Desire under the Elms, Part 2 Summary

Scene 1 - On a too-hot day two months later, Abbie attempts to seduce Eben into letting go of his resentment towards her. When he resists, Abbie taunts him about Minnie, but he taunts her right back about Minnie being prettier and goes. Ephraim then comes in from the fields, and Abbie, still angry with Eben, attempts to manipulate him into becoming angry as well, referring spitefully to Minnie. Ephraim muses about needing a son to leave the farm to, which leads Abbie to say that she's been praying for God to let her give him one. The excited Ephraim promises to give her anything she wants, even agreeing that she and her son could have the farm. As he prays for a male child, stage directions describe Abbie looking at him scornfully.

Scene 2 - As...