Seth's Role as the Chorus Author(s)

21 Pages·2012·0.25 MB·English

Title O'Neill's Alter Ego : Seth's Role as the Chorus
Author(s) Inoue, Kazuyoshi
Citation Osaka Literary Review. 52 p.17-p.35
Issue Date 2014-01-31
oaire:version VoR
URL https://doi.org/10.18910/26876
rights
Note
OOssaakkaa UUnniivveerrssiittyy KKnnoowwlleeddggee AArrcchhiivvee :: OOUUKKAA
https://ir.library.osaka-u.ac.jp/
Osaka University
OʼNeillʼs Alter Ego
Sethʼs Role as the Chorus
INOUE Kazuyoshi
OsakaLiteraryReview
2013 №52
OLR同人会
OSAKAUNIVERSITYGRADUATESCHOOLOFLETTERS
ENGLISHLITERATUREANDLINGUISTICS
OʼNeillʼs Alter Ego
Sethʼs Role as the Chorus
INOUE Kazuyoshi
Introduction
(cid:9489)(cid:9523)(cid:9529)(cid:9526)(cid:9522)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515) (cid:9478)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9523)(cid:9521)(cid:9513)(cid:9527) (cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)1 denotes a close relationship to the
Greekdrama,asthetitleindicates.Intermsoftrilogyformtheplayis
primarily based on Aeschylusʼ trilogy (cid:9491)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9517)(cid:9509). It is apparent that
EugeneOʼNeillintendedtore-createanAmericanversionofthe(cid:9491)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9457)
(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9517)(cid:9509), having Electra as a central character instead of Orestes. This is
because OʼNeill speaks of Electra as “the most interesting of all
womenindrama”inaLettertoRobertSisk,August28,1930((cid:9495)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9512)
(cid:9488)(cid:9513)(cid:9528)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527) 368). As for the purpose of writing this play, OʼNeill wrote in
his(cid:9490)(cid:9523)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9481)(cid:9532)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9527)(cid:9514)(cid:9526)(cid:9523)(cid:9521)(cid:9509)(cid:9482)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)(cid:9515)(cid:9521)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9533)(cid:9480)(cid:9517)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9533)(cid:9456)(cid:9495)(cid:9524)(cid:9526)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9461)(cid:9469)(cid:9462)(cid:9466) thathe
was trying here: “to get modern psychological approximation of the
Greek sense of fate into such a play, which an intelligent audience of
today,possessedofnobeliefsingodsorsupernaturalretribution,could
accept and be moved by.”2 Moreover, from the (cid:9490)(cid:9523)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9527) OʼNeill was not
satisfiedwiththeendingof theGreektragedy,whythechain of fated
crimeandretributionignoredhermotherʼsmurderess.Thereforeitis
obvious from the (cid:9490)(cid:9523)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9456) (cid:9490)(cid:9523)(cid:9530)(cid:9513)(cid:9521)(cid:9510)(cid:9513)(cid:9526) (cid:9461)(cid:9469)(cid:9462)(cid:9468) that OʼNeillʼs (cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509) was
written about “Electraʼs life after the murder of Clytemnestra” and
gavehera“tragicendingworthyof[her]character.”3
Asfortheendingof(cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509),therearemixedreviews:therepresen-
tativecriticscommendingOʼNeillareJeanChothiaandVirginiaFloyd.
Chothia maintained that “[t]he final sequence of (cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509) has unex-
pected integrity” (108); Floyd acknowledged in (cid:9496)(cid:9516)(cid:9513) (cid:9492)(cid:9520)(cid:9509)(cid:9533)(cid:9527) (cid:9523)(cid:9514) (cid:9481)(cid:9529)(cid:9515)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9513)
(cid:9491)(cid:9539)(cid:9490)(cid:9513)(cid:9517)(cid:9520)(cid:9520) “the supreme gesture of atonement in the canon, more dra-
matic even than Parrittʼs leap to his death in (cid:9496)(cid:9516)(cid:9513) (cid:9485)(cid:9511)(cid:9513)(cid:9521)(cid:9509)(cid:9522) (cid:9479)(cid:9523)(cid:9521)(cid:9513)(cid:9528)(cid:9516) or
(cid:9461)(cid:9467)
(cid:9461)(cid:9468) OʼNeillʼsAlterEgo:SethʼsRoleastheChorus
anyoftheothersuicides”(403).HereisOʼNeillʼscoherentargumentfor
applyingtheGreekconceptofcrimeandretributiontothatofLavinia.
Ontheotherhand,thereareothercriticswhodismiss(cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509).The
most strident is Eric Bentley, who denounced OʼNeill in his article
“Cultural and Psychological Gas,” saying “ʻthe Greek dreamʼ ­the de-
sire to be an Aeschylus ­ has been his nightmare” in terms of the
charactersbeingoverlife-size,“byinflationwithgas,culturalandpsy-
chological” (76). Allardyce Nicoll valued the play less, saying “This is
rather a magnificently presented case-study than a powerful tragic
drama”(759).Iobjecttotheseinterpretationsbyassertingthat(cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)
isamoderntragedy.
InthisthesisIwilldemonstratethat(cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)isamoderntragedyby
consideringthesignificanceandfunctionofthechorus.
1.TheIdentityandtheFunctionofSeth
ThechoruswasacentralfeatureofGreekdrama.Ithadapersonal-
ity and had an important function. The function of the chorus was to
observe and comment on the action of the actors, forward the action,
evokesympathyfortheheroes,anddrawtheaudienceintothestories.
Wemaysafelysaythatthechoruswascloselyrelatedtotheauthorin
termsofcommunicatinghisideatotheaudience.
OʼNeill introduced the concept of the chorus into (cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509), where
OʼNeill had townsfolk play the part of the chorus, chiefly as back-
ground. They appear at the beginning of each play: “(cid:9496)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9513) (cid:9520)(cid:9509)(cid:9527)(cid:9528) (cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9513)
(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9528)(cid:9533)(cid:9524)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9523)(cid:9514)(cid:9528)(cid:9523)(cid:9531)(cid:9522)(cid:9527)(cid:9514)(cid:9523)(cid:9520)(cid:9519)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9517)(cid:9530)(cid:9517)(cid:9512)(cid:9529)(cid:9509)(cid:9520)(cid:9527)(cid:9456)(cid:9509)(cid:9511)(cid:9516)(cid:9523)(cid:9526)(cid:9529)(cid:9527)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9524)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9528)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)
(cid:9528)(cid:9523)(cid:9531)(cid:9522) (cid:9511)(cid:9523)(cid:9521)(cid:9513) (cid:9528)(cid:9523) (cid:9520)(cid:9523)(cid:9523)(cid:9519) (cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512) (cid:9520)(cid:9517)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9522) (cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512) (cid:9527)(cid:9524)(cid:9533) (cid:9523)(cid:9522) (cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513) (cid:9526)(cid:9517)(cid:9511)(cid:9516) (cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512) (cid:9513)(cid:9532)(cid:9511)(cid:9520)(cid:9529)(cid:9527)(cid:9517)(cid:9530)(cid:9513) (cid:9489)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9457)
(cid:9522)(cid:9523)(cid:9522)(cid:9527)” (264);4 OʼNeillʼs introduction of townsfolk in “The Hunted,” Part
Two, and “The Haunted,” Part Three, of the Trilogy is almost the
same as that of above-cited “Homecoming,” Part One. Kuniomi
Yamauchiappropriatelyexplainsthat(cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509) ischaracterizedbycar-
ryingadoublemeaningof “achorus,”which denotes “the chorus” in a
theaterterminologyaswellas“agroup”(182).Iagreewithhimonthat
INOUE Kazuyoshi (cid:9461)(cid:9469)
point.In fact townsfolk perform the role of the chorus by their obser-
vance,suspicionsandcriticismtowardtheexclusiveMannons.
Althoughwehavedealtwiththechoruscomposedoftownsfolk,itis
my aim in this thesis to focus particular attention on Seth Beckwith,
theMannonsʼgardener,andtohavethisplayexaminedfromhisview-
point.SinceSethisnotthecentralcharacterandhehas few speaking
partsintheplay,hetendstobeerroneouslyconsidereda minor char-
acter. However, I assert that Seth plays an important function as the
mainchoralfigure.Forexample,SethleadsLaviniatofindoutCaptain
Adam Brantʼs true identity by giving her some hints of his facial re-
semblance to the male Mannons. This example shows that Seth ma-
nipulatestheactionoftheplay,whichhelpstheauthortoforwardthe
plot.Moreover,heisproudoftheamountofinformationthatonlyheis
allowed to access about the Mannons: “Somethinʼ I calcʼlate no oneʼd
notice ʻspecially ʻceptinʼ me” (469). These examples demonstrate that
SethisplacedasnearasOʼNeillintermsofhisfunctionasamanipula-
tor of the plot and of his amount of information ­ his omniscient ele-
ments.Inotherwords,Sethisthemainchoralfigureonwhomtheim-
age of the author is projected. What is most important is that his ap-
pearance on stage is preceded by singing an old sea chanty, “Shenan-
doah,” which strikes the keynote of this play. The chanty “Shenan-
doah”foreshadowsthefateof principalcharacters. This explains why
Seth plays such a function of the main choral figure as the chorus in
Greekdramadoes.Asfor“Shenandoah”Iwilldiscusslaterinthethird
chapterofthisthesis.
OʼNeillintroducedthecharacterof Sethintotheplaytomake(cid:9481)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9457)
(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)(cid:9456) a modern psychological drama, “realistic and not realistic at the
sametime”((cid:9495)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9512)(cid:9488)(cid:9513)(cid:9528)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527)368).For,Sethistheonlypersonthatcan
move in and out of the Mannons. He serves as a connector between
the reality of the outside world represented by the chorus of towns-
folk, which sees without really seeing or understanding, and the true
realityof theinnerworldof theMannonsouls behind their protective
(cid:9462)(cid:9460) OʼNeillʼsAlterEgo:SethʼsRoleastheChorus
“life-likemask[s]”,whichgiveusasenseof unreality.Especially,asfar
asElectraisconcerned,OʼNeillintendedtocreatesuchamodernElec-
trafigurewitha“tragicendingworthyof[her]character.”Asaresult
ofit,OʼNeillʼsElectrafigureseemstobetooabstracttobereal.Thisis
confirmed by Alice Brady, actress playing the role of Lavinia, who
told: “Personally I feel that Mr. OʼNeill meant Lavinia to be a symbol
ratherthanaliving,breathinghumanbeingwhobuyshatsandgloves
and eats lamb chops” (Gelb 748). Moreover, Edward L. Shaughnessy
argues that “[b]ecause the Mannons are modeled on mythical figures,
theytendperforcetoseemlargerthanlife,”andthat“thesecharacters
sliptooeasilyintoabstractionandtherebylosesomethingof plausibil-
ity”(109).
WemaysaythatSethrelatestheimpenetrabledeath-likeMannons
totheworldofthelivingoftownsfolk,thusproducing“thedramaticil-
lusionofreality”(Carpenter132).
2.SethʼsRelationshipwithLavinia
In considering Sethʼ relationship with Lavinia, we should focus our
attention on interaction between them, often accompanied by his key
word“Ayeh.”Iwillexplorewhat Seth represents to her by analyzing
themeaningofhis“Ayeh.”
a. The following scene is the one where there is interaction between
themoverthenewsofEzraMannonʼshomecoming.
LAVINIA.((cid:9515)(cid:9526)(cid:9517)(cid:9521)(cid:9520)(cid:9533))Ihopeso.Itʼstime.
SETH.((cid:9531)(cid:9517)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9509)(cid:9519)(cid:9513)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9520)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9511)(cid:9513)(cid:9509)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9594)(cid:9527)(cid:9520)(cid:9523)(cid:9531)(cid:9520)(cid:9533))Ayeh.
LAVINIA.((cid:9528)(cid:9529)(cid:9526)(cid:9522)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9523)(cid:9522)(cid:9516)(cid:9517)(cid:9521)(cid:9527)(cid:9516)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9524)(cid:9520)(cid:9533))Whatdoyoumean,Seth?
SETH. ((cid:9509)(cid:9530)(cid:9523)(cid:9517)(cid:9512)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515) (cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9526) (cid:9513)(cid:9533)(cid:9513)(cid:9527) (cid:9594) (cid:9513)(cid:9530)(cid:9509)(cid:9527)(cid:9517)(cid:9530)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) Nothinʼ ­ ʻcept what you
mean.
………………………………………………………………………
LAVINIA. ((cid:9509)(cid:9515)(cid:9509)(cid:9517)(cid:9522) (cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9528)(cid:9527) (cid:9594) (cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9522) (cid:9527)(cid:9520)(cid:9523)(cid:9531)(cid:9520)(cid:9533) (cid:9509)(cid:9527) (cid:9517)(cid:9514) (cid:9509)(cid:9512)(cid:9521)(cid:9517)(cid:9528)(cid:9528)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515) (cid:9509) (cid:9527)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9528) (cid:9529)(cid:9522)(cid:9457)
INOUE Kazuyoshi (cid:9462)(cid:9461)
(cid:9512)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9510)(cid:9513)(cid:9528)(cid:9531)(cid:9513)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9521))IwenttoNewYork,Seth.
SETH. Ayeh. Thatʼs where I thought youʼd gone, mebbe. ((cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)
(cid:9531)(cid:9517)(cid:9528)(cid:9516) (cid:9512)(cid:9513)(cid:9513)(cid:9524) (cid:9527)(cid:9533)(cid:9521)(cid:9524)(cid:9509)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9533)) Itʼs durned hard on you, Vinnie. Itʼs a
durnedshame.
LAVINIA. ((cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9517)(cid:9514)(cid:9514)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515) (cid:9594) (cid:9511)(cid:9529)(cid:9526)(cid:9528)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) I donʼt know what youʼre talking
about.
SETH. ((cid:9522)(cid:9523)(cid:9512)(cid:9527) (cid:9511)(cid:9523)(cid:9521)(cid:9524)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) All right, Vinnie. Just as you say.
(“Homecoming,”ActI,268emphasisadded).
Sethʼs first “Ayeh” indicates his empathy for Lavinia. The underlined
portion shows that Seth is privy to Christineʼs infidelity, which he
knowsisLaviniaʼscauseofworry.Heisakindofanomniscientauthor.
b. The following scene is the one where there is interaction between
themoverAdamBrant.
LAVINIA. ((cid:9509)(cid:9510)(cid:9526)(cid:9529)(cid:9524)(cid:9528)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) Well? What is it about Captain Brant you
wanttowarnmeagainst?[(cid:124)]Iwant to know all I can about
himbecause­heseemstobecallingtocourtme.
SETH.((cid:9521)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9509)(cid:9515)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9528)(cid:9523)(cid:9511)(cid:9523)(cid:9522)(cid:9530)(cid:9513)(cid:9533)(cid:9516)(cid:9517)(cid:9527)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9528)(cid:9517)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9512)(cid:9517)(cid:9527)(cid:9510)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9517)(cid:9513)(cid:9514)(cid:9523)(cid:9514)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9517)(cid:9527)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9521)(cid:9513)(cid:9522)(cid:9528) (cid:9517)(cid:9522)
(cid:9523)(cid:9522)(cid:9513)(cid:9531)(cid:9523)(cid:9526)(cid:9512))Ayeh.
LAVINIA.((cid:9527)(cid:9516)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9524)(cid:9520)(cid:9533))Yousaythatasifyoudidnʼtbelieveme.
SETH.Ibelieve anything you tell me to believe. I ainʼt been with
the Mannons for sixty years without learning that. (“Home-
coming,”ActI,275)
Sethʼs “Ayeh” indicates his disbelief, as the stage direction says. Seth
makesLaviniaknowthatheisall-seeingthetruthaboutAdam(Chris-
tineʼslover.)
c. The following scene is the one where there is interaction between
them over Ezraʼs love and hate toward the servant girl Marie Bran-
tôme.
(cid:9462)(cid:9462) OʼNeillʼsAlterEgo:SethʼsRoleastheChorus
LAVINIA.((cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9509)(cid:9520)(cid:9523)(cid:9531)(cid:9530)(cid:9523)(cid:9517)(cid:9511)(cid:9513)(cid:9456)(cid:9509)(cid:9527)(cid:9517)(cid:9514)(cid:9528)(cid:9523)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9514)(cid:9456) (cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9509)(cid:9528) (cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9516)(cid:9523)(cid:9529)(cid:9527)(cid:9513))Itʼs
all so strange! It frightens me! ((cid:9495)(cid:9516)(cid:9513) (cid:9511)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9519)(cid:9527) (cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9514) (cid:9509)(cid:9510)(cid:9526)(cid:9529)(cid:9524)(cid:9528)(cid:9520)(cid:9533) (cid:9594)
(cid:9528)(cid:9529)(cid:9526)(cid:9522)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9523)(cid:9495)(cid:9513)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9456)(cid:9511)(cid:9529)(cid:9526)(cid:9528)(cid:9520)(cid:9533))IdonʼtbelievethataboutFather.Youʼve
had too much whiskey. Go to bed and sleep it off. ((cid:9495)(cid:9516)(cid:9513) (cid:9531)(cid:9509)(cid:9520)(cid:9519)(cid:9527)
(cid:9529)(cid:9524)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9524)(cid:9527)(cid:9509)(cid:9515)(cid:9509)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9458))
SETH. ((cid:9515)(cid:9509)(cid:9534)(cid:9513)(cid:9527) (cid:9509)(cid:9528) (cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9526) (cid:9531)(cid:9517)(cid:9528)(cid:9516) (cid:9529)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)) Ayeh. (“Homecoming,”
ActIII,299-300)
Sethʼs “Ayeh” indicates his empathy for Lavinia, because he under-
stands her fright at the family fate which she feared she inherited
fromherfather.
d. The following scene is the one where there is interaction between
themoverChristineʼsshootingherself.
SETH.((cid:9509)(cid:9524)(cid:9524)(cid:9526)(cid:9523)(cid:9509)(cid:9511)(cid:9516)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515))Say,Vinnie,didyouhearashot­?
LAVINIA. ((cid:9527)(cid:9516)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9524)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) I want you to go for Doctor Blake. Tell him
Motherhaskilledherselfinafit of insanegrief overFatherʼs
death. ((cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)(cid:9522) (cid:9509)(cid:9527) (cid:9516)(cid:9513) (cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9456) (cid:9512)(cid:9529)(cid:9521)(cid:9510)(cid:9514)(cid:9523)(cid:9529)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9513)(cid:9512) (cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512) (cid:9531)(cid:9523)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9456) (cid:9510)(cid:9529)(cid:9528)
(cid:9519)(cid:9513)(cid:9513)(cid:9524)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515) (cid:9516)(cid:9517)(cid:9527) (cid:9514)(cid:9509)(cid:9511)(cid:9513) (cid:9513)(cid:9532)(cid:9524)(cid:9526)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9527)(cid:9517)(cid:9523)(cid:9522)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9527)(cid:9527) (cid:9594) (cid:9521)(cid:9523)(cid:9526)(cid:9513) (cid:9527)(cid:9516)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9524)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) Will you re-
membertotellhimthat?
SETH. ((cid:9527)(cid:9520)(cid:9523)(cid:9531)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) Ayeh. Iʼll tell him, Vinnie ­ anything you say.
(“TheHunted,”ActV,373)
Sethʼs “Ayeh” indicates sensing the truth of Christineʼs death in spite
of Laviniaʼs false explanation. For, when Seth heard a shot from the
house in the midst of singing, he instinctively knew the truth, and
changedsomewordsof“Shenandoah”from“Iʼmboundaway/Across
the wide ­ [Missouri]” to “Sheʼs far across the stormy water,” which
suggested that Seth prayed for the repose of Christineʼs soul. His
“Ayeh”letLaviniaknowthatheforgivesherallegedcrimes.
e. The following scene is the one where there is interaction between
INOUE Kazuyoshi (cid:9462)(cid:9463)
themoverLaviniaʼsdecisiontoself-incarcerate.
LAVINIA. [(cid:124)] Iʼm the last Mannon. Iʼve got to punish myself! [(cid:124)]
Iʼll live alone with the dead, and keep their secrets, and let
themhoundme,untilthe curse is paid out and the last Man-
nonis let die! ((cid:9531)(cid:9517)(cid:9528)(cid:9516) (cid:9509) (cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9526)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9515)(cid:9513) (cid:9511)(cid:9526)(cid:9529)(cid:9513)(cid:9520) (cid:9527)(cid:9521)(cid:9517)(cid:9520)(cid:9513) (cid:9523)(cid:9514) (cid:9515)(cid:9520)(cid:9523)(cid:9509)(cid:9528)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515) (cid:9523)(cid:9530)(cid:9513)(cid:9526) (cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9513)
(cid:9533)(cid:9513)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9527)(cid:9523)(cid:9514)(cid:9527)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9514)(cid:9457)(cid:9528)(cid:9523)(cid:9526)(cid:9528)(cid:9529)(cid:9526)(cid:9513))IknowtheywillseetoitIliveforalong
time! It takes the Mannons to punish themselves for being
born!
SETH.((cid:9531)(cid:9517)(cid:9528)(cid:9516)(cid:9515)(cid:9526)(cid:9517)(cid:9521)(cid:9529)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527)(cid:9528)(cid:9509)(cid:9522)(cid:9512)(cid:9517)(cid:9522)(cid:9515))Ayeh.AndIainʼtheardaword
youʼvebeensayinʼ,Vinnie[(cid:124)].
LAVINIA. ((cid:9528)(cid:9529)(cid:9526)(cid:9522)(cid:9527) (cid:9528)(cid:9523) (cid:9516)(cid:9517)(cid:9521) (cid:9527)(cid:9516)(cid:9509)(cid:9526)(cid:9524)(cid:9520)(cid:9533)) You go now and close the shut-
tersandnailthemtight.
SETH.Ayeh.
LAVINIA.AndtellHannahtothrowoutalltheflowers.
SETH.Ayeh.(“TheHaunted,”ActIV,423-4)
Thefirst“Ayeh”indicates Sethʼs resignation about inevitability of the
Mannon fate of crime and retribution. Sethʼs statement that “I ainʼt
heard a word youʼve been sayinʼ, Vinnie” indicates that it sounds like
bravado to hide his sense of defeat, because he was too helpless to
save her from her death-oriented spirit. Hereafter he became a mere
servant, ceasing to be her guardian. This is demonstrated by Sethʼs
perfunctoryreplyexpressedinthe second and the third “Ayeh.” This
is true of Laviniaʼs part. Since the flowers belong to Seth, Laviniaʼs
commandtothrow them out suggests that she unilaterally breaks off
relationship with guardian-like Seth. Only master-servant relationship
remains.
These examples of Sethʼs “Ayeh” show that (1) he is omniscient, (2)
heisLaviniaʼsconfidant,(3)heforgivesherallegedcrimes.Itbecomes
clear that Seth is Laviniaʼs guardian. Sethʼs proper advice for her
course of action and his full support for her (in spite of her alleged in-
volvement in the crimes) show something like motherhood toward
(cid:9462)(cid:9464) OʼNeillʼsAlterEgo:SethʼsRoleastheChorus
children. Seth watching Lavinia close her eyes at Act Four of “The
Haunted” reminds us of Cybel, Earth Mother. I agree with Michael
Manheim, who rightly pointed out Seth as “a kind of Earth Mother”
(86), but my opinion is that Seth is a Satyr-like Earth Mother. As for
Satyr-likethereasonis attributable to his similarity to Satyr in terms
ofhisappearance“beard,”hisdrinkingandlechery,andhisfunctionas
thechoruslikethatoftheSatyrinasatyrplay.OʼNeillmadethemost
effective use of Sethʼs Satyr-like aspect at Act One of “The Haunted,”
whereSethʼschoruscreatedcomicrelief.As for Earth Mother, Sethʼs
chanty “Shenandoah” stands for Eternal Recurrence. However, Lav-
inia declined what Seth represented, eternal life, because she decided
toexpiateallthecrimescommittedbytheancestralMannonsas well
asherown.Her atonement is to suffer death-in-life for the rest of her
life in the darkness of despair, the prospect of purgation being no-
whereinsight.Satyr-likeSethfailedtogiveLaviniamotherlycomfort
asanEarthMothershould.
3.TheMeaningofSethʼsChanty“Shenandoah”
OʼNeill refers to his “Shenandoah” as “theme song ­ its simple sad
rhythmofhopelesssealongingpeculiarlysignificant­eventhestupid
words have striking meaning when considered in relation to tragic
events in play”((cid:9495)(cid:9513)(cid:9520)(cid:9513)(cid:9511)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9512) (cid:9488)(cid:9513)(cid:9528)(cid:9528)(cid:9513)(cid:9526)(cid:9527) 379-80). We will discuss “Shenandoah”
from the three viewpoints: a. the function of the chorus, b. the plural
meanings of the word “bound,” and c. the interpretation of the full
meaning of the chanty. We will begin with the viewpoint of the func-
tionofthechorus.
a.Thefunctionofthechorus
Sethʼs chanty corresponds to the chorus in Greek drama. We will
analyzethemeaningofhischanty“Shenandoah.”
(1) “Shenandoah” at Act One, “Homecoming,” Part One of the Tril-
ogy.