This is just a repost with all of the part is one section. Enjoy all. thanks to simply_blue07 for writing this.
ok. now that i have actually read the play and seeing that there wasnt any postings or cliff notes on this, just for you people who might have to read this play is what the play is. i will just give the highlights of the acts/scenes. i hope this helps.
Characters:
Ephraim Cabot- Father/man of the house, about 75 yrs old
Simeon - Cabot's son, 39 yrs old
Peter - Cabot's son, Simeon's brother, 37 yrs old
Eben - Cabot's son, Simeon's and Peter's half-brother, the youngest, 25 yrs old
Abbie Puntman - Cabot's new bride in Scene Four, about 35 yrs old.
Setting:
Place - New England in and immediately outside the Cabot farmhouse, where two large elm trees "hang" over the house
Year- 1850s
Part One:
Scene 1:
-the scene begins with Eben looking out from the porch at sunset ringing the dinner bell.
-Simeon and Peter talk about and wonder about gold in california
-Cabot has been gone for about 2 months
-its seems Simeon and Peter hold a grudge against Cabot for making them always work on the farm
-before going insided, Eben remarks at how he wishes Cabot is dead
Scene 2:
-set in the kitchen, they are eating
-Simeon scolds Eben for praying their father is dead
-Eben accuses Cabot for killing his mother, stating he made her work like a slave around the house. he also accuse Simeon and Peter for not "helping" his mother if they claim she was good to them.
-Eben believes the farm belongs to him b/c Cabot stole it from his mother
-they then talk about when Cabot left and why. Simeon was the last to see him, he said theat he thought he was drunk and sick of the farm and felt like leaving to learn GOD's message.
-Simeon also says he would have taken him on but stopped. Eben scorns Simeon and Peter that Cabot is stronger then them and they are scared. when Peter asks if Eben can take him on, he retorts that he is getting stronger.
-Eben says he's going to Minnie's. from what Simeon and Peter describe, she is about 40 yrs old and looks pretty for her age. Minnie has been with Cabot, Simeon and Peter.
She's like the town whore
Scene 3:
-just before dawn, Simeon & Peter's room
-Eben hears from the towns people that their father has married again to a woman of 35 yrs (Abbie)
-Simeon & Peter think they can go to cali now b/c everything will go to her now. Eben says hell no to that idea.
-Coincindently, Eben has a paper for a boat, however, Simeon & Peter have to pay $300 each for their share of the farm to be sold to Eben. S & P wonder where Eben got the money for the boat, he replies his mother knew the whereabouts of the money
-S & P wonder where Eben was (@ Minnie's) and are suspicious of his plan. they also plan not to work on the farm anymore
Scene 4:
-same as scene 2
-S & P sign the deal ...Eben owns the farm and give them some or all the money
-as S & P leave the estate, they see their father, Cabot and his new wife, Abbie Puntman coming up
-Abbie is described as a buxom, full of vitalities with some qualities shared by Eben (this info is a hint of whats to come)
-all four come to meet. Abbie believes the house is HERS, Cabot comments "his" then "ours - mebbie". Simeon and Peter scoff at this; they tell her they shouldnt claim its her house in front of Eben. she says she'll tell him herself
-Cabot is curious to why S & P arnt working. they say they are free and tell their plans to go to cali. Cabot is outrage. S & P then throw rocks at a few windows and run off.
- when Abbie meets Eben, she becomes aware/alert and is noted she feels attracted to him. she tries to be seductive towards him while being wry. Eben is slightly attracted to her until she claims the house.
Part Two:
Scene 1:
-two months later on the porch. Eben and Abbie trying to avoid each other. there is an unmentionable attraction between them( hint hint)
-the scene opens with Eben and Abbie quarreling. Abbie is trying to seduce him by trying to make he admit he thinks she"'"s pretty. doesn"'"t work so she tries insulting Minnie. then goes back to who the house belongs to
-as Cabot talks about new land/farms and about Eben. it is of course obvious Abbie married for money, she wonders if Cabot will buy more land and doesn"'"t want Eben to inherit or receive any land.
-Abbie is mad @ Cabot for even thinking about Eben getting land and then accuses Eben of lust towards her making Cabot outrage. he wants to kill him but Abbie sees the consequences wont be what she wants and tells Cabot to forget about the whole thing (remember this)
- Cabot said he wants a son of his to inherit the farm BUT Simeon, Peter, and Eben wont do. Abbie suggests a son. Well, Cabot gets all excited and hopes for one. If they do have son, the land will be Abbie"'"s. Though this is what Abbie wants, she is scornful @ the thought of sleeping & having a child with 75 yr old Cabot (ewwww)
Scene two:
-that night. Abbie and an excited Cabot in Cabot"'"s room and Eben in his room. all three in night clothes. A wall separates the rooms.
-IMPROTANT!!!!!!!! the narration/stage direction notes that Eben rises and paces & Abbie hears him. he stares at the wall dividing the room & stretches his arms out for her. Abbie seems to react @ the same time by half-rising and '"'watches'"' the wall. Eben realizes whats he doing and flings himself on the bed.
-Cabot tells Abbie his life story, she doesn"'"t listen. basically he was poor about 50 yrs ago thought about cali but made the farm; met S & P"'"s ma, married her for 20yrs then married Eben"'"s ma for 16 yrs till she died. Cabot doesn"'"t like neither of his sons b/c they"'"re soft – he"'"s hard (not that way you sick minded people)
-Cabot leaves the room and goes to the barn.
-IMPORTANT!!!!! Eben sits up, Abbie notices. She moves to the wall and tries to listen. Eben just stares at the wall. Abbie then walks out the room and opens Eben"'"s door and stares at him. All that while, Eben was '"'watching'"' Abbie move. Then Abbie runs towards Eben and BIG MAKEOUT SESSION full of passion. Eben then realizes whats goin on and pushes her away
-they argue again, about the attraction b/t them and about the house.
-Abbie tries to seduce him to '"'courting'"' her to the parlor. he refuses. when she leaves, he tries to fix himself up and follows her trying to look good
Scene three:
- in the parlor; this is a close section of the house b/c this is where either Eben"'"s ma died or where the wake/funeral was.
-Abbie and Eben feel '"'something'"' in the room; Eben says it"'"s his ma"'"s spirit/ghost. They talk about his ma; Eben describes her and what he misses about her. Abbie says she"'"ll be everything his ma was
-make out again….stops b/c they feel his ma ….then makes out again and DECLARE LOVE FOR ONE ANTOHER
Scene four:
-following morning…dawn, outside the house
-Eben and Abbie have an interlude and declare love again
-Cabot slept in the barn and notices Eben is noticeably happy and confident
-Eben feels his ma is @ rest
Scene 1:
-it is spring of the following year (1851). Night. there is a party on the first level/floor of the house
-Abbie has just given birth to a baby boy, for which the party is for. Abbie is wondering where Eben is (in his room thinking). IMPORTANT!!! this makes you wonder if the child is Eben"'"s or Cabot"'"s. But of course, Cabot believes its his son.
-when Abbie later goes upstairs, the crowd gossips. they clearly know its Eben"'"s child.
-Eben is in the child"'"s room. Abbie runs to him, kisses him, and remarks at how the child looks exactly like him (the most important admission) This proves adultery and incest thus far.
Scene two:
-outside, half an hour later
- Cabot is outside looking out at the stars, Eben comes out too.
-Cabot taunts Eben about not inheriting any land that the land is going to his newborn son–ironically; Eben would be getting it in a way.
-C & E later try to kill each other. Cabot having more strength b/c what Abbie had said in Part Two, Scene One – that Eben lusted for Abbie and wanted the land. This pisses off Eben
-when Abbie tries to explain that was before she loved him, Eben doesn"'"t believe her and is determined for revenge
-Eben plans to go to cali the next morning
Scene three:
-it is before dawn. takes place in the kitchen and in Cabot"'"s room. Eben is ready to leave. Abbie cries by the cradle; late in the kitchen she kisses Eben before he leaves.
-Abbie pleads for Eben to stay. Eben notices something is wrong w/ her. she tells him '"' I did it. I killed him'"' (something like that). Eben thinks Cabot and is happy. Abbie says no, but that was a better idea and why didn"'"t Eben tell her that. Eben realizes she has killed the baby …..infanticide.
-Eben now wants to kill Abbie, and instead of going to cali, he goes to the sheriff.
Scene four:
-an hour later
-Abbie tells Cabot the baby is dead and tells him the child wasn"'"t his anyways
-Cabot figures '"'it'"' all out and is enraged. he tries not to cry for the child b/c it would make him '"'soft'"' and he too wants to kill Abbie.
-when Eben comes back, Cabot tells him to get off the estate as soon as Abbie is arrested/gone.
-Cabot exits, Eben runs to the kitchen and falls to Abbie and asks for forgiveness and declares his love for her. he wants to be w/ Abbie no matter what – punishment or running off. however she doesn"'"t want him to suffer and she wants to pay her consequences
-Cabot comes in, tells them he freed the stocks and plans to burn the place down. he also plans to go to Cali to join Simeon & Peter. He '"'heads for the floorboard in which the money was hid'"'. When he cannot find the money he realizes Eben has already found it. Eben tells him what he did w/ the money.
-the sheriff enters. Cabot asks him to arrest them both as Eben '"'confesses'"' that he helped Abbie.
-They all say '"'Good-bye'"' Abbie and Eben say '"'I love you'"' as they leave. As in the beginning, Eben notes how pretty the sunset looks.
-the play ends w/ the sheriff commenting '"''"' It"'"s a jim-dandy farm, no dnyin"'" it. Wished I owned it!'"'.
kinda sums up the whole play and the idea of it
Desire Under the Elms (1925) alludes to themes of Greek mythology and uses New England farm life as the setting for a tragic tale involving adultery, incest, and infanticide
That's all she wrote... enjoy. |
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