榆树下的欲望读后感

Wealth,orLove

Intheoldsociety,everyone’sheartwasdrivenbydesireforwealthandpowerwhichtheywereeagertopossessandcontrolatanycost.

DesireUndertheElmswrittenbyEugeneO’Neill,wellrevealinganexistingcircumstanceatthattime,tellsastoryofaruthlessstruggleforfamilyproperty,afarmandthemansion,betweenfatherandsons,betweenhusbandandwife,betweenbrothers,andbetweenlovers.

EbenwhosemotherwasforcedbyhisfatherCabottoworkextremelyhardandwaseventuallyabusedtodeath,wasdesperatelytryingtoseizetheopportunitytogetthefarmfromhisfather.76-year-oldCabotmarriedthethirdwifeAbbiewhowasyoungandbeautifulanddesiredforCabot’sproperties.However,shecouldn’tbearachildwithgeronticCabot,soinordertokeepherinheritance,sheinducedEbentohavesexwithherandfinallygavebirthtoaboy.WhileinducingandtakingadvantageofEben,Abbiefellinlovewithhim,butEbenthoughtshedidn’tlovehimatallandshejustwantedanheirtosucceedtoCabot’sproperties.WhenAbbiecouldnotprovehertrueloveforEbenbyallmeans,shekilledherbabyinanguish.Atlast,althoughtheybridgedthegap,bothofthemwereputintoprison.

Thedramaendswithatragedy,reflectingthatmoneyhaspredominatedinthatsociety,whichresultsinthegreatoppressionanddistortionofhumannatureandemotions.Suchemotionalforcesofhumandesiresasjealousy,resentment,lust,incestuouslove,andinsatiabilityforwealthcaneventuallyleadtofataltragedy.

Inthisdrama,everycharacterappearingonthestagesshowsapowerfulandgreedydesireforwealth.Suchinsatiabledesireforwealthmakespeoplelosebalanceofahealthymind.Cabot,aselfish,relentlessandstone-heartedman,compelledhistwoex-wivestoworkextremelyhardtodeathandlaterhemadeallhisthreesonstoworkhardonthefarmwithoutanyintentiontoletanyoftheminherithisproperties.CabotgotthefarmbymarryingEben’smotheranditisrightandproperforafathertopasshisfortuneontohisson.However,CabotsaidtoAbbiethathewouldratherburnhisfarmtothegroundinsteadofleavingittoEben.Therefore,Cabot’smindhasbeenoverwhelmedwithmoneyinsteadofkinshipandevenasenseofhumanity.

ForAbbie,shehadnoaffectionforCabot,andshemarriedhimjustbecauseshewasalsoeagerforhiswealth.Sheevenhadincestuouslovewithhissontohaveachildwhocouldgettherightofinheritance.Intoday’ssociety,suchbehaviorwillberegardedasabsurdityandimmoralityandcannotbeaccepted.Nowadays,thereexistsaphenomenonthatsomeyoungandbeautifulgirlschoosetomarrythosewhoarealmost20yearsolderthanthem.Althoughtheremaybetruelovebetweenthem,inmyview,peoplenowadayshavebecomeabitmoresnobbishandmanygirlsarejustconcernedaboutmoneyandpowerwhichhaveturnedintoacriteriontojudgewhetherapersonissuccessfulornot.

However,thedramanotonlytalksaboutcharacters’desireforwealthbutalsopresentsreadersotherdesireslikelove,bothsensualandspiritual.Inthebeginning,therewasnotruelovebetweenAbbieandEbenjustinthepursuitofcarnalhappiness,but,asthestorydeveloped,theyfellinlovewitheachother.AbbieevencankillherbabytoproveherendlessloveforEben.Thus,whentruelovefalls,itcantranscendanyotherhumandesires.Evenanevilmancanbecomesincereandvirtuousandwilldevotehimselftocourtinghisloverdespiteeverything.Nevertheless,womentendtobemoreinsanethanmenwhenconfrontedwithlove.LikeAbbie,shehaslostcontrolofhermindanditistooinsane,crazyandruthlessforamothertokillherlovelychild.Therefore,whendealingwithlove,peopleshouldcalmdownandtakesomepotentialresultsintoaccountbeforetakingaction.

Thedrama,DesireUndertheElms,containsalotofpedagogicalmeaningsintoday’ssociety.Moneycannotsubstituteforeverythingandpeoplearesupposedtopayattentiontotheirfamilies,health,andotherresp