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Desire Under the Elms: Provincetown-Greenwich Plays
Paperback
ISBN13: 9781025598062
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 246
Weight: 0.77
Height: 0.52 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Desire Under the Elms is a powerful masterpiece of American drama that explores the primal themes of greed, lust, and the corrosive nature of obsession. Set in rural New England during the mid-19th century, the play centers on the Cabot family, specifically the aging patriarch Ephraim Cabot and his youngest son Eben, who find themselves locked in a bitter struggle for control of the family farm.
The arrival of Ephraim's new wife, Abbie, ignites a volatile love triangle that spirals into moral ruin and eventual catastrophe. Inspired by the structures of Greek tragedy and infused with elements of naturalism, the play examines the dark undercurrents of the human psyche and the harsh realities of isolation. The characters are driven by an intense longing for the land and for one another, leading to a series of choices that challenge conventional morality.
As a cornerstone of early 20th-century theater, Desire Under the Elms remains a profound exploration of the complexities of the human spirit and the devastating consequences of unbridled desire. The work is celebrated for its emotional realism and its stark portrayal of the land as both a provider and a source of insurmountable conflict.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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