Puritanism seen trough Ephraim Cabot`s attitudes in Eugene O`Neill`s Desire Under the Elms - USD Repository
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PURITANISM SEEN THROUGH EPHRAIM CABOT’S
ATTITUDES IN EUGENE O’NEILL’S DESIRE UNDER THE
ELMS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SELVIA MEGAHSARI
Student Number : 084214122
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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PURITANISM SEEN THROUGH EPHRAIM CABOT’S
ATTITUDES IN EUGENE O’NEILL’S DESIRE UNDER THE
ELMS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SELVIA MEGAHSARI
Student Number : 084214122
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has
also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot
fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
(ECCKESIASTES 3:11)
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but
often we look so long at the closed door that we do not
see the one which has been opened for us.
(Hellen Keller)
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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to
My Beloved Parents
Berth. Lembonunu & Yospin. Kopi
Who always be my motivation to get a
better future
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all, I thank my Lord, Jesus Christ for His everlasting blessing in my
life, especially in finishing this undergraduate thesis. His blessing never lets me give
up in passing through so many hard times. I would like to thank my father and mother
who give love, prayer, and support to me. I could not finish this thesis without your
attention and support. I would also like to thank my beloved sisters, Vita and Bune,
who always support me when I was down in finishing this thesis.
My gratitude and appreciation goes to my Advisor Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani,
S.S., M.Hum. I thank her for being patient in guiding me to finish this thesis. I also
thank my Co-Advisor Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum., who has given additional
suggestion for my thesis. I also would like to thank all of the lecturers and staff of
English Letters Department, Sanata Dharma University.
I will not forget to give my special thanks to Heru’s family, Bapak, Ibu, Mas
Niko, mbak Ika, and Tyas, for being my family in Yogyakarta. Then, I would also
like to thank my brothers Yance Posende and Kristian Tumimomor for their special
support to me. I thank my beloved friends in English Letters Department Rina, Rana,,
Sisil, and Mbak Lia (Alm), for being my best friends.
For last but really not least, I would like to thank my beloved mate, Ryan
Wenur, who always supports me with patience, and also for your love and care, the
happiest and worst day we share together.
Selvia Megahsari.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………………………… i
APPROVAL PAGE …………………………………………………………….. ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE …………………………………………………………. iii
LEMBAR PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ………………. iv
MOTTO PAGE …………………………………………………………………. v
DEDICATION PAGE ………………………………………………………….. vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………….. vii
TABLE OF CONTENT ………………………………………………………… viii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………….. x
ABSTRAK …………………………………………………………………….... xi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………. 1
A. Background of the Study …………………………………………….. 1
B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………………… 4
C. Objectives of the Study ……………………………………………… 4
D. Definition of Terms ………………………………………………….. 4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ………………………………….
A. Review of Related Studies …………………………………………..
B. Review of Related Theories ………………………………………….
1. Theory on Character and Characterization …………………………
2. Theory on Conflict ………………………………………………….
C. Review the Principles of Puritanism in New England ………………..
D. Theoretical Framework ……………………………………………….
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6
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11
12
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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ………………………………………… 18
A. Object of Study ……………………………………………………….. 18
B. Approach of the Study ………………………………………………… 20
C. Method of the Study ………………………………………………….. 21
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS …………………………………………………….. 22
A. The Description of Ephraim Cabot …………………………………… 22
B. The Conflicts Faced by Cabot in the Play ……………………………. 27
1. Conflict between Cabot and His Sons, Simeon and Peter …………. 28
2. Conflict between Cabot and Eben …………………………………. 31
3. Conflict between Cabot and Abbie ………………………………… 37
C. Puritanism Seen through Ephraim Cabot’s Attitudes ………………… 41
1. Strong Belief in God’s Commandments in the Bible ………………. 42
2. Patriarchal System …………………………………………………. 45
3. Hard Working ……………………………………………………… 48
4. Inborn Sin ………………………………………………………….. 51
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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ………………………………………………….55
BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………….. 58
APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………………. 61
Summary of Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms …………………. 61
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ABSTRACT
SELVIA MEGAHSARI. Puritanism Seen through Ephraim Cabot’s Attitudes in
Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
Desire Under the Elms written by Eugene O’Neill is a play about a father who
lives in New England with his wives and three sons. Ephraim Cabot is a father who is
very strict in keeping Puritanism in his life. He uses Puritanism as his guide of life.
His characteristic is very influenced by Puritanism. There are some conflicts that
happen between Ephraim Cabot and his family because of Cabot’s characteristics.
There are some principles of Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes. His
attitudes are revealed through his characteristics and conflicts faced by him.
There are three problems in this thesis. The first problem is how Ephraim
Cabot, as the major character, is described. The second problem is how the conflicts
faced by Ephraim Cabot are described. The third problem is Puritanism seen in
Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes.
The theories which are used in this thesis are the theory on character and
characteristic and theory on conflict. The approach applied in this thesis is sociocultural-historical approach. The method of this study is a library research method.
The main data were taken from the play, Desire Under the Elms and the secondary
data were taken from several books, encyclopedias, and any other studies related to
the topic.
The first analysis of the study shows that Ephraim Cabot is a puritan who
believes and practices Puritanism in his daily life. As a father, his application on his
belief seen in the way he treats his wives and sons. The characteristics of the father
stimulate the rebellion of the sons and wife who does not like the way their father
treats them. Then, the application of Puritanism in Ephraim Cabot’s life and the
rebellion the sons and wife become the causes of the conflict that happen between
Ephraim Cabot and his family. Based on the characteristics and the conflicts, the
writer finds out that there are four principles of Puritanism in this play. These
principles of Puritanism are strong belief in God’s commandments in the bible, hard
working, patriarchal system, and inborn sin. These principles of Puritanism reflect
that the puritans are the society who is very strict in keeping and applying his belief
in their life.
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ABSTRAK
SELVIA MEGAHSARI. Puritanism Seen through Ephraim Cabot’s Attitudes in
Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris,
Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2014.
Desire Under the Elms adalah sebuah drama karya Eugene O’Neill telah
menjadi objek dalam penulisan skripsi ini. Drama ini menceritakan tentang seorang
ayah puritan yang tinggal di New England bersama istri-istrinya dan ketiga anaknya.
Ephraim Cabot adalah seorang ayah yang sangat keras menjaga Puritanisme di
kehidupannya. Dia menggunakan Puritanisme sebagai pemandu kehidupannya.
Karakternya sangat di pengaruhi oleh Puritanisme. Ada beberapa konflik yang terjadi
antara Ephraim Cabot dan keluarganya yang disebabkan oleh karakter Ephraim Cabot
dan cara dia memperlakukan keluarganya. Ada empat prinsip Puritanisme yang dapat
dilihat melalui sikap Ephraim Cabot.
Ada tiga rumusan masalah dalam skripsi ini. Rumusan masalah yang pertama
adalah bagaimana Ephraim Cabot dideskripsikan. Rumusan masalah yang kedua
adalah konflik apa yang dihadapi oleh Ephraim Cabot. Rumusan masalah yang ketiga
adalah Puritanisme dilihat dari sikp Ephraim Cabot.
Teori yang digunakan adalah teori karakteristik dan karakter, dan teori
konflik. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penulisan skripsi ini adalah metode
studi kepustakaan. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan sosio-kulturalhistory.Data-data utama diambil dari drama Desire Under the Elms, dan data-data
lainnya diambil dari beberapa buku, ensiklopedia, dan beberapa penelitian yang
berkaitan dengan topik skripsi ini.
Analisa pertama di studi ini menunjukan bahwa Ephraim Cabot adalah
seorang puritan yang sangat keras mempercayai dan mempraktekan Puritanisme
dalam kehidupannya. Sebagai seorang puritan, cara dia mengaplikasikan
kepercayaannya dapat terlihat melalui caranya memperlakukan istri dan anakanaknya di kehidupan sehari-hari. Kerasnya karakter memicu pemberontakan dari
istri dan anak-anaknya yang tidak menyukai cara dia memperlakukan mereka.
Kemudian, penerapan puritanisme di kehidupan Ephraim Cabot dan pemberontakan
dari istri dan anak-anaknya menjadi penyebab dari konflik yang terjadi di antara
Ephraim Cabot dan keluarganya. Berdasarkan karakteristik dan konflik-konflik
tersebut, penulis menemukan bahwa ada empat prinsip Puritanisme dalam drama ini.
Ke empat prinsip Puritanisme tersebut adalah kepercayaan terhadap sepuluh hukum
Tuhan dalam alkitab, kerja keras, sistem patriaki, dan dosa keturunan. Keempat
prinsip Puritanisme tersebut mencerminkan bahwa masyarakat puritan adalah
masyarakat yang sangat keras menjaga dan menerapkan kepercayaan mereka.
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Drama is designed for theatrical presentation. Drama as one of literary
works, drama is designed to be acted on the stage (Reaske, 1966:55). Reading a
play is different from other literary pieces, such as novels, poems, short stories
that are usually written to be read. A drama can be read but need to be performed
by actors and actresses. Because of it we need a text and a script. Text and script
are two important elements in a play. It is at once a text to be read and script to be
performed (Barranger, 1994: 4).
Drama is a good way to understand the life of human from the character,
the problem and the way they solve the problem. Besides, there is one important
thing in a drama. There are some messages in a drama. We need to understand the
messages. The messages of the overall content of the story in a drama connect
with the reader and audience. There are some important elements of life in a
drama. It helps us to know how to respect our life. According to Barranger,
drama’s best moment lead us to discoveries and reflections about our
personalities, circumstances, desires, anxieties, hopes, and dreams (1994: 7).
Some authors write their work based on specific history or an event. They use
some methods of writing like characterization. The process by which in author or
a playwright create a character is called characterization. Characterization, in
literature, is the presentation of the attitudes and behaviors of imaginary persons
in order to make to make them credible to the author’s audience. Characterization
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is a unique feature of such fictional forms as the short story, novel, drama, and
narrative poetry (Holman, 1995: 291). They connect characterization with the
history. Sometimes the authors want to show the response of the character toward
the specific history or event. We know that characterization is really fundamental
and lasting element in the greatness of any dramatic work (Hudson, 1958: 186).
Eugene O’Neill wrote more than sixty plays. His works are focused on the
problem of human life. His major works are often concerned with the detrimental
effect of materialism, the alienation of man from other nature and God, the death
heritage, of puritanical belief and the psychological furies that may arousing our
pity and fear (Leech, 1963:1)
Desire Under the Elms is one of O’Neill’s works. It was produced in 1924.
It is the last of O’Neill’s naturalistic play and the first which he recreated the
starkness of Greek tragedy. Desire Under the Elms is considered as O’Neill’s
spiritual essence and religion (Oscar, 1995:246)
In this thesis the writer is interested in analyzing a play entitled “Desire
Under the Elms” by Eugene O’Neill. The writer chooses this play because O’Neill
presents the interesting history. In this play O’Neill tries to serve the major
character related to history of puritan.
This drama presents the story of Ephraim Cabot and his family. It takes in
New England farm, in the year 1850. The major character is Ephraim Cabot.
Ephraim Cabot was grown in the Puritanism era. His character is very much
influenced by the custom and the manner of puritan society. He takes Puritanism
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as principle of his life. Puritanism is very clearly visible on his point of view of
God and his attitudes.
The setting reflects the historical and emotional connotation of Puritanism
which is well-known with its strictness and stresses in moral and religious values
(Ronald, 1984: 231). Here, in Desire Under the Elms the setting of time deals with
the relation of men and God at the period time. It deals with the puritan who, at
the time, began to lose their religious control over men’s moral. In 1850 or in the
mid nineteenth century, when the Yankee’s conscience began to lose its authority
over the external world, was like wise beginning to turn inward, to become
repressed, sinister morally sick, and poisoned but doubt suspicion. The old puritan
was sinking into twilight and no longer permitted to be divine (Bryfonsky,
1978:391).
After reading this drama, the writer is interested to analyze how
Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot, as the major character in the play.
Ephraim Cabot keeps Puritanism for moral principle and minimal of conduct. He
uses his belief to guide his life. The writer wants to explore more the Puritanism
seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes in the play.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to understand this drama better, three problems were formulated
as follows.
1. How is the major character described?
2. What are the conflicts faced by the major character?
3. How is Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes?
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C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem formulation, there are three objectives to achieve.
The first objective is the writer wants to analyze the description of major
character. The aim of first objective is to find out the characteristic of major
character that has important role in this play through the dialogue, the character,
and the action. The second objective is the writer wants to find out the conflicts
depicted in the play. The third objective is the writer tries to find out Puritanism
which is seen from the major character’s attitudes. Puritanism is revealed by
characteristics of major character and conflicts faced by the major character in the
play.
D. Definition of term
1. Puritan
Puritan is a group of people who want to purify the Church of England of
certain custom. They dislike the Episcopal organization and the formal liturgy of
that church, believing that it savored too much of Roman Catholicism. That is
why they were called as “Puritans”. They moved and settled Salemn,
Massachusetts, in1628, and the next year several hundred more came to this
settlement (Winther, 1962: 67).
According to Firth, Puritan represents from the first “the Protestantism of
the protestant religion.’’ The aim of those who called themselves puritans was to
restore the Church to what they though its original purity in doctrine, worship, and
government (1929: 10).
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2. Puritanism
According to Forner, Puritanism is a set of religious belief and principles
of puritan. It is a view of how society should be organized. He adds that
Puritanism is not only a set of ideas but a state of mind of puritan’s view
(2005:60)
Puritanism is one of the names of new religion that appears to give
reaction to Christian religion. People who believe in Puritanism are called
puritans. The word puritan itself was derived from Latin words, which means for
pure and intended as a criticism of the reformer for being to extreme in their
demands. In addition, Puritanism was a reform movement within English
Protestantism that emerged in the 16th century. Puritanism, itself has a special
purpose. They wanted to purify the Christianity belief; especially they want to
purify the Church of England. Puritan believed that Roman Catholic Church has
misused Christian Faith (Hall, 1995: 21).
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
In order to support the analysis, the writer includes some criticism on
Desire Under the Elms. Whinter has commented Desire Under the Elms as a
controversial play. This play presents the brutality and human violence on
the stage. The brutality is represented by the characters in the play who
exemplify the greed, lechery, incest, adultery, revenge and murder (Caputy,
1966:462).
Often the modern playwright shocks his audiences and creates
controversy by presenting controversial subjects such as prostitution,
poverty, social discrimination, disease, judicial equities, and adverse
industrial condition (Barranger, 1994:540). In Desire Under the Elms,
O’Neill also presents the controversial play, the bloody tragedy of human
lust and greed. Moreover, Barranger says that modern tragedies present the
conflict between an individual and repressive society, and the failure of
personal ambition. Most of them struggle tragically for “equality,
fulfillment, identity, and dignity” (1994: 541).
This play is not only presenting the brutality and human violence on
the stage but there are some interesting aspects. The play is presenting
psychological and philosophical aspects in the story. This play is a realistic
portrayal of crude lust and elemental passion that is taken from the depth of
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human experience. According to Caputy, O’Neill applies the concept of
tragedy in Desire Under the Elms which based on the theory of life and art
that rest upon an idea “the way of life” (Caputy, 1966:464). O’Neill’s plays
are written from his personal experiences of life. This concept presents both
the classical and the modern concept at the same time, based on the real
portrayal of life. O’Neill is always trying to interpret life in term of lives,
and is not just in term of characters in fictions or dramas. He sees that there
are forces, fate, and God behind this life, and life is full of mystery (Caputy,
1966:451). This play is written based on his family tragic relationship.
There is a unique characterization of this play, that all the characters in this
play are similar in lust and greed.
Fergusson assumes that O’Neill has not language. His language is
inflated, bombastic, flat, and unprofitable. He states that O’Neill’s work is
only melodramatic plots, characters without universal import, cheap
symbolism, and immature ideas. Like Fergusson, Bentley finds out that
O’Neill’s thinking is shallow, primitive, and inconsequential (Cargill,
1961:12).
However, there are some positive comments toward O’Neill’s
language. We have noted Gabriel’s reference to O’Neill’s “brightness of
words”: his “imagery flares up … in ruddy beauty”: Malone praised
O’Neill’s language as an “asset”; and many more similar comments
(Cargill, 1961: 14). But the most extended and most favorable discussion of
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O’Neill’s language is written by Lionel Abel. In his article entitled “O’Neill
and His Critics” (New Leader, January 6, 1958). Abel states that O’Neill is a
master of speech insofar as the words spoken by his characters convince us
as coming from them, what matters on the stage is not that a speech should
be elegant – unless the character is – but that the words spoken should be
discovered by the character in himself in the act of saying them. O’Neill is
certainly able to make characters speak authentically at the critical points of
their life experience; to do this; one must have a superior command of
language, even if not of the sort which could have imposed itself outside the
theatre.
The critics above contribute to understanding of the play and to
support this study. These criticisms are included to help the writer
understand the play and also to differentiate what other critics have said on
their criticisms and what the thesis is going to analyze.
B. Review of Related Theory
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
Writer used theory on character and characterization. According to
Abram (1981:20), character is a “short, and usually witty, sketch in prose of
a distinctive type of a person”. Character is one of the most important
elements in a work of literature which guide the reader to understand the
story from the characters’ conversation and action. The reader can
understand the characters by their expressions which can be seen from their
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speaking, dialogue and action. Characters are persons who have quality of moral,
disposition, and emotional. So, when we are concerned with the behavior,
morality, activity, we speak of character. In The Literary Works Abrams stated:
Character is the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are
interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional
qualities that are expressed in what they say – the dialogues – and what
they do – the action (1981:20)
Characterization is an ability of a playwright or an author characterizes in
character. The characterization is meant to help the understanding of the character
in the play (Abram, 1981:56).
He adds that character is divided into two types;
a. Major Characters
This is the three-dimensional or round characters. They revealed the bad
and the good qualities. They have goals, ambitions and values that change as the
result of what happen to them. They are also called as the dynamic character.
b. Minor Character
This is the flat or the two-dimensional character. They have only one or
two significant qualities. They are usually all good or all bad. They are also
mentioned as the static characters because they reveal no change.
Dramatist uses all relationship among characters, between words and
actions to reveal the nature of characters that is involved. According to Kernan,
playwrights make their points by comparing and contrasting the characters in
order to reveal the different nature of each character. It is meant to help the reader
to define one character to another (1963:23).
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Goldstone in Context of the Drama (1960:6-7) adds that the character is
established through:
1. Dialogue spoken by the character
2. Dialogue spoken about the character
3. Action taken by the character
4. The personality and interpretation of the actor playing the role
Characterization is the process by which the author creates a character. In
A Handbook of Literature, Holman and Harmon stated that there are three basic
methods of characterization as quoted below.
1. The explicit presentation of the character by the author through direct
explanation, whether in a block’s introductory or throughout the work which
is illustrated by action (1986: 81)
2. The presentation of the character in action, therefore the reader will be able to
conclude the attributes of character from actions (1986: 81)
3. The representation of the character, without comment on character by the
author, of the impact of actions and emotions on character’s inner self, with
the expectation that the reader will come to
clear understanding of the
attributes of the character (1986: 81).
In Writing with A Purpose, McCrimmon also writes characterization is the
author method in creating, revealing and developing the change of the characters.
He also points out that:
An author may described character directly, telling the reader what people
look like, how they behave and what they think, or an author may reveals
characters indirectly, suggesting their appearance, personality, and values
through their words and deeds of other (1984: 335).
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1. Theory on Conflict
According to Bentley, conflict in drama refers to the clash ideas,
personalities, or action of the characters (1950: 11). Mainly in tragic play, a
conflict becomes the hearth of the problems. In many plays, conflict is an
essential element that makes the play come to life. It is composed to create
suspense, to make wonder what will happen next and who will win or lose at the
end of the play. Guth states that the truly dramatic scenes in a play are often the
conflict of the play. It is the scene where opposing forces confront each other.
Moreover, the exposition of the play often sketches in background of history of
the people or groups who confront the conflicts (1981:739).
Discussing the human conflict, it will always deal with people as the
source of the conflict. The people who play in a work of literature are called
characters. The character becomes so important because everything that character
does is required to identify the motive of the conflict. Kernan point out that in a
play each speed and gesture in some way will qualify the motive. He says, a
dramatic motive forces the character into the world where he can realize the goal
and his motives direct him toward the realization. But as soon as this movement
toward the realization begins to encounter an opposing force, then the conflict will
occur (Kernan, 1963: 10). In other words, conflict develop when a character
strives in one direction to achieve some particular goals, but his movements are
deflected by some other forces such as another character, society, or the nature of
reality.
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Conflict may occur when there is a sharp disagreement or an opposite idea
of one person with another. It also can happen within an individual, when the
hope or willingness failed to be achieved. This understanding is supported by
Guth who says that conflict is created by two people or groups who have opposing
wants or needs. Then he adds that conflict is also possible happening to one
person who has an opposing want or need within him (1981:793).
C. Review the Principles of Puritanism in New England
The puritans acquired their names because they were English Protestant
who in the second half of the sixteenth and the first half of the seventeenth
centuries were resolved to “purify” the Church of England (Perry, 1956:1).
In 1566, puritans who called themselves as unspotted lambs of the Lord
appeared in London. They were many English Protestants who demanded major
changes in ritual and dogma. As their name implied, these Christians wished to
purify the Church from what they considered its false trappings and doctrines.
Four major themes or principles shaped their teachings. First, Puritans, like
Presbyterians, opposed an Episcopal, or bishop-run, church structure. They
preferred a congregational system that vested spiritual and financial authority in
the hands of the laity. Second, these reformers insisted on the right, indeed the
necessity, for individual Christian to read and interpret the Bible. Third, they
stood strongly against the mystical interpretation of the sacrament of Communion,
preferring simple religious exercises to the miraculous rituals led by priest.
Finally, puritans condemned Catholic ceremony as idolatrous. They pointed out
that church had become places of pleasure rather than places of worship. Filled
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with beautiful statues and paintings, the sweet smell of incense, and the
magnificent robes priests, the churches distracted the senses and corrupted the
simple message of the Gospel (Henretta, Brownlee, Brody and Ware, 1987: 2728).
Henretta, Brownlee, Brody, and Ware again say that the puritans of the
Massachusetts Bay colony were avowed Calvinist. Following the teaching of the
great French philosopher, John Calvin, they believed that God was all powerful.
In contrast, human beings were weak, helpless sinner who deserved eternal
damnation. They add yet God in his majesty had chosen to extend salvation to a
few “elect” men and women, presumably the devout membership of Puritan
churches. Furthermore, they say the doctrines of elections and predestination had
bleak and harsh implications. They condemned the non-elect, to a subordinate
status on the earth and to eternal suffering in hell. Elected Saints (member of any
Puritan church) themselves lived in great anxiety. They could never be certain that
they were predestined for salvation (1987:35).
As the patriarchal society, the puritans regard that men have more power
than women and children.
Like other Christians, puritans believed in equality of souls, both women
and men could achieve intimacy with God and heavenly salvation. At the
same time, women were not equal on the earth. As one English pastor put
it, “The woman is weak creature not imbued with like strength and
constancy of mind.” In matter of church and of state, they should be
subordinate to men. They could never be ministers or even lay preachers,
but only non-voting members of church ( Henretta, 1987:54).
In Patriarchal culture, children, as well as women, do not have right to
speak until they are old enough. They are forbidden to show their feelings or
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ideas. Only adult male in the church who have right to vote on such matters as
choosing a minister, admitting new members, and deciding cases of church
discipline (Webster, 1995: 21).
Reading a Bible and attending sermons were essential aspects of
Puritanism. Some puritans also believe that the churches should be composed only
of visible saints, that is, those who had been reborn and whose lives proclaimed
that they were living without sin. This doctrine especially seemed to attack the
authorities’ attempt to have the church support the state (Lemay, 1989: 173).
Morison in The Oxford History of the American People states that puritan
have a common belief in the bible as the guide to life, and a uniform method of
land division (1969:7. The Bible as the authorities word of God, and the Bible
does not inculcate any excessive an asceticism (Parkes, 1947:69).
In Making America, Luedtke states that the puritans have deep respect for
the literal word of Bible (1987:95).
Thou shalt honor their parents, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou
shalt not covet their neighbors’ good, thou shalt not make any either God
before God, thou shalt not make any given image, thou shalt remember the
Sabbath Day and keep it holy, thou shalt not bear false witness, and thou
shalt no commit adultery (1987: 95)
Winther in his book The Story of Our Heritage state that Sunday is the day
for concentrated worship. For this reason the puritans believe that they should be
no work on the Sabbath (1962: 131).
Furthermore, Pearce in Colonial American Writing states that Puritans
were so sure of their rightness that they refused to call themselves Separatist (as
had the Pilgrims) and insisted they were the only members of the True Church.
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All others had somehow been separated, as they said, from the path of
righteousness (1959: 44).
The puritans strongly favored right living and punishment for evil doing.
They believed that, wherever they were, people should live good Christian lives
everyday of the week (Winther, 1962: 131).
Winther states that geographical reasons influence the puritan’s character.
They have to make a living under conditions very different from their land before.
They have to learn the best way to use different kind of climates, soils, landforms,
minerals, and other natural resources. Fortunately the puritans are very practical,
versatile and hard working (1962:102).
The puritans believe that God orders them to be “fruitful and multiply”
and especially to “have dominion over the earth”. It is theirs to cultivate, not
merely to mine or strip, as the Catholics. They believe in transforming the
landscape. Turning wilderness to garden, virgin land to order village, raw
landscape to till soil, water lapping at a shore to commercial harbor, primitive tool
to complex invention (Luedtke, 1987: 305).
Morison in his book The Oxford History of the American People states that
the puritans have convince themselves that “they works hard for God” (1969: 73).
Bradley states that the puritans believe indolence and frivolity are sins, and
diligence in good work is a debt which man owed God (1972:22).
New England’s puritan believes in a concept of original sin in their daily
life. The basic belief of puritan’s community came from Calvin’s point of view,
especially about sin and patriarchal system that reflected in their daily life,
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political philosophies, and the ideal of civil government. They believe that
ancestor’s sin can fall into their descendents. It has a meaning that the heritage sin
come and pour into one generation to another generation (Edwards, 1952:33).
Like other Calvinist, the puritans affirm the doctrines of sovereignty of
God, original sin, innate depravity, limited atonement, double predestination,
irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saint (Luedtke, 1987:325).
In The United States 1492-1877, in Calvinist doctrine of original sin, the
puritans believe that God creates world and Adam who is good and wise. In
Adam’s sin, however, man has forfeited goodness and wisdom, and all of Adam’s
descendants inherited his sinful character. God, they believe, is merciful, and He
has chosen to save a few from the fate that all deserved (Bradley, 1972:21).
Based on the puritan’s Calvinist sense, they believe that the ancestor’s
wrongdoing can fall into their descendents. It has a meaning that the “heritage sin
come and pour into one generation to another generation” (Edward, 1952: 33). In
addition, the doctrine of original sin from the ancestor’s wrongdoing as an inborn
sin influences their descendent. The doctrine of inborn sin also takes step by step
through a slow process of evolution or from the ancestor into the descendent
(Hall, 1995: 23).
C. Theoretical Framework
In Desire Under the Elms, to analyze Ephraim Cabot, the writer uses some
theories on character and characterization. Theories on character and
characterization are used to know more deeply toward the characteristics of major
character. The writer needs to use this theory to understand the character. This
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theory helps to find out and understand the way to analyze characteristic of major
character. The writer thinks that the use of those theories will help the writer to
solve the problems that is formulated in the analysis. A character must be created
imaginatively, but he must be seen life like. The writer also uses theory on
conflict. The theory on conflict is used to examine the conflicts in the story. There
is relation between character and conflict. The character is the actor of conflict. A
conflict will occur when there is an opposite idea or disagreement between the
characters or within individual.
The review the principles of Puritanism in New England helps to
understand in general condition at the time. By reading out this information, this
researcher is able to see the real condition of the play.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
For this thesis, the writer chooses to analyze a play or drama. The object
of the writer’s analysis is Desire Under the Elms, a play by Eugene O’Neill. The
play is divided into three parts with four scenes of each and contains 127 pages.
It was produced in 1924 and published in 1925 by a signet book, the new
American library. The first was printed on March 1952. Desire Under the Elms
is one of O’Neill’s big works which brought him to his success. It is the last of
O’Neill naturalistic plays and the first in which he re-created the starkness of
Greek tragedy.
O’Neill wrote Desire Under the Elms based on story of his own life.
Drawing on Greek incest, infanticide, and fateful retribution, he framed his story
in the context of his own family’s conflict. This story of lustful father, a weak
son, and the adulterous wife who murders her infant son was told with a fine
disregard for the conventions of the contemporary Broadway theatre. Because of
the sparseness of its style, its avoidance of melodrama, and its total honesty of
emotion, the play was acclaimed immediately as a powerful tragedy and has
continued to rank among the great American plays of the 20th century.
B. Approach of the Study
In analyzing this work the writer uses socio-cultural-historical approach.
According to Rohrberger and Woods, in their books Reading and Writing about
Literature, state that literatures work whose major interest is the socio-cultural
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historical show the reality in the society and influences literature’s work.
According to them, the only way to locate the real work with socio-culturalhistorical approach is in reference to the civilization that produces it (1971:90).
They define civilization as the attitudes and actions a specific group of people.
Literature tales these attitudes and actions as its subject matter. It is necessary
then to investigate the social surroundings in which a work was created and
necessarily reflected.
Rohrberger and Woods add that the socio-cultural-historical approach to
the literature usually takes some aspect of the socio-cultural as basic and
combines with an interest in the biographical as well as knowledge in literary
history (1971: 9).
Therefore, the writer draws a relationship between New England and the
history of puritan by using socio-cultural-historical approach. This approach
helps the writer to understand the context of socio-cultural-historical of the
period of Puritanism. Understanding the socio-cultural-historical issues give the
reader a great knowledge to draw conclusion and understand the story well.
This approach is chosen to analyze Desire Under the Elms in order to
find out Puritanism through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes in this play. There are
two reasons why this approach is chosen. The first reason is because Desire
Under the Elms is a historical-play. O’Neill’s work “Desire Under the Elms”
represents the reality of human being’s problems. It is conceived as no more
replica of surface reality; it is a grim portrayal of crude lusts and elemental
passions dredged from the depths of human experiences (Walley, 1950: 486).
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Therefore Desire Under the Elms portrays the history. The second one is to be
able to find out Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes in the play.
This research must also observe the socio-cultural-history background of
Puritanism in New England at the time. The socio-cultural-historical approach
is appropriate to analyze the topic because the researcher takes external factors,
the historical and socio-cultural of puritans as reference. Since the data for
analyzing are taken from extrinsic elements, socio-cultural-historical approach is
used in the analysis.
C. Method of the Study
The writer took some steps in completing this analysis. To support the
study, the writer used two kinds of sources. They were primary source and
secondary source. The primary source of the study was Eugene O’Neill’s Desire
Under the Elms. The secondary sources were the books which related to the
study.
The first step was the writer read the play ‘Desire Under the Elms’. The
writer read the whole text carefully for several times. After reading the play, the
writer decided what the topic that was going to be analyzed. Then three
problems were formulated as the base of her thesis. After finishing above steps
the writer needed the data to be used as evidences in answering the problems.
The second step was the writer search secondary sources. The writer
looked for and read some books related to the theory of her thesis. Those books
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in order to find out puritan history and basic understanding about Puritanism.
Some books about socio-cultural-historical approach such as Reading and Writing
about Literature by Rohrberger and wood useful.
The writer also used theory of characterization and character. This theory
helps the writer to understand the character in the play, and also helps the writer to
complete her analysis. The writer also used theory of conflict.
Third step was the analysis and conclusion as the final steps. The writer made
conclusion from the analysis of O’Neill Desire Under the Elms. The analysis
answered the third questions in the problem formulation. The first problem
formulation, the writer analyzed the major character in the play. Second, the writer
tried to explore the conflicts faced by major character in the play. By completing
the first and second problem formulation, the writer tried to describe Puritanism
seen through the major character’s attitudes. After finding all the answer of the
thesis, the writer came to the last step was making the conclusion. It was drawn
from the analysis of the study as a whole.
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CHAPTER 1V
ANALYSIS
This study aims to analyze Puritanism in the play Desire Under the Elms. In
order to figure out Puritanism, the writer answers the questions based on the problem
formulation stated in the first chapter. This chapter consists of three parts. The first
part is the answer of the first problem about the description of Ephraim Cabot as the
major character in the play. The second part is the analysis of the conflict faced by
Ephraim Cabot in the play. The third part presents Puritanism seen through Ephraim
Cabot‟s attitudes based on the description of main character and the conflicts faced by
Ephraim Cabot.
A. The Description of Ephraim Cabot
Ephraim Cabot is a father of his three sons, Simeon, Peter, and Eben, from his
two ex-wives. He is described physically as a hard and strong man.
Cabot is seventy-five, tall and gaunt, with great, wiry, concentrated power,
but stoop-shouldered from toil. His face is as hard if it were hewn out of
a boulder, yet there is a weakness in it, a petty pride in its own narrow
strength. His eyes are small; close together, and extremely near-sighted,
blinking continually in the effort to focus on objects, their stare having a
straining, in growing quality
(O‟Neill, 1958:44)
Ephraim Cabot is described as an old man but his mentality can be two times
stronger than a young man. Cabot‟s own son admits that his father is strong.
EBEN: (scornfully) No, ye wouldn‟t ye scared o‟ him. He‟s stronger inside
than both o‟ye put together.
(O‟Neill, 1958: 22)
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Cabot is a hard worker. He educates his wives and sons to work hard like him.
Cabot‟s sons hate him for he‟s accused of killing their mothers. He has married three
times, and the two of his wives died because of the overwork for the farm and the
house. He has two sons, Simeon and Peter, from his first wife, and one son, Eben
from the second wife. His first wife is a hard worker like him, but she died because of
the hard work she has to do. His second wife is softer than the first one, but she is
also forced to work very hard in the farm. Both of them are enslaved to death in the
process of making the rocky farm to become fertile. His last wife is Abbie Putnam, a
seductive woman who he marries at his old age. His ambition to make the land fertile
also drives him to enslave his sons almost to death. He forces his three sons to work
along side him in making an efficient farm from stony land.
SIMEON: we‟ve wuked. Give our strength. Give our years. Plough‟ em under
in the ground ( he stamps rebelliously)-rottin‟-makin‟ soil for his
crops! (A pause) Waal- the farm pays good for hereabouts.
(O‟Neill, 1958: 12)
He treats his sons like his slaves. He is angry if he finds his sons do not work
in the farm. He keeps ordering and forcing his sons to work in the farm.
CABOT: “whar be they? Ain‟s thar nobody about-, r wuking‟r nothin‟?”
(O‟Neill, 1958: 45).
CABOT (commandingly): “Ye git to wuk!”
(O‟Neill, 1958: 46)
Ephraim Cabot does not realize that what he has done to the family actually
caused a great loss to him and the sons. His relationship with his sons is not good.
The sons think that he is crazy and they hope that he will be dying.
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SIMEON: Mebbe he‟ll die soon
PETER: Mebbe
(O‟Neill, 1958: 12)
EBEN: (sitting down on the bed-with vicious hatred) Ain‟t he a devil out
o‟hell? It‟s jest t‟spite us – the damn ole mule!”
(O‟Neill, 1958: 27)
Two of his wives have died because of the hardworking, and his sons blame
him for this, and they hate him so much. They even think that he is crazy and they
hope that he will die.
SIMEON: he skinned‟em too slick. He got the best o‟all or‟em. They‟d never
b‟lieve him crazy. (A pause) We got t‟wait – till he‟s under ground.
EBEN (with sardonic chuckle): Honour thy father! (They turn, startled and
stare at him. He owl.) I pray he‟s died. (They stare at him. He continues
matter – of factly.) Supper is ready.
(O‟Neill, 1958: 13)
Ephraim Cabot hates his sons, Simeon and Peter for being rebellious. They
follow “the easy God” and go to California for gold. While they go to California,
Cabot does not say good words but a cuss for them.
PETER: We‟ll be voyagin‟ on the sea! Whoop! He leaps and down.
SIMEON: Livin‟Free! Whoop (he leaps in turn.)
CABOT (suddenly roaring with rage): My cuss on ye!
(O
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PURITANISM SEEN THROUGH EPHRAIM CABOT’S
ATTITUDES IN EUGENE O’NEILL’S DESIRE UNDER THE
ELMS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SELVIA MEGAHSARI
Student Number : 084214122
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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PURITANISM SEEN THROUGH EPHRAIM CABOT’S
ATTITUDES IN EUGENE O’NEILL’S DESIRE UNDER THE
ELMS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SELVIA MEGAHSARI
Student Number : 084214122
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has
also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot
fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
(ECCKESIASTES 3:11)
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but
often we look so long at the closed door that we do not
see the one which has been opened for us.
(Hellen Keller)
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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to
My Beloved Parents
Berth. Lembonunu & Yospin. Kopi
Who always be my motivation to get a
better future
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all, I thank my Lord, Jesus Christ for His everlasting blessing in my
life, especially in finishing this undergraduate thesis. His blessing never lets me give
up in passing through so many hard times. I would like to thank my father and mother
who give love, prayer, and support to me. I could not finish this thesis without your
attention and support. I would also like to thank my beloved sisters, Vita and Bune,
who always support me when I was down in finishing this thesis.
My gratitude and appreciation goes to my Advisor Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani,
S.S., M.Hum. I thank her for being patient in guiding me to finish this thesis. I also
thank my Co-Advisor Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum., who has given additional
suggestion for my thesis. I also would like to thank all of the lecturers and staff of
English Letters Department, Sanata Dharma University.
I will not forget to give my special thanks to Heru’s family, Bapak, Ibu, Mas
Niko, mbak Ika, and Tyas, for being my family in Yogyakarta. Then, I would also
like to thank my brothers Yance Posende and Kristian Tumimomor for their special
support to me. I thank my beloved friends in English Letters Department Rina, Rana,,
Sisil, and Mbak Lia (Alm), for being my best friends.
For last but really not least, I would like to thank my beloved mate, Ryan
Wenur, who always supports me with patience, and also for your love and care, the
happiest and worst day we share together.
Selvia Megahsari.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………………………… i
APPROVAL PAGE …………………………………………………………….. ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE …………………………………………………………. iii
LEMBAR PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ………………. iv
MOTTO PAGE …………………………………………………………………. v
DEDICATION PAGE ………………………………………………………….. vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………….. vii
TABLE OF CONTENT ………………………………………………………… viii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………….. x
ABSTRAK …………………………………………………………………….... xi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………. 1
A. Background of the Study …………………………………………….. 1
B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………………… 4
C. Objectives of the Study ……………………………………………… 4
D. Definition of Terms ………………………………………………….. 4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ………………………………….
A. Review of Related Studies …………………………………………..
B. Review of Related Theories ………………………………………….
1. Theory on Character and Characterization …………………………
2. Theory on Conflict ………………………………………………….
C. Review the Principles of Puritanism in New England ………………..
D. Theoretical Framework ……………………………………………….
6
6
8
8
11
12
17
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ………………………………………… 18
A. Object of Study ……………………………………………………….. 18
B. Approach of the Study ………………………………………………… 20
C. Method of the Study ………………………………………………….. 21
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS …………………………………………………….. 22
A. The Description of Ephraim Cabot …………………………………… 22
B. The Conflicts Faced by Cabot in the Play ……………………………. 27
1. Conflict between Cabot and His Sons, Simeon and Peter …………. 28
2. Conflict between Cabot and Eben …………………………………. 31
3. Conflict between Cabot and Abbie ………………………………… 37
C. Puritanism Seen through Ephraim Cabot’s Attitudes ………………… 41
1. Strong Belief in God’s Commandments in the Bible ………………. 42
2. Patriarchal System …………………………………………………. 45
3. Hard Working ……………………………………………………… 48
4. Inborn Sin ………………………………………………………….. 51
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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ………………………………………………….55
BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………….. 58
APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………………. 61
Summary of Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms …………………. 61
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ABSTRACT
SELVIA MEGAHSARI. Puritanism Seen through Ephraim Cabot’s Attitudes in
Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
Desire Under the Elms written by Eugene O’Neill is a play about a father who
lives in New England with his wives and three sons. Ephraim Cabot is a father who is
very strict in keeping Puritanism in his life. He uses Puritanism as his guide of life.
His characteristic is very influenced by Puritanism. There are some conflicts that
happen between Ephraim Cabot and his family because of Cabot’s characteristics.
There are some principles of Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes. His
attitudes are revealed through his characteristics and conflicts faced by him.
There are three problems in this thesis. The first problem is how Ephraim
Cabot, as the major character, is described. The second problem is how the conflicts
faced by Ephraim Cabot are described. The third problem is Puritanism seen in
Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes.
The theories which are used in this thesis are the theory on character and
characteristic and theory on conflict. The approach applied in this thesis is sociocultural-historical approach. The method of this study is a library research method.
The main data were taken from the play, Desire Under the Elms and the secondary
data were taken from several books, encyclopedias, and any other studies related to
the topic.
The first analysis of the study shows that Ephraim Cabot is a puritan who
believes and practices Puritanism in his daily life. As a father, his application on his
belief seen in the way he treats his wives and sons. The characteristics of the father
stimulate the rebellion of the sons and wife who does not like the way their father
treats them. Then, the application of Puritanism in Ephraim Cabot’s life and the
rebellion the sons and wife become the causes of the conflict that happen between
Ephraim Cabot and his family. Based on the characteristics and the conflicts, the
writer finds out that there are four principles of Puritanism in this play. These
principles of Puritanism are strong belief in God’s commandments in the bible, hard
working, patriarchal system, and inborn sin. These principles of Puritanism reflect
that the puritans are the society who is very strict in keeping and applying his belief
in their life.
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ABSTRAK
SELVIA MEGAHSARI. Puritanism Seen through Ephraim Cabot’s Attitudes in
Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris,
Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2014.
Desire Under the Elms adalah sebuah drama karya Eugene O’Neill telah
menjadi objek dalam penulisan skripsi ini. Drama ini menceritakan tentang seorang
ayah puritan yang tinggal di New England bersama istri-istrinya dan ketiga anaknya.
Ephraim Cabot adalah seorang ayah yang sangat keras menjaga Puritanisme di
kehidupannya. Dia menggunakan Puritanisme sebagai pemandu kehidupannya.
Karakternya sangat di pengaruhi oleh Puritanisme. Ada beberapa konflik yang terjadi
antara Ephraim Cabot dan keluarganya yang disebabkan oleh karakter Ephraim Cabot
dan cara dia memperlakukan keluarganya. Ada empat prinsip Puritanisme yang dapat
dilihat melalui sikap Ephraim Cabot.
Ada tiga rumusan masalah dalam skripsi ini. Rumusan masalah yang pertama
adalah bagaimana Ephraim Cabot dideskripsikan. Rumusan masalah yang kedua
adalah konflik apa yang dihadapi oleh Ephraim Cabot. Rumusan masalah yang ketiga
adalah Puritanisme dilihat dari sikp Ephraim Cabot.
Teori yang digunakan adalah teori karakteristik dan karakter, dan teori
konflik. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penulisan skripsi ini adalah metode
studi kepustakaan. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan sosio-kulturalhistory.Data-data utama diambil dari drama Desire Under the Elms, dan data-data
lainnya diambil dari beberapa buku, ensiklopedia, dan beberapa penelitian yang
berkaitan dengan topik skripsi ini.
Analisa pertama di studi ini menunjukan bahwa Ephraim Cabot adalah
seorang puritan yang sangat keras mempercayai dan mempraktekan Puritanisme
dalam kehidupannya. Sebagai seorang puritan, cara dia mengaplikasikan
kepercayaannya dapat terlihat melalui caranya memperlakukan istri dan anakanaknya di kehidupan sehari-hari. Kerasnya karakter memicu pemberontakan dari
istri dan anak-anaknya yang tidak menyukai cara dia memperlakukan mereka.
Kemudian, penerapan puritanisme di kehidupan Ephraim Cabot dan pemberontakan
dari istri dan anak-anaknya menjadi penyebab dari konflik yang terjadi di antara
Ephraim Cabot dan keluarganya. Berdasarkan karakteristik dan konflik-konflik
tersebut, penulis menemukan bahwa ada empat prinsip Puritanisme dalam drama ini.
Ke empat prinsip Puritanisme tersebut adalah kepercayaan terhadap sepuluh hukum
Tuhan dalam alkitab, kerja keras, sistem patriaki, dan dosa keturunan. Keempat
prinsip Puritanisme tersebut mencerminkan bahwa masyarakat puritan adalah
masyarakat yang sangat keras menjaga dan menerapkan kepercayaan mereka.
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Drama is designed for theatrical presentation. Drama as one of literary
works, drama is designed to be acted on the stage (Reaske, 1966:55). Reading a
play is different from other literary pieces, such as novels, poems, short stories
that are usually written to be read. A drama can be read but need to be performed
by actors and actresses. Because of it we need a text and a script. Text and script
are two important elements in a play. It is at once a text to be read and script to be
performed (Barranger, 1994: 4).
Drama is a good way to understand the life of human from the character,
the problem and the way they solve the problem. Besides, there is one important
thing in a drama. There are some messages in a drama. We need to understand the
messages. The messages of the overall content of the story in a drama connect
with the reader and audience. There are some important elements of life in a
drama. It helps us to know how to respect our life. According to Barranger,
drama’s best moment lead us to discoveries and reflections about our
personalities, circumstances, desires, anxieties, hopes, and dreams (1994: 7).
Some authors write their work based on specific history or an event. They use
some methods of writing like characterization. The process by which in author or
a playwright create a character is called characterization. Characterization, in
literature, is the presentation of the attitudes and behaviors of imaginary persons
in order to make to make them credible to the author’s audience. Characterization
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is a unique feature of such fictional forms as the short story, novel, drama, and
narrative poetry (Holman, 1995: 291). They connect characterization with the
history. Sometimes the authors want to show the response of the character toward
the specific history or event. We know that characterization is really fundamental
and lasting element in the greatness of any dramatic work (Hudson, 1958: 186).
Eugene O’Neill wrote more than sixty plays. His works are focused on the
problem of human life. His major works are often concerned with the detrimental
effect of materialism, the alienation of man from other nature and God, the death
heritage, of puritanical belief and the psychological furies that may arousing our
pity and fear (Leech, 1963:1)
Desire Under the Elms is one of O’Neill’s works. It was produced in 1924.
It is the last of O’Neill’s naturalistic play and the first which he recreated the
starkness of Greek tragedy. Desire Under the Elms is considered as O’Neill’s
spiritual essence and religion (Oscar, 1995:246)
In this thesis the writer is interested in analyzing a play entitled “Desire
Under the Elms” by Eugene O’Neill. The writer chooses this play because O’Neill
presents the interesting history. In this play O’Neill tries to serve the major
character related to history of puritan.
This drama presents the story of Ephraim Cabot and his family. It takes in
New England farm, in the year 1850. The major character is Ephraim Cabot.
Ephraim Cabot was grown in the Puritanism era. His character is very much
influenced by the custom and the manner of puritan society. He takes Puritanism
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as principle of his life. Puritanism is very clearly visible on his point of view of
God and his attitudes.
The setting reflects the historical and emotional connotation of Puritanism
which is well-known with its strictness and stresses in moral and religious values
(Ronald, 1984: 231). Here, in Desire Under the Elms the setting of time deals with
the relation of men and God at the period time. It deals with the puritan who, at
the time, began to lose their religious control over men’s moral. In 1850 or in the
mid nineteenth century, when the Yankee’s conscience began to lose its authority
over the external world, was like wise beginning to turn inward, to become
repressed, sinister morally sick, and poisoned but doubt suspicion. The old puritan
was sinking into twilight and no longer permitted to be divine (Bryfonsky,
1978:391).
After reading this drama, the writer is interested to analyze how
Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot, as the major character in the play.
Ephraim Cabot keeps Puritanism for moral principle and minimal of conduct. He
uses his belief to guide his life. The writer wants to explore more the Puritanism
seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes in the play.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to understand this drama better, three problems were formulated
as follows.
1. How is the major character described?
2. What are the conflicts faced by the major character?
3. How is Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes?
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C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem formulation, there are three objectives to achieve.
The first objective is the writer wants to analyze the description of major
character. The aim of first objective is to find out the characteristic of major
character that has important role in this play through the dialogue, the character,
and the action. The second objective is the writer wants to find out the conflicts
depicted in the play. The third objective is the writer tries to find out Puritanism
which is seen from the major character’s attitudes. Puritanism is revealed by
characteristics of major character and conflicts faced by the major character in the
play.
D. Definition of term
1. Puritan
Puritan is a group of people who want to purify the Church of England of
certain custom. They dislike the Episcopal organization and the formal liturgy of
that church, believing that it savored too much of Roman Catholicism. That is
why they were called as “Puritans”. They moved and settled Salemn,
Massachusetts, in1628, and the next year several hundred more came to this
settlement (Winther, 1962: 67).
According to Firth, Puritan represents from the first “the Protestantism of
the protestant religion.’’ The aim of those who called themselves puritans was to
restore the Church to what they though its original purity in doctrine, worship, and
government (1929: 10).
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2. Puritanism
According to Forner, Puritanism is a set of religious belief and principles
of puritan. It is a view of how society should be organized. He adds that
Puritanism is not only a set of ideas but a state of mind of puritan’s view
(2005:60)
Puritanism is one of the names of new religion that appears to give
reaction to Christian religion. People who believe in Puritanism are called
puritans. The word puritan itself was derived from Latin words, which means for
pure and intended as a criticism of the reformer for being to extreme in their
demands. In addition, Puritanism was a reform movement within English
Protestantism that emerged in the 16th century. Puritanism, itself has a special
purpose. They wanted to purify the Christianity belief; especially they want to
purify the Church of England. Puritan believed that Roman Catholic Church has
misused Christian Faith (Hall, 1995: 21).
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
In order to support the analysis, the writer includes some criticism on
Desire Under the Elms. Whinter has commented Desire Under the Elms as a
controversial play. This play presents the brutality and human violence on
the stage. The brutality is represented by the characters in the play who
exemplify the greed, lechery, incest, adultery, revenge and murder (Caputy,
1966:462).
Often the modern playwright shocks his audiences and creates
controversy by presenting controversial subjects such as prostitution,
poverty, social discrimination, disease, judicial equities, and adverse
industrial condition (Barranger, 1994:540). In Desire Under the Elms,
O’Neill also presents the controversial play, the bloody tragedy of human
lust and greed. Moreover, Barranger says that modern tragedies present the
conflict between an individual and repressive society, and the failure of
personal ambition. Most of them struggle tragically for “equality,
fulfillment, identity, and dignity” (1994: 541).
This play is not only presenting the brutality and human violence on
the stage but there are some interesting aspects. The play is presenting
psychological and philosophical aspects in the story. This play is a realistic
portrayal of crude lust and elemental passion that is taken from the depth of
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human experience. According to Caputy, O’Neill applies the concept of
tragedy in Desire Under the Elms which based on the theory of life and art
that rest upon an idea “the way of life” (Caputy, 1966:464). O’Neill’s plays
are written from his personal experiences of life. This concept presents both
the classical and the modern concept at the same time, based on the real
portrayal of life. O’Neill is always trying to interpret life in term of lives,
and is not just in term of characters in fictions or dramas. He sees that there
are forces, fate, and God behind this life, and life is full of mystery (Caputy,
1966:451). This play is written based on his family tragic relationship.
There is a unique characterization of this play, that all the characters in this
play are similar in lust and greed.
Fergusson assumes that O’Neill has not language. His language is
inflated, bombastic, flat, and unprofitable. He states that O’Neill’s work is
only melodramatic plots, characters without universal import, cheap
symbolism, and immature ideas. Like Fergusson, Bentley finds out that
O’Neill’s thinking is shallow, primitive, and inconsequential (Cargill,
1961:12).
However, there are some positive comments toward O’Neill’s
language. We have noted Gabriel’s reference to O’Neill’s “brightness of
words”: his “imagery flares up … in ruddy beauty”: Malone praised
O’Neill’s language as an “asset”; and many more similar comments
(Cargill, 1961: 14). But the most extended and most favorable discussion of
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O’Neill’s language is written by Lionel Abel. In his article entitled “O’Neill
and His Critics” (New Leader, January 6, 1958). Abel states that O’Neill is a
master of speech insofar as the words spoken by his characters convince us
as coming from them, what matters on the stage is not that a speech should
be elegant – unless the character is – but that the words spoken should be
discovered by the character in himself in the act of saying them. O’Neill is
certainly able to make characters speak authentically at the critical points of
their life experience; to do this; one must have a superior command of
language, even if not of the sort which could have imposed itself outside the
theatre.
The critics above contribute to understanding of the play and to
support this study. These criticisms are included to help the writer
understand the play and also to differentiate what other critics have said on
their criticisms and what the thesis is going to analyze.
B. Review of Related Theory
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
Writer used theory on character and characterization. According to
Abram (1981:20), character is a “short, and usually witty, sketch in prose of
a distinctive type of a person”. Character is one of the most important
elements in a work of literature which guide the reader to understand the
story from the characters’ conversation and action. The reader can
understand the characters by their expressions which can be seen from their
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speaking, dialogue and action. Characters are persons who have quality of moral,
disposition, and emotional. So, when we are concerned with the behavior,
morality, activity, we speak of character. In The Literary Works Abrams stated:
Character is the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are
interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional
qualities that are expressed in what they say – the dialogues – and what
they do – the action (1981:20)
Characterization is an ability of a playwright or an author characterizes in
character. The characterization is meant to help the understanding of the character
in the play (Abram, 1981:56).
He adds that character is divided into two types;
a. Major Characters
This is the three-dimensional or round characters. They revealed the bad
and the good qualities. They have goals, ambitions and values that change as the
result of what happen to them. They are also called as the dynamic character.
b. Minor Character
This is the flat or the two-dimensional character. They have only one or
two significant qualities. They are usually all good or all bad. They are also
mentioned as the static characters because they reveal no change.
Dramatist uses all relationship among characters, between words and
actions to reveal the nature of characters that is involved. According to Kernan,
playwrights make their points by comparing and contrasting the characters in
order to reveal the different nature of each character. It is meant to help the reader
to define one character to another (1963:23).
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Goldstone in Context of the Drama (1960:6-7) adds that the character is
established through:
1. Dialogue spoken by the character
2. Dialogue spoken about the character
3. Action taken by the character
4. The personality and interpretation of the actor playing the role
Characterization is the process by which the author creates a character. In
A Handbook of Literature, Holman and Harmon stated that there are three basic
methods of characterization as quoted below.
1. The explicit presentation of the character by the author through direct
explanation, whether in a block’s introductory or throughout the work which
is illustrated by action (1986: 81)
2. The presentation of the character in action, therefore the reader will be able to
conclude the attributes of character from actions (1986: 81)
3. The representation of the character, without comment on character by the
author, of the impact of actions and emotions on character’s inner self, with
the expectation that the reader will come to
clear understanding of the
attributes of the character (1986: 81).
In Writing with A Purpose, McCrimmon also writes characterization is the
author method in creating, revealing and developing the change of the characters.
He also points out that:
An author may described character directly, telling the reader what people
look like, how they behave and what they think, or an author may reveals
characters indirectly, suggesting their appearance, personality, and values
through their words and deeds of other (1984: 335).
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1. Theory on Conflict
According to Bentley, conflict in drama refers to the clash ideas,
personalities, or action of the characters (1950: 11). Mainly in tragic play, a
conflict becomes the hearth of the problems. In many plays, conflict is an
essential element that makes the play come to life. It is composed to create
suspense, to make wonder what will happen next and who will win or lose at the
end of the play. Guth states that the truly dramatic scenes in a play are often the
conflict of the play. It is the scene where opposing forces confront each other.
Moreover, the exposition of the play often sketches in background of history of
the people or groups who confront the conflicts (1981:739).
Discussing the human conflict, it will always deal with people as the
source of the conflict. The people who play in a work of literature are called
characters. The character becomes so important because everything that character
does is required to identify the motive of the conflict. Kernan point out that in a
play each speed and gesture in some way will qualify the motive. He says, a
dramatic motive forces the character into the world where he can realize the goal
and his motives direct him toward the realization. But as soon as this movement
toward the realization begins to encounter an opposing force, then the conflict will
occur (Kernan, 1963: 10). In other words, conflict develop when a character
strives in one direction to achieve some particular goals, but his movements are
deflected by some other forces such as another character, society, or the nature of
reality.
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Conflict may occur when there is a sharp disagreement or an opposite idea
of one person with another. It also can happen within an individual, when the
hope or willingness failed to be achieved. This understanding is supported by
Guth who says that conflict is created by two people or groups who have opposing
wants or needs. Then he adds that conflict is also possible happening to one
person who has an opposing want or need within him (1981:793).
C. Review the Principles of Puritanism in New England
The puritans acquired their names because they were English Protestant
who in the second half of the sixteenth and the first half of the seventeenth
centuries were resolved to “purify” the Church of England (Perry, 1956:1).
In 1566, puritans who called themselves as unspotted lambs of the Lord
appeared in London. They were many English Protestants who demanded major
changes in ritual and dogma. As their name implied, these Christians wished to
purify the Church from what they considered its false trappings and doctrines.
Four major themes or principles shaped their teachings. First, Puritans, like
Presbyterians, opposed an Episcopal, or bishop-run, church structure. They
preferred a congregational system that vested spiritual and financial authority in
the hands of the laity. Second, these reformers insisted on the right, indeed the
necessity, for individual Christian to read and interpret the Bible. Third, they
stood strongly against the mystical interpretation of the sacrament of Communion,
preferring simple religious exercises to the miraculous rituals led by priest.
Finally, puritans condemned Catholic ceremony as idolatrous. They pointed out
that church had become places of pleasure rather than places of worship. Filled
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with beautiful statues and paintings, the sweet smell of incense, and the
magnificent robes priests, the churches distracted the senses and corrupted the
simple message of the Gospel (Henretta, Brownlee, Brody and Ware, 1987: 2728).
Henretta, Brownlee, Brody, and Ware again say that the puritans of the
Massachusetts Bay colony were avowed Calvinist. Following the teaching of the
great French philosopher, John Calvin, they believed that God was all powerful.
In contrast, human beings were weak, helpless sinner who deserved eternal
damnation. They add yet God in his majesty had chosen to extend salvation to a
few “elect” men and women, presumably the devout membership of Puritan
churches. Furthermore, they say the doctrines of elections and predestination had
bleak and harsh implications. They condemned the non-elect, to a subordinate
status on the earth and to eternal suffering in hell. Elected Saints (member of any
Puritan church) themselves lived in great anxiety. They could never be certain that
they were predestined for salvation (1987:35).
As the patriarchal society, the puritans regard that men have more power
than women and children.
Like other Christians, puritans believed in equality of souls, both women
and men could achieve intimacy with God and heavenly salvation. At the
same time, women were not equal on the earth. As one English pastor put
it, “The woman is weak creature not imbued with like strength and
constancy of mind.” In matter of church and of state, they should be
subordinate to men. They could never be ministers or even lay preachers,
but only non-voting members of church ( Henretta, 1987:54).
In Patriarchal culture, children, as well as women, do not have right to
speak until they are old enough. They are forbidden to show their feelings or
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ideas. Only adult male in the church who have right to vote on such matters as
choosing a minister, admitting new members, and deciding cases of church
discipline (Webster, 1995: 21).
Reading a Bible and attending sermons were essential aspects of
Puritanism. Some puritans also believe that the churches should be composed only
of visible saints, that is, those who had been reborn and whose lives proclaimed
that they were living without sin. This doctrine especially seemed to attack the
authorities’ attempt to have the church support the state (Lemay, 1989: 173).
Morison in The Oxford History of the American People states that puritan
have a common belief in the bible as the guide to life, and a uniform method of
land division (1969:7. The Bible as the authorities word of God, and the Bible
does not inculcate any excessive an asceticism (Parkes, 1947:69).
In Making America, Luedtke states that the puritans have deep respect for
the literal word of Bible (1987:95).
Thou shalt honor their parents, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou
shalt not covet their neighbors’ good, thou shalt not make any either God
before God, thou shalt not make any given image, thou shalt remember the
Sabbath Day and keep it holy, thou shalt not bear false witness, and thou
shalt no commit adultery (1987: 95)
Winther in his book The Story of Our Heritage state that Sunday is the day
for concentrated worship. For this reason the puritans believe that they should be
no work on the Sabbath (1962: 131).
Furthermore, Pearce in Colonial American Writing states that Puritans
were so sure of their rightness that they refused to call themselves Separatist (as
had the Pilgrims) and insisted they were the only members of the True Church.
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All others had somehow been separated, as they said, from the path of
righteousness (1959: 44).
The puritans strongly favored right living and punishment for evil doing.
They believed that, wherever they were, people should live good Christian lives
everyday of the week (Winther, 1962: 131).
Winther states that geographical reasons influence the puritan’s character.
They have to make a living under conditions very different from their land before.
They have to learn the best way to use different kind of climates, soils, landforms,
minerals, and other natural resources. Fortunately the puritans are very practical,
versatile and hard working (1962:102).
The puritans believe that God orders them to be “fruitful and multiply”
and especially to “have dominion over the earth”. It is theirs to cultivate, not
merely to mine or strip, as the Catholics. They believe in transforming the
landscape. Turning wilderness to garden, virgin land to order village, raw
landscape to till soil, water lapping at a shore to commercial harbor, primitive tool
to complex invention (Luedtke, 1987: 305).
Morison in his book The Oxford History of the American People states that
the puritans have convince themselves that “they works hard for God” (1969: 73).
Bradley states that the puritans believe indolence and frivolity are sins, and
diligence in good work is a debt which man owed God (1972:22).
New England’s puritan believes in a concept of original sin in their daily
life. The basic belief of puritan’s community came from Calvin’s point of view,
especially about sin and patriarchal system that reflected in their daily life,
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political philosophies, and the ideal of civil government. They believe that
ancestor’s sin can fall into their descendents. It has a meaning that the heritage sin
come and pour into one generation to another generation (Edwards, 1952:33).
Like other Calvinist, the puritans affirm the doctrines of sovereignty of
God, original sin, innate depravity, limited atonement, double predestination,
irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saint (Luedtke, 1987:325).
In The United States 1492-1877, in Calvinist doctrine of original sin, the
puritans believe that God creates world and Adam who is good and wise. In
Adam’s sin, however, man has forfeited goodness and wisdom, and all of Adam’s
descendants inherited his sinful character. God, they believe, is merciful, and He
has chosen to save a few from the fate that all deserved (Bradley, 1972:21).
Based on the puritan’s Calvinist sense, they believe that the ancestor’s
wrongdoing can fall into their descendents. It has a meaning that the “heritage sin
come and pour into one generation to another generation” (Edward, 1952: 33). In
addition, the doctrine of original sin from the ancestor’s wrongdoing as an inborn
sin influences their descendent. The doctrine of inborn sin also takes step by step
through a slow process of evolution or from the ancestor into the descendent
(Hall, 1995: 23).
C. Theoretical Framework
In Desire Under the Elms, to analyze Ephraim Cabot, the writer uses some
theories on character and characterization. Theories on character and
characterization are used to know more deeply toward the characteristics of major
character. The writer needs to use this theory to understand the character. This
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theory helps to find out and understand the way to analyze characteristic of major
character. The writer thinks that the use of those theories will help the writer to
solve the problems that is formulated in the analysis. A character must be created
imaginatively, but he must be seen life like. The writer also uses theory on
conflict. The theory on conflict is used to examine the conflicts in the story. There
is relation between character and conflict. The character is the actor of conflict. A
conflict will occur when there is an opposite idea or disagreement between the
characters or within individual.
The review the principles of Puritanism in New England helps to
understand in general condition at the time. By reading out this information, this
researcher is able to see the real condition of the play.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
For this thesis, the writer chooses to analyze a play or drama. The object
of the writer’s analysis is Desire Under the Elms, a play by Eugene O’Neill. The
play is divided into three parts with four scenes of each and contains 127 pages.
It was produced in 1924 and published in 1925 by a signet book, the new
American library. The first was printed on March 1952. Desire Under the Elms
is one of O’Neill’s big works which brought him to his success. It is the last of
O’Neill naturalistic plays and the first in which he re-created the starkness of
Greek tragedy.
O’Neill wrote Desire Under the Elms based on story of his own life.
Drawing on Greek incest, infanticide, and fateful retribution, he framed his story
in the context of his own family’s conflict. This story of lustful father, a weak
son, and the adulterous wife who murders her infant son was told with a fine
disregard for the conventions of the contemporary Broadway theatre. Because of
the sparseness of its style, its avoidance of melodrama, and its total honesty of
emotion, the play was acclaimed immediately as a powerful tragedy and has
continued to rank among the great American plays of the 20th century.
B. Approach of the Study
In analyzing this work the writer uses socio-cultural-historical approach.
According to Rohrberger and Woods, in their books Reading and Writing about
Literature, state that literatures work whose major interest is the socio-cultural
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historical show the reality in the society and influences literature’s work.
According to them, the only way to locate the real work with socio-culturalhistorical approach is in reference to the civilization that produces it (1971:90).
They define civilization as the attitudes and actions a specific group of people.
Literature tales these attitudes and actions as its subject matter. It is necessary
then to investigate the social surroundings in which a work was created and
necessarily reflected.
Rohrberger and Woods add that the socio-cultural-historical approach to
the literature usually takes some aspect of the socio-cultural as basic and
combines with an interest in the biographical as well as knowledge in literary
history (1971: 9).
Therefore, the writer draws a relationship between New England and the
history of puritan by using socio-cultural-historical approach. This approach
helps the writer to understand the context of socio-cultural-historical of the
period of Puritanism. Understanding the socio-cultural-historical issues give the
reader a great knowledge to draw conclusion and understand the story well.
This approach is chosen to analyze Desire Under the Elms in order to
find out Puritanism through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes in this play. There are
two reasons why this approach is chosen. The first reason is because Desire
Under the Elms is a historical-play. O’Neill’s work “Desire Under the Elms”
represents the reality of human being’s problems. It is conceived as no more
replica of surface reality; it is a grim portrayal of crude lusts and elemental
passions dredged from the depths of human experiences (Walley, 1950: 486).
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Therefore Desire Under the Elms portrays the history. The second one is to be
able to find out Puritanism seen through Ephraim Cabot’s attitudes in the play.
This research must also observe the socio-cultural-history background of
Puritanism in New England at the time. The socio-cultural-historical approach
is appropriate to analyze the topic because the researcher takes external factors,
the historical and socio-cultural of puritans as reference. Since the data for
analyzing are taken from extrinsic elements, socio-cultural-historical approach is
used in the analysis.
C. Method of the Study
The writer took some steps in completing this analysis. To support the
study, the writer used two kinds of sources. They were primary source and
secondary source. The primary source of the study was Eugene O’Neill’s Desire
Under the Elms. The secondary sources were the books which related to the
study.
The first step was the writer read the play ‘Desire Under the Elms’. The
writer read the whole text carefully for several times. After reading the play, the
writer decided what the topic that was going to be analyzed. Then three
problems were formulated as the base of her thesis. After finishing above steps
the writer needed the data to be used as evidences in answering the problems.
The second step was the writer search secondary sources. The writer
looked for and read some books related to the theory of her thesis. Those books
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in order to find out puritan history and basic understanding about Puritanism.
Some books about socio-cultural-historical approach such as Reading and Writing
about Literature by Rohrberger and wood useful.
The writer also used theory of characterization and character. This theory
helps the writer to understand the character in the play, and also helps the writer to
complete her analysis. The writer also used theory of conflict.
Third step was the analysis and conclusion as the final steps. The writer made
conclusion from the analysis of O’Neill Desire Under the Elms. The analysis
answered the third questions in the problem formulation. The first problem
formulation, the writer analyzed the major character in the play. Second, the writer
tried to explore the conflicts faced by major character in the play. By completing
the first and second problem formulation, the writer tried to describe Puritanism
seen through the major character’s attitudes. After finding all the answer of the
thesis, the writer came to the last step was making the conclusion. It was drawn
from the analysis of the study as a whole.
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CHAPTER 1V
ANALYSIS
This study aims to analyze Puritanism in the play Desire Under the Elms. In
order to figure out Puritanism, the writer answers the questions based on the problem
formulation stated in the first chapter. This chapter consists of three parts. The first
part is the answer of the first problem about the description of Ephraim Cabot as the
major character in the play. The second part is the analysis of the conflict faced by
Ephraim Cabot in the play. The third part presents Puritanism seen through Ephraim
Cabot‟s attitudes based on the description of main character and the conflicts faced by
Ephraim Cabot.
A. The Description of Ephraim Cabot
Ephraim Cabot is a father of his three sons, Simeon, Peter, and Eben, from his
two ex-wives. He is described physically as a hard and strong man.
Cabot is seventy-five, tall and gaunt, with great, wiry, concentrated power,
but stoop-shouldered from toil. His face is as hard if it were hewn out of
a boulder, yet there is a weakness in it, a petty pride in its own narrow
strength. His eyes are small; close together, and extremely near-sighted,
blinking continually in the effort to focus on objects, their stare having a
straining, in growing quality
(O‟Neill, 1958:44)
Ephraim Cabot is described as an old man but his mentality can be two times
stronger than a young man. Cabot‟s own son admits that his father is strong.
EBEN: (scornfully) No, ye wouldn‟t ye scared o‟ him. He‟s stronger inside
than both o‟ye put together.
(O‟Neill, 1958: 22)
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Cabot is a hard worker. He educates his wives and sons to work hard like him.
Cabot‟s sons hate him for he‟s accused of killing their mothers. He has married three
times, and the two of his wives died because of the overwork for the farm and the
house. He has two sons, Simeon and Peter, from his first wife, and one son, Eben
from the second wife. His first wife is a hard worker like him, but she died because of
the hard work she has to do. His second wife is softer than the first one, but she is
also forced to work very hard in the farm. Both of them are enslaved to death in the
process of making the rocky farm to become fertile. His last wife is Abbie Putnam, a
seductive woman who he marries at his old age. His ambition to make the land fertile
also drives him to enslave his sons almost to death. He forces his three sons to work
along side him in making an efficient farm from stony land.
SIMEON: we‟ve wuked. Give our strength. Give our years. Plough‟ em under
in the ground ( he stamps rebelliously)-rottin‟-makin‟ soil for his
crops! (A pause) Waal- the farm pays good for hereabouts.
(O‟Neill, 1958: 12)
He treats his sons like his slaves. He is angry if he finds his sons do not work
in the farm. He keeps ordering and forcing his sons to work in the farm.
CABOT: “whar be they? Ain‟s thar nobody about-, r wuking‟r nothin‟?”
(O‟Neill, 1958: 45).
CABOT (commandingly): “Ye git to wuk!”
(O‟Neill, 1958: 46)
Ephraim Cabot does not realize that what he has done to the family actually
caused a great loss to him and the sons. His relationship with his sons is not good.
The sons think that he is crazy and they hope that he will be dying.
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SIMEON: Mebbe he‟ll die soon
PETER: Mebbe
(O‟Neill, 1958: 12)
EBEN: (sitting down on the bed-with vicious hatred) Ain‟t he a devil out
o‟hell? It‟s jest t‟spite us – the damn ole mule!”
(O‟Neill, 1958: 27)
Two of his wives have died because of the hardworking, and his sons blame
him for this, and they hate him so much. They even think that he is crazy and they
hope that he will die.
SIMEON: he skinned‟em too slick. He got the best o‟all or‟em. They‟d never
b‟lieve him crazy. (A pause) We got t‟wait – till he‟s under ground.
EBEN (with sardonic chuckle): Honour thy father! (They turn, startled and
stare at him. He owl.) I pray he‟s died. (They stare at him. He continues
matter – of factly.) Supper is ready.
(O‟Neill, 1958: 13)
Ephraim Cabot hates his sons, Simeon and Peter for being rebellious. They
follow “the easy God” and go to California for gold. While they go to California,
Cabot does not say good words but a cuss for them.
PETER: We‟ll be voyagin‟ on the sea! Whoop! He leaps and down.
SIMEON: Livin‟Free! Whoop (he leaps in turn.)
CABOT (suddenly roaring with rage): My cuss on ye!
(O