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Maw was Ephraim Cabot’s second wife and Eben’s mother. She died some years before the play begins, though her presence is still felt on the farm, as an oppressive, almost suffocating maternal energy, symbolized by the Elm trees that keep the farmhouse in constant shadow. When she was alive, Maw’s parents tried to steal the farm from Cabot, which makes Eben falsely believe that the farm was originally Maw’s. Maw died before her time, after a hard life of grueling farm labor, and Eben blames Cabot for her death. Eben’s consumed with the idea of avenging Maw for the wrongs that he believes Cabot forced her to endure in her lifetime, which underscores the deep and enduring power that Maw has over her son.
Maw Quotes in Desire Under the Elms
The Desire Under the Elms quotes below are all either spoken by Maw or refer to Maw . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Part 1: Scene 1
Quotes
Two enormous elms are on each side of the house. They bend their trailing branches down over the roof. They appear to protect and at the same time subdue. There is a sinister maternity in their aspect, a crushing, jealous absorption. […] They brood oppressively over the house. They are like exhausted women resting their sagging breasts and hands and hair on its roof, and when it rains their tears trickle down monotonously and rot on the shingles.
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‘T would be hard fur me, too, to give up what we’ve ‘arned here by our sweat.
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Part 1: Scene 2
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They was chores t’ do, wa’n’t they?
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Part 2: Scene 2
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It’s cold in this house. It’s uneasy. They’s thin’s pokin’ about in the dark—in the corners.
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Part 2: Scene 3
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(In spite of her overwhelming desire for him, there is a sincere maternal love in her manner and voice—a horribly frank mix of lust and mother love). Don’t cry Eben! I'll take yer Maw’s place! I'll be everythin’ she was t’ ye! Let me kiss ye, Eben! […] Can’t ye see it hain’t enuf—lovin’ ye like a Maw—can’t ye see it’s got t’ be that an’ more—much more—a hundred times more—fur me t’ be happy—fur yew t’ be happy?
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Maw Quotes in Desire Under the Elms
The Desire Under the Elms quotes below are all either spoken by Maw or refer to Maw . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1: Scene 1
Quotes
Two enormous elms are on each side of the house. They bend their trailing branches down over the roof. They appear to protect and at the same time subdue. There is a sinister maternity in their aspect, a crushing, jealous absorption. […] They brood oppressively over the house. They are like exhausted women resting their sagging breasts and hands and hair on its roof, and when it rains their tears trickle down monotonously and rot on the shingles.
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‘T would be hard fur me, too, to give up what we’ve ‘arned here by our sweat.
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Part 1: Scene 2
Quotes
They was chores t’ do, wa’n’t they?
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Part 2: Scene 2
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It’s cold in this house. It’s uneasy. They’s thin’s pokin’ about in the dark—in the corners.
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Part 2: Scene 3
Quotes
(In spite of her overwhelming desire for him, there is a sincere maternal love in her manner and voice—a horribly frank mix of lust and mother love). Don’t cry Eben! I'll take yer Maw’s place! I'll be everythin’ she was t’ ye! Let me kiss ye, Eben! […] Can’t ye see it hain’t enuf—lovin’ ye like a Maw—can’t ye see it’s got t’ be that an’ more—much more—a hundred times more—fur me t’ be happy—fur yew t’ be happy?
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