When authors refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary and Philosophical References
- The Oresteia by Aeschylus: This stuff is literally everywhere, from how the trilogy is structured to the names of characters—notice how "Ezra Mannon" sounds a lot like "Agamemnon" or "Orin" sounds like "Orestes?"
- The Bible: Specifically, Matthew 23: 27-8 (Homecoming, Act 1) and Proverbs 16:18 (The Hunted, Act 1)
- Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis: There's no denying that Orin and Lavinia have some serious mommy/daddy problems, and Freud had a whole lot to say about that in his theory of the Oedipal Complex. Greek inspiration again.
- William Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus:Lavinia's named after the ill-fated daughter of a Roman general in what is arguably Shakespeare's bloodiest bloodbath of a tragedy.
Historical References
- The Civil War: O'Neill's trilogy starts at the end of the Civil War. Orin, Ezra, and Peter all fought.
- John Brown: An abolitionist who's eventually hanged (Homecoming, Act 1)
- Ulysses S. Grant: Civil War general who eventually becomes U.S. President (Homecoming, Act 1; The Hunted,Act 3)
- Abraham Lincoln: No introduction necessary. (The Hunted, Act 4)
Pop Culture References
- "John Brown's Body" (Homecoming, Act 1): This popular abolitionist tune became the melody for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." The lyric about Brown's body "mouldering in the grave" is a cheerful backdrop for this cheerful trilogy.
- "Shenandoah": Seth is always singing this, and the Chantyman also gives it a shot in Act 4 of The Hunted. It's a song that's about love and loss, which makes it a perfect fit for Mourning Becomes Electra. Have a listen.
- "Hanging Johnny" (The Hunted, Act 4): A popular sea chanty that's all about—you guessed it—being hanged as punishment for committing a crime.