Long Day’s Journey into Night

by

Eugene O’Neill

Mother Elizabeth Character Analysis

A nun in the convent Mary attended as a young girl. When Mary told Mother Elizabeth that she wanted to be a nun herself, Mother Elizabeth advised her to live a normal life for one year before committing herself to the church, just to make sure she truly wanted to embark upon a religious life. During this period, Mary met James, fell in love, and decided to not become a nun.
Get the entire Long Day’s Journey into Night LitChart as a printable PDF.
Long Day’s Journey into Night PDF

Mother Elizabeth Character Timeline in Long Day’s Journey into Night

The timeline below shows where the character Mother Elizabeth appears in Long Day’s Journey into Night. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act One
Denial, Blame, and Guilt Theme Icon
Love and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Edmund tells his mother not to say such morbid things, saying, “That’s the way you talk when—.” Before he... (full context)
Act Three
Denial, Blame, and Guilt Theme Icon
Loneliness, Isolation, and Belonging Theme Icon
The Past, Nostalgia, and Regret Theme Icon
...music in the Convent—if you can call it work when you do something you love. Mother Elizabeth and my music teacher both said I had more talent than any student they remembered.”... (full context)
Act Four
Fatalism and Resignation Theme Icon
Denial, Blame, and Guilt Theme Icon
The Past, Nostalgia, and Regret Theme Icon
“I had a talk with Mother Elizabeth ,” Mary says, speaking about the convent once again. “She is so sweet and good.... (full context)
Fatalism and Resignation Theme Icon
Denial, Blame, and Guilt Theme Icon
Love and Forgiveness Theme Icon
The Past, Nostalgia, and Regret Theme Icon
Mary explains that Mother Elizabeth told her if she still wanted to be a nun after living “as other girls... (full context)