Desire Under the Elms

by

Eugene O’Neill

Peter Character Analysis

Peter is Ephraim Cabot’s second-oldest son, whom Cabot had with his first wife. Peter is 37 years old, and, like his brother Simeon, he despises Cabot for subjecting the family to a hard life of farm labor. But he’s also scared of Cabot, who’s aggressive and mean-spirited. Despite having slaved away on the farm for his entire life digging stones out of the unforgiving land, Peter chooses to abandon the farm (instead of waiting to inherit it) after carefully weighing his prospects. He and Simeon both sells their share of the farm to their half-brother, Eben, in exchange for funds to travel to California. Peter then leaves to pursue a better life, along with Simeon, feeling free and happy to be rid of the farm and the tough life it demands.

Peter Quotes in Desire Under the Elms

The Desire Under the Elms quotes below are all either spoken by Peter or refer to Peter. 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:
Desire, Revenge, and Tragedy Theme Icon
).
Part 1: Scene 1 Quotes

Here—it’s stones atop o’ the ground—stones atop o’ stones—makin’ stone walls—year atop o’ year—him ’n’ yew ’n’ me ’n’ then Eben—makin’ stone walls fur him to fence us in!

Related Characters: Peter (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Eben, Simeon
Related Symbols: Stones
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:

‘T would be hard fur me, too, to give up what we’ve ‘arned here by our sweat.

Related Characters: Peter (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Eben, Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Maw
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1: Scene 2 Quotes

They was chores t’ do, wa’n’t they?

Related Characters: Eben (speaker), Simeon, Peter, Maw
Page Number: 8
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1: Scene 3 Quotes

Waal—when I seen her, I didn’t hit her—nor I didn’t kiss her nuther—I begun t’ beller like a calf an’ cuss at the same time, I was so durn mad—an’ she got scared—an’ I jest grabbed holt an’ tuk her! (Proudly) Yes, siree! I tuk her. She may’ve been his ’n—an’ your ’n, too—but she’s mine now! […] What do I care fur her—‘ceptin she’s round an’ wa’m?

Related Characters: Eben (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Peter, Minnie
Page Number: 13
Explanation and Analysis:

Mebbe it’s all a lie ‘bout Paw marryin’. We’d best wait an’ see the bride.

Related Characters: Simeon (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Eben, Abbie Putnam, Peter
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1: Scene 4 Quotes

Lust fur gold—fur the sinful, easy gold o’ California! It’s made ye mad!

Related Characters: Ephraim Cabot (speaker), Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Peter
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:

Livin’ free! Whoop!

Related Characters: Simeon (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Peter
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2: Scene 2 Quotes

I lived with the boys. They hated me ‘cause I was hard. I hated them ‘cause they was soft. They coveted the farm without knowin’ what it meant. It made me bitter ‘n wormwood. It aged me—them coveting what I’d made fur mine. Then this spring the call come—the voice o’ God cryin’ in my wilderness, in my lonesomeness—t’ go out an’ seek an’ find! […] I sought ye an’ I found ye! Yew air my Rose o’ Sharon!

Related Characters: Ephraim Cabot (speaker), Eben, Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Peter
Page Number: 35
Explanation and Analysis:
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Peter Quotes in Desire Under the Elms

The Desire Under the Elms quotes below are all either spoken by Peter or refer to Peter. 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:
Desire, Revenge, and Tragedy Theme Icon
).
Part 1: Scene 1 Quotes

Here—it’s stones atop o’ the ground—stones atop o’ stones—makin’ stone walls—year atop o’ year—him ’n’ yew ’n’ me ’n’ then Eben—makin’ stone walls fur him to fence us in!

Related Characters: Peter (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Eben, Simeon
Related Symbols: Stones
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:

‘T would be hard fur me, too, to give up what we’ve ‘arned here by our sweat.

Related Characters: Peter (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Eben, Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Maw
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1: Scene 2 Quotes

They was chores t’ do, wa’n’t they?

Related Characters: Eben (speaker), Simeon, Peter, Maw
Page Number: 8
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1: Scene 3 Quotes

Waal—when I seen her, I didn’t hit her—nor I didn’t kiss her nuther—I begun t’ beller like a calf an’ cuss at the same time, I was so durn mad—an’ she got scared—an’ I jest grabbed holt an’ tuk her! (Proudly) Yes, siree! I tuk her. She may’ve been his ’n—an’ your ’n, too—but she’s mine now! […] What do I care fur her—‘ceptin she’s round an’ wa’m?

Related Characters: Eben (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Peter, Minnie
Page Number: 13
Explanation and Analysis:

Mebbe it’s all a lie ‘bout Paw marryin’. We’d best wait an’ see the bride.

Related Characters: Simeon (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Eben, Abbie Putnam, Peter
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1: Scene 4 Quotes

Lust fur gold—fur the sinful, easy gold o’ California! It’s made ye mad!

Related Characters: Ephraim Cabot (speaker), Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Peter
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:

Livin’ free! Whoop!

Related Characters: Simeon (speaker), Ephraim Cabot, Peter
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2: Scene 2 Quotes

I lived with the boys. They hated me ‘cause I was hard. I hated them ‘cause they was soft. They coveted the farm without knowin’ what it meant. It made me bitter ‘n wormwood. It aged me—them coveting what I’d made fur mine. Then this spring the call come—the voice o’ God cryin’ in my wilderness, in my lonesomeness—t’ go out an’ seek an’ find! […] I sought ye an’ I found ye! Yew air my Rose o’ Sharon!

Related Characters: Ephraim Cabot (speaker), Eben, Abbie Putnam, Simeon, Peter
Page Number: 35
Explanation and Analysis: