Greek origins of O'Neill's 'Mourning Becomes Electra' (Eugene O'Neill, Aeschylus)

Eugene O'Neill's 1931 trilogy, Mourning Becomes Electra, proves to be a modern tragedy that directly evolved from the structure and format of traditional Greek tragedy. The basic structure of Aeschylus' Oresteia is altered and adapted by O'Neill resulting in a sharpened individual focus of human suffering.; Through an exploration of the dichotomy of life and death within the framework of a cyclical family curse, O'Neill underscores human suffering through an emphasis on alienation and isolation of the self. Understanding human suffering entails an analysis of individual actions and motivations. The meaning revealed can be illustrated through the relative success or failure of the individual's task of balancing both the internal mechanisms and external circumstances of his or her actions.; Human suffering emerges as a singular journey that encompasses meaning for all of humanity. Ultimately, O'Neill reworks Greek sources to present a modern tragic hero.