Discuss O’Neill’s style in “Desire Under the Elms”.

Answer

Discuss O’Neill’s style in “Desire Under the Elms”. [2020]

Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953), in his play “Desire Under the Elms” (1924), shows a powerful and poetic writing style. His language, symbols, and settings express deep human emotions like love, greed, guilt, and loneliness. O’Neill mixes realistic speech with tragic feelings. He describes simple farm life as having a strong emotional power. His style joins natural speech, biblical tone, and dark symbols. Through his style, O’Neill turns an ordinary family story into a deep tragedy about human desire and suffering.

Use of Realistic Language: O’Neill employs simple farm dialect to make his characters more relatable. The dialogues show how people actually talk. Cabot says, 

“God’s hard, not easy.” 

This short and rough line shows his belief and pride. Eben says, 

“She may’ve been his’n—but she’s mine now.” 

His words sound local but strong in emotion. The rough language of the farmers brings truth to the play. O’Neill’s simple, broken sentences match the hard life and deep feelings of the Cabot family.

Symbolism and Imagery: O’Neill employs numerous symbols to convey hidden meanings. The elm trees are the strongest symbol. The stage direction says, 

“They appear to protect and at the same time subdue.” 

The trees represent motherhood, desire, and oppression. The farm stands for greed and control. Even the stones show human struggle. Through these natural symbols, O’Neill connects the people’s inner pain with the world around them. His imagery makes the play rich, dark, and meaningful.

Biblical and Classical Touch: O’Neill’s style often sounds biblical. He uses simple but heavy words that remind readers of the Bible. Cabot calls Abbie his “Rose o’ Sharon,” which is a holy name. This gives his speech a religious tone. Like Greek tragedies, O’Neill shows sin, punishment, and fate. The characters suffer because of their own actions. The style makes the play both modern and ancient—an