Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
The Hall of Dead Relatives
Ezra's not the only dead or absent Mannon whose face we find framed and nailed to the walls of the Mannon home. In the sitting-room, where guests are entertained, are portraits of no less than 5 dead Mannons.
We've got one who was a Puritan minister who probably set fire to some witches, and another who was an officer who fought alongside none other than George Washington. Right away, we know that the Mannons have been around for a while, and that they've done some pretty cool stuff, like fighting against the British in the Revolution. Also some pretty messed up stuff, like burning innocent women alive for being witches. Once again, this reinforces that, as glorious as the Mannon family past may be, there are probably some ugly skeletons in the old closet, too.
We're convinced that these portraits, like the portrait of Papa Mannon, are supposed to be like spirits watching over the lives of the living, constantly hounding them about what they have or haven't done. In that way, they're kind of like the Erinyes or Furies of Greek mythology—ancient goddesses whose sole purpose was to torment the guilty, and who actually harass Orestes after he murders his mother in The Oresteia. And if there's one thing going around in Mourning Becomes Electra, it's guilt. Seriously. Characters catch it like it's a nasty cold—if colds could kill people, that is.