Desire Under the Elms

by

Eugene O’Neill

Simeon Character Analysis

Simeon is Ephraim Cabot’s oldest son, whom Cabot had with his first wife. Simeon is 39 years old, and he resents Cabot for making him work so hard digging stones out of the unforgiving farmland for his whole life. Although Simeon hates Cabot, he’s also deeply intimidated by him. Simeon thinks he’s earned his share of the farmhouse through his lifelong labor, but he and his brother Peter are able to set that belief aside and think pragmatically about their prospects—something that sets them apart from the rest of the play’s characters. Early in the play, Simeon sells his share of the farm to his impulsive half-brother Eben, and Simeon gleefully leaves to seek out his fortune in California’s Gold Rush with Peter.

Simeon Quotes in Desire Under the Elms

The Desire Under the Elms quotes below are all either spoken by Simeon or refer to Simeon. 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:
Get the entire Desire Under the Elms LitChart as a printable PDF.
Desire Under the Elms PDF

Simeon Quotes in Desire Under the Elms

The Desire Under the Elms quotes below are all either spoken by Simeon or refer to Simeon. 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: