Mourning Becomes Electra

Mourning Becomes Electra Summary | Play 1, Act 1, Scene 1, Part 1 Summary

This first play of the trilogy is entitled The Homecoming. As it begins, the stage is empty. Seth sings a sea shanty as he comes on with a group of townspeople, showing them the Mannon house. They discuss how General Ezra Mannon has been away fighting in the war, and how his wife Christine is beautiful but unlikable, having come from New York. As they're talking about her, she comes out of the house, looks around, and then goes out into the garden. When she's gone, the townspeople comment on how her face looks like she's wearing a mask; it's so strange, beautiful and unexpressive. Seth comments that all the Mannons look as though they're wearing masks and that when people marry into the family they start to look as though they're wearing masks as well. Their conversation hints at secrets in the Mannon family's past, including secrets surrounding General Mannon's brother.

At that moment Lavinia comes out of the house. We see that she has the same mask-like expression as Christine, and indeed resembles her in other ways as well. Seth urges the townspeople to disappear, and they go behind the house. Seth goes to speak to Lavinia.