Maternal Characters in Eugen O'Neill's Plays

This thesis examines maternal female characters in some of Eugen O'Neill's plays as a recurrent theme running through each of his plays is that of the mother or maternal figure, and different representations of this maternal personification. I will prove that in the examined plays he focuses on the thinking and behaviour of women who are sisters, friends, lovers and mothers in one person. I will demonstrate that the apotheosis of maternal female character is a dominant motif throughout his canon and that his mothers combine all the maternal and feminine virtues that the male characters are seeking in his plays. The maternal figures of the examined dramas are compared and their similarities and differences are also shown.