description match a traditional Greek play? How is it different?
2. Each of the following characters suffers from definitive moments of HUBRIS. How
do each manage to overcome their HUBRIS? Abbie, Eben, and Cabot
3. While this play is certainly not a modernization of one Greek play, it is a combination
of many. What traits and qualities of characters from Greek plays that you have read
(hint...especially a play you might have recently read...) do each of the three primary
character possess? In other words, compare the three characters in this play to
characters in classic Greek plays, and explain your answers.
4. What does Eben's MAW represent? Consider what role she plays in the actions of
Eben and Abbie?
5. Why did Eben choose to have a relationship with Abbie when he all along suspected
that nothing good could possibly come from it?
6. Cabot is so fond of saying that "God is hard." What does he mean by that, and how
does this relate to the classic Greek plays?
BONUS: What does Californ-i-a represent, and why did Cabot want to go there, only to later say that he didn't want to go there?
