FREE ESSAY ON MISS JULIE AND MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA

MISS JULIE AND MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA

In some works of literature a character who appears briefly or does not 
appear at all has a significant presence. 
Even though a character may not be present in a play, 
does not mean that they have no importance. In fact, these characters 
have more of an influence over the way the other characters act and 
speak. Two plays that exhibit this are Miss Julie, by August Strindberg 
and Mourning Becomes Electra, by Eugene O'Neill.
In Mourning Becomes Electra, Ezra Mannon has a relatively small 
part; he is rarely even in the play, yet he has such an important role. He 
sets the mood to the play and his actions, even though he is not there, 
tell how the other characters will act. Mannon's daughter, Lavinia is in love 
with him, it is he she would do anything for. Lavinia becomes so jealous of 
her mother's relationship with her father. She loves her father so much that 
she convinces her brother to kill their mother's lover, Brant, in order to
seek revenge upon her. Due to the lack of love and affection that Ezra gives
to his wife, Christine, she takes it upon herself to seek revenge of her own.
She takes a lover, not just any lover, but an enemy of the family. She then
poisons her husband and kills him. All of these incidents are caused by
Ezra, even though some are caused by him indirectly. 
In Miss Julie, by August Strindberg, The Count, even though he is 
not present at all throughout the entire play, has a very strong role. His
presence in the play is very intense and u can clearly see how he influences 
all of the other characters in this play. You can see how all of the other 
characters are willing to do anything he says. In the play Jean tells Julie 
that he would agreeably kill himself if the Count had asked him to do so.
You can see from this quote how respectful Jean is towards the Count.
I've never met anyone I had such respect for. When I see his gloves
lying on a chair, I feel small. When I hear that bell up there ring, I
jump like a skittish horse. And when I look at his boots standing
there so stiff and proud, I feel like bowing! (Strindberg 395).
This quote clearly shows how Jean is almost afraid of the Count. At the end 
of this play, Julie becomes so terrified of what her father is going to say that
she plans on running away with Jean, but she ends up killing herself instead.
She talks about how her father had tried to kill himself but was never able
to do it, this may cause her to do it at the end. When the Count returns
at the end of the play, he calls Jean to clean his boots, Jean nervously
obeys him, from this you can see how much of an affect he has on all of 
the characters.
Therefore you can see from these examples how even though
characters may not appear in a story, or they only appear briefly, they do
have a significance.