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Eugene O’Neill

Eugene O’Neill. Great American Playwright. *1888: Born in hotel on Broadway; Ella & James; Ella takes morphine. *1888 – 1895: Touring with father on Broadway. *1895 – 1902: Catholic school.

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Eugene O’Neill

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  1. Eugene O’Neill Great American Playwright

  2. *1888: Born in hotel on Broadway; Ella & James; Ella takes morphine *1888 – 1895: Touring with father on Broadway *1895 – 1902: Catholic school *1902 - 1910: Mom attempts suicide; Private school; renounced Catholic church; Dropped out of Princeton University freshman year; Caught in world of alcohol and prostitutes *1909: Married Kathleen Jenkins; One Son (Eugene O’Neill Jr.) Timeline *1910 – 1912: Living life at sea; Ill with Malaria; Divorced after world-wide adventures; Attempted suicide *1912 - 1913: Admitted into sanatorium with Tuberculosis; returns home to morphine-addicted mom / despondent dad; decides to write *1913 – 1917: Writing one-act plays *1918: Marries Agnes Boulton; two children (Shane & Oona) *1920 – 1922: The Emperor Jones and The Hairy Ape establish him as master of theatre; death of father (cancer), mother, brother (alcohol induced stroke); divorce #2 *1929: Divorce #2; marries Carlotta Monterey *1936: Nobel Prize Winner

  3. *1937: Monterey becomes addicted to potassium bromide; marriage deteriorated *1941: Wrote Long Day’s Journey into Night *1943: Disowned Oona for marrying Charlie Chaplin (18 vs 54 / 8 grandkids) *1948: Shane committed suicide after selling family furnishing to buy heroin *1950: Eugene O’Neill Jr. committed suicide (slit wrists/ankle) after struggling with alcoholism Timeline (continued) *1953: Suffering from neuromuscular disorder and physically unable to write, his dying words were “I knew it. I knew it. Born in a hotel room and died in a hotel room” ; interred at Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston *1956: Long Day’s Journey into Night produced posthumously - widely considered to be his finest work

  4. Introduced technique of realism into American drama Writing Style uses moral and physical entanglements similar to Greek drama to express the complexities of family life “chorus” *first to include speeches in American vernacular *First to involve characters on the fringe of society where they struggle to maintain their hopes and aspirations, but ultimately slide into disillusionment and despair *Nearly all of his 45 plays involve some degree of tragedy and personal pessimism; except Ah, Wilderness!, his only comedy O’Neill’s uniqueness: *Extensive stage directions • Setting / Characters • Dual Purpose: HIS representation / begins story BEFORE play begins *Evocative titles • Complex meaning *Greek-style structure

  5. Hairy Ape The subject in Hairy Ape is the same ancient one that always was and always will be the one subject for drama, and that is man and his struggle with his own fate. The struggle used to be with the gods, but is now with himself, his own past, his attempt “to belong.” Symbolism: • Rodin’s “The Thinker”: considered optimistic, but it was designed for the central piece of the monumental work “The Gates of Hell”. Coincidently, it only appears AFTER Yank’s confrontation with Mildred when he starts to discover the hell of his own existence. • Yank: any victim of modern industrial civilization: At first he believes that he is an essential part of it; he accepts its premises and lives by them. It is only when his dream is destroyed, that he starts to question his purpose.

  6. Long Day’s Journey into Night Significance of Characters: • Edmund: self portrayal (Tuberculosis, sea travels, attempted suicide, troubled mother); corresponds to heroic Edmond Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo – the role with which O’Neill father was associated - AND also the name of Eugene’s brother who died at 18 months. • Tyrone: His Irish heritage – Hugh O’Neill Earl of Tyrone kept the forces of Elizabeth I occupied in Northern Ireland from 1598-1603 *A view into the difficult family life of his early years were profound insights into many of the darker questions of human existence * O’Neill did not want it published until 25 years after his death, but Caroline pushed for early production

  7. Biographical: Blaming his mother for his “fall” from innocence Lapsed faith in Catholic God Love of death • Psychological: • Alienation or not “belonging” • Philosophical: • Dealing with issues outside of yourself Literary Criticism • Social: • Recognition of class divisions • Historical: • Modern industrial capitalism as destruction of harmony • Lack of faith in social solutions

  8. The Hairy Ape Long Day’s Journey into Night O’NEILL VS. What will be your reaction?

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