Eugene O'Neill - IS MUNI

1

Masaryk University

Faculty of Arts

Department of English

and American Studies

English Language and Literature

Denisa Šantovaacute

Eugene OrsquoNeill Autobiographical Features in

Chosen Plays

Bachelorrsquos Diploma Thesis

Supervisor Mgr Tomaacuteš Kačer PhD

2015

2

I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently

using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Authorrsquos signature

3

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank my supervisor Mgr Tomaacuteš Kačer PhD for his patience support and help he

provided me while writing this thesis my family for always supporting me and last but not least Artic

Monkeys The Weeknd and Adele for their albums and never-ending supply of music when most needed

4

Table of Contents

1 Introductionhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip5-7

2 Eugene as a playwrighthelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip8-13

3 Eugene as a loverhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip14-27

4 Eugene as a son and a brotherhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip28-36

5 Conclusionhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip37-38

6 Works Citedhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip39-40

7 Reacutesumeacutehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip41

8 Reacutesumeacutehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip42

5

1 Introduction

ldquoLess than a year agordquo OrsquoNeill wrote the Harvard

professor ldquoI seriously determined to become a dramatist

With my present training I might hope to become a

mediocre journey-man playwright It is just because I do

not wish to become one because I want to be an artist or

nothing that I am writing yourdquo

-Eugene OrsquoNeill to George Baker1

To write about Eugene OacuteNeill is to write about the birth of American drama

Undoubtedly there were many playwrights more or less successful but as Gore Vidal

remarked ldquoBefore Eugene OrsquoNeill there was a wasteland Two centuries of junkrdquo

(Dowling 27) An American novelist short-story writer and playwright Lewis Sinclair in

1930 29 years before Vidal was more specific

[OrsquoNeill] has done nothing much in the American drama save to transform it

utterly in ten or twelve years from a false world of neat and competent trickery

to a world of splendor fear and greatness [he has] seen life as something not

to be neatly arranged in a study but as terrifying magnificent and often quite

horrible a thing akin to a tornado an earthquake or a devastating fire2

OrsquoNeillrsquos brilliance was not only based on his primacy but also originality and

sense for literature he was not only a playwright he was a storyteller and in play after

play characters seize an opportunity to tell each other their stories as well (Chotia 195)

It is not possible and neither a goal of this thesis to cover OrsquoNeillrsquos whole life ndash

for such an attempt much larger space is needed

1 OrsquoNeill Selected Letters 26

2 Sinclair Lewis - Nobel Lecture The American Fear of Literature

6

The purpose of this thesis is to show that OrsquoNeillrsquos life and fruitful life it was

affected or rather inspired his work and that the two are mutually intertwined As a

method of proving this stance I am going to compare life events and people

surrounding him to his plays searching for any similarities

As I mentioned I will not attempt to mention everything that had ever happened

to OrsquoNeill or describe everybody in his life I have chosen specific aspects of his life

which I found the most suitable for establishing the comparison of his life and work

These particular aspects will be introduced in three chapters of my thesis The

first chapter will deal with the three features of OrsquoNeillrsquos life that in my opinion had

their impact on it and therefore his playwriting work ndash alcoholism seafaring and

sickness of a body and mind All these issues can be seen in OrsquoNeillrsquos various plays

specifically in his sea plays and his autobiographical plays A Moon for the Misbegotten and

Exorcism

Second chapter is focused on a very broad topic ndash OrsquoNeillrsquos women Women in

general inspired a lot of his plays I will concentrate on his mother and lovers and how

these women were transformed into the characters of his plays Not every one of

OrsquoNeillrsquos lovers and wives has served as a vision for a particular character but I am

convinced that each and every one affected him and shaped his character which I will

try to prove in this part of the thesis The plays used for comparison in this chapter

are Ah Wilderness and Exorcism

The last chapter deals with the most essential and complicated matter of

OrsquoNeillrsquos life ndash his family Member by member I will describe them and show the way

they are depicted in his plays by analysing the characters of chosen plays Desire under

the Elms Beyond the Horizon Before Breakfast but mainly Long Dayacutes Journey into the Night

as this play clearly shows the story of OrsquoNeillrsquos family and is his most autobiographical

play

7

This thesis uses OrsquoNeillrsquos plays as primary sources and also numerous secondary

sources but the one I mainly refer to is recently published Robert M Dowlingrsquos Eugene

ONeill A Life in Four Acts I find this biography significant for my thesis as it offers

unpublished letters photographs and not well-known events from OrsquoNeillrsquos life

together with a reference to Exorcism OrsquoNeillrsquos suicidal play only discovered in 2011

8

2 Eugene as a playwright

ldquoWriting is my vacation from livingrdquo

-Eugene OrsquoNeill

This chapter will offer a brief OrsquoNeillrsquos biography or rather few facts from his life

which I consider important as the way to get to know OrsquoNeill or at least to get some idea

what kind of a man he was I will later focus on three aspects of his life alcoholism seafaring

and sickness of body and mind all of which accompanied OrsquoNeill throughout his life and

affected his writing

It seems like Eugene OrsquoNeillrsquos fate was decided long before his birth He was not the

first one in his family to be successful in fact his father James OrsquoNeill was popular much

longer before Eugene was even born A matinee idol James was a well-known actor and

hence OrsquoNeill was exposed to the theatre from the very beginning of his life He was literary

born on the Broadway in the Barret House on October 16 1888 as a third child of James

and Mary Ellen ldquoEllardquo OrsquoNeill Two days after his birth Eugene was swept away with his

family on the first of many national tours with his father and his theatre company (Dowling

27) His childhood was not a typical childhood of a normal ordinary boy He was travelling

with his family for the first seven years of his life ldquoUsually a child has a regular fixed homerdquo

he said ldquobut you might say I started in as a trouper I knew only actors and the stage My

mother nursed me in the wings and in dressing roomsrdquo3 But then he was sent to Catholic

boarding school which he loathed After that he was transferred to the secular Betts

Academy in Stamford Connecticut At Betts he made a good academic records and acquired

a solid education which he amplified by constant wide reading by writing poems daily letters

to his parents brother nanny and others (Black 7)

3 Sheaffer Son and Playwright 24

9

From these facts we can see that OrsquoNeillrsquos was interested in a literature and writing

since childhood and it was an inseparable part of his life

Alcoholism was unfortunately the inseparable part of OrsquoNeillrsquos life too It began

when he was fourteen with him finding out about his motherrsquos morphine addiction caused

by severe pain after giving birth to him By the age of fifteen he was a full blown alcoholic

(Black 7) and his drinking continued his whole life with short off-wagon periods And it was

exactly during these off-wagon periods when he had written his plays There was one rule

he tried to keep during his whole playwriting career- not to write when drunk The theme of

alcohol did not just occur in OrsquoNeillrsquos life but also in his plays In this part I will focus on

OrsquoNeillrsquos play A Moon for the Misbegotten where alcohol appears as an important mean to the

story

In A Moon for the Misbegotten there is of course an inn ndash drinking place where everybody

gather and where business is done The three main characters of the play Josie Hogan her

father Phil Hogan and their friend James Tyrone Jr they all come into contact with alcohol

James Tyrone Jr alter ego of OrsquoNeillrsquos brother James OrsquoNeill Jr is a middle-aged alcoholic

who is basically drinking his way to death Phil and Josie are not non-drinkers but they treat

alcohol with some kind of respect and serve it only occasionally For both Josie and James

alcohol is a way to honesty for Josie even more it helps her to uncover her romantic side

especially in the scene where she and James are drinking and later confessing love for each

other (ldquoLetrsquos sit down where the moon will be in our eyes and well see romance She takes

his arm and leads him to her bedroom steps She sits on the top step pulling him down beside her but on the

one below She raises her glass Heres hoping before the nights out youll have more courage and

kiss me at leastrdquo)4

4 OrsquoNeill A Moon for the Misbegotten 54

10

James realizes how bad alcohol is or the consequences it has and he proves it by saying

ldquoI said a drink was a grand idea--for me Not for you You skip this onerdquo5 It is obvious that

he tries to spare at least Josie from the aftermath of drinking since he cannot spare himself

In a way James is doomed as well as James OrsquoNeill wasndash both are alcoholics not very

successful in the professional or personal lives and the description of James Tyrone is

OrsquoNeillrsquos ldquomost graphic characterization of the debilitating effects of chemical dependencyrdquo6

What is really apparent in this play ldquoOrsquoNeill finally captures the despairing paradox of the

human condition as he sees it in the contrast between the romantic myth of intoxication

and the realistic symptoms and effects of alcoholismrdquo7 There is even now some premise

how alcohol is a romantic way to deal with problems there are various writers who work

intoxicated and create their best works in this state But honestly there is really nothing

romantic about the awful taste in onersquos mouth the morning after headache and other aches

not speaking of bad decisions one makes while drunk Regret is often following the hangover

and that is also the case of James ndash his nights with whores can serve as one example The

train story he tells Josie is one that says it all James bought the prostitute for 50 dollars a

night to keep him company When Josie asked him how could he he simply replied ldquoHow

could I I dont know But I did I suppose I had some mad idea she could make me forget-

-what was in the baggage car aheadrdquo8 the baggage being the body of his dead mother Here

we can see how alcohol is used as a way to forget the reality but in fact it only multiplies the

misery It is the perfect example of above mentioned paradox of romantic myth and harsh

reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11

I will next cover OrsquoNeillrsquos seafaring years or rather what these voyages meant for him

He started his journey in 1912 on the ship to Honduras and since that time he travelled to a

lot of countries either alone or later with his third wife Carlotta Monterey

OrsquoNeill wrote seven sea plays The Long Voyage Home The Moon of the Caribbees Bound

East for Cardiff In the Zone The Rope Ile and Where the Cross which are now united in a cycle

called ldquoSeven Plays of the Seardquo They all represent OrsquoNeillrsquos ability to capture the atmosphere

of the sea together with its rough life The years on the sea strongly affected his later work

and life itself not only as the inspiration for his plays but also as a way of experiencing

freedom When asked about his memories as Edmund in Long Dayrsquos Journey he remarks that

ldquotheyre all connected with the seardquo Particularly intense is his subsequent speech

When I was on the Squarehead square rigger bound for Buenos Aires Full moon

in the Trades The old hooker driving fourteen knots I lay on the bowsprit

facing astern with the water foaming into spume under me the masts with every

sail white in the moonlight towering high above me I became drunk with the

beauty and singing rhythm of it and for a moment I lost myselfmdashactually lost

my life I was set free I dissolved in the sea became white sails and flying spray

became beauty and rhythm became moonlight and the ship and the high dim-

starred sky I belonged without past or future within peace and unity and a wild

joy within something greater than my own life or the life of Man to Life itself

To God if you want to put it that way9

Here OrsquoNeill describes how he was set free by losing himself in the darkness of the

sea and the night The same experience of the new-found freedom can be seen in

another part of his monologue

Then another time on the American Line when I was lookout on the crowrsquos

nest in the dawn watch

9 Eugene OrsquoNeill Long Dayrsquos Journey into the Night 156

12

A calm sea that time Only a lazy ground swell and a slow drowsy roll of the

ship The passengers asleep and none of the crew in sight No sound of man

Black smoke pouring from the funnels behind and beneath me

Dreaming not keeping lookout feeling alone and above and part watching the

dawn creep like a painted dream over the sky and sea which slept together Then

the moment of ecstatic freedom came The peace the end of the quest the last

harbor the joy of belonging to fulfillment beyond mens lousy pitiful greedy

fears and hopes and dreams10

In this quote he uses even stronger term for the description of the freedom ldquoecstatic

freedomrdquo and it can be seen that he found himself in the peace that sea offers From

these two quotes it is apparent how important was sea for OrsquoNeill and therefore it in

no wonder that the sea or the concept of the sea affected his work so much

It might not be so obvious why I decided to include the theme of sickness to

this part of the work but I strongly believe that it as crucial as any other Because it

was exactly at the time when OrsquoNeill fought with tuberculosis in the years of 1912-13

when he decided to be a dramatist He spent the time in Gaylord Sanatorium reading

drama philosophy and most importantly learning about new theatrical movements in

Ireland France Sweden and Germany He started to write after his release from the

sanatorium setting the pattern of the autobiographical plays by writing about his own

experiences (Ranald 51) This pattern climaxed in his later plays A Moon for the

Misbegotten and Long Dayrsquos Journey into the Night which I will deal with in the following

parts mainly Chapter 3

10 OrsquoNeill Long Dayrsquos Journey into the Night 156

13

The sickness of the mind is presented throughout OrsquoNeillrsquos whole life He never

had a ldquonormalrdquo life but quite the opposite ever present brotherrsquos death his motherrsquos

subsequent decay brotherrsquos jealousy various love affairs and the burden of being a

brilliant dramatist undoubtedly left a mark on his soul causing depression and

loneliness The best example of this sickness of mind is his suicidal attempt in 1911

The dramatization of this attempt is the basis of his work Exorcism which he tried to

destroy right after writing it This play shows his grief and disgust from the way life

works especially when dealing with his divorce which I will closely examine in the

following chapter I believe that writing was a way for OrsquoNeill to ldquowrite out his soulrdquo

as a kind of diary of his life It is hard to say if everything he experienced was a gift or

a curse but nevertheless it served him as a great inspiration for his work and as it is

often said good authors have imagination but great authors have experience

14

3 Eugene as a lover and husband

ldquoYou said they had found the secret of happiness

because they had never heard that love can be a sinrdquo

― Eugene ONeill Mourning Becomes Electra11

This chapter will summarize and attempt to analyse OrsquoNeillrsquos relationships and what

these relationships meant for him I decided to focus on all his girlfriends wives and lovers

as I believe that each of them affected him in some way

Eugene OrsquoNeill never lacked a female company His numerous relationships affairs

and marriages may seem like he sought women for one simple purpose that purpose being

intimate relations with no depth To me it seems that a lonely man was seeking love and

companionship someone to take care for and of him a sad soul looking for a soulmate The

first woman to determine the development of his love life was his mother Ella She was the

one that affected his further relationships with women her addiction which led to sending

young Eugene to boarding school thus growing up without motherly love he so desperately

sought for the rest of his life One does not have to be a psychologist to be aware of how

deeply onersquos parents affect the mental development of an individual The love OrsquoNeill did

not get at home he searched for and in many cases found in women that were willing to

become more than his partners to become his mother The aforementioned implications

will be analysed in the following part of the present work

It is said that the first love one remembers for the rest of onersquos life It does not

necessarily have to be a life-long love but it can determine the way other relationships will

go in the future Such first love for OrsquoNeill was Marion Welch He met her as a young

teenager when she was visiting a friend in New London

11 Eugene OrsquoNeill Mourning Becomes Electra (Part I Act I)

15

She was couple years older than Eugene and well-read intelligent girl a pleasant

distraction for OrsquoNeill The surviving love letters to Marion read like those of a typical

lovesick sixteen-year-old boymdashthick with sarcasm and braggadocio more Tom Sawyer than

Baudelaire (Dowling 45) Although Welch was his intelligent companion with whom he was

exchanging letters about books and plays worth reading and seeing she was ldquoone of many

young women with whom he had friendships or rather one-side relationshipsrdquo (Shafer 46)

According to this it can be said that OrsquoNeill was from the beginning attracted to the

intellectual and well-read girls whom he can spend time with talking about literature and

things related to it

Although Welch was his first girl for me she was more an introduction to love life

than a serious girlfriend The first significant one he met in the summer of 1909 Her name

was Kathleen Jenkins she was a daughter of an alcoholic and the idea of an imperfect father

was the thing that most connected them OrsquoNeill enchanted her although he had no money

no job and no prospects but this was probably a part of his charm

ldquoThe usual young man sent you flowers a box of candy took you to the theatre

but mostlyrdquo she said since OrsquoNeill never had any money ldquowe talked and walked

He was always immaculately groomed in spite of being unconventional he

led a bohemian sort of life The books he read were lsquoway over my headrdquo12

This quote implicates that Jenkins was not his intellectual equal which probably

predicted their future relationship Kathleen soon ended up pregnant and as a result

they got married on October 2 1909 Their secret marriage has not remained secret

for long as Kathleenrsquos mother revealed it to OrsquoNeillrsquos parents Consequently James

sent OrsquoNeill to Honduras and he contentedly accepted this chance to escape the

marriage and fatherhood However OrsquoNeill was not a heartless man and even he felt

a guilt which he expressed in poems written during his journey


16

The one written on board of Charles Racine called ldquoFreerdquo is considered to be

OrsquoNeillrsquos first literary work (Dowling 52) ldquoFreerdquo one might regard as a confession

poem ndash he acknowledges his remorse about leaving Kathleen and their son Eugene

Jr and at the same time revealing spiritual release (Dowling 58)

I have had my dance with Folly nor do I shirk the blame

I have sipped the so-called Wine of Life and paid the price of shame

But I know that I shall find surcease the rest of my spirit craves

Where the rainbows play in the flying spray

rsquoMid the keen salt kiss of the waves (OrsquoNeill in Dowling 58)

Later in Buenos Aires he wrote another poem titled ldquoAshes of Orchidsrdquo later changed to

ldquoThe Bridegroom Weepsrdquo

There are so many tears

In my eyes

Burning unshed

There are so many ashes

In my mouth

Ashes of orchids

There are so many corpses

In my brain

Of decomposing dreamsmdash

And Columbine also

Decomposes (OrsquoNeill in Dowling 63)

Likewise ldquoFreerdquo also ldquoThe Bridegrooms Weepsrdquo is about OrsquoNeillrsquos remorse over desertion

from Kathleen and their son but also over his licentious life in Argentina (Dowling 63)

Probably the weight of this guilt compelled him to call Kathleen and ask her to come visit

him with Eugene Jr The reunion between husband and wife was civil but awkward of the

17

few words spoken by OrsquoNeill none of them justified his behaviour over the last year and a

half After a brief stay he left in silence OrsquoNeill wouldnrsquot see Eugene Jr for more than a

decade and Jenkins he never saw again13

That of course did not mean that they have not been in a contact or at least knew about

each other The ground for this was their divorce ndash undoubtedly an expected course of

events In Exorcism OrsquoNeill (as a main character Ned) confesses he only married Jenkins for

ldquogentlemanrsquos reasonrdquo

Jimmy ndash [] Irsquove always hoped ndash yoursquod go back to her finally

Ned ndash (Angrily) Yoursquore an ass

Jimmy ndash (Pathetically) But didnrsquot you ndash donrsquot you care for her at all

Ned ndash (With a hopeless groan) Oh my God (Then vehemently) Not a damn Not a

single solitary infinitesimal tinkerrsquos damn I never did Body ndash that was what I

wanted in her and she in me And I married her for an obsolete reason ndash a

gentlemanrsquos reason as yoursquod call it ndash and because a perverse devil whispered in

my ear that marriage was one of the few things I havenrsquot done Thatrsquos all it was

so help me ndash a silly gesture of honor ndash and a stunt 14

Undoubtedly OrsquoNeill was not content with his marriage to Jenkins and he was not a bit

ashamed to admit it as if his behaviour towards her was not indicating it enough

However OrsquoNeill was not the only one unhappy in this relationship - the play clearly says

that also Jenkins as her alter ego Margaret wanted the divorce when Jimmy asks Ned if

Margaret wanted it he replies ldquoOf courserdquo Ned replies acidly ldquoShersquos rich Shersquoll be married

again within a yearldquo

13 Sheaffer Son and Playwright 145 188

14 OrsquoNeill Exorcism 10

18

Her negative portrayal is intensified when Ned has been told that Margaret went ldquoout of her

mind with griefrdquo presuming he attempted suicide because shersquos suing him for divorce ldquoAha

So thatrsquos what she thinks The devilrdquo15

In fact the night before his suicide attempt Ned (OrsquoNeill) met with his still-wifersquos

attorney and they made an agreement As the only ground the divorce could stand on in that

time was adultery they needed to arrange one it was a long night of drinking and then visiting

a whorehouse ndash ldquohouse of ill famerdquo From that night Ned did not remembered much (ldquoI

donrsquot remember much about getting there ndash or my choosing the correspondent We arrived

in the small hours and I was very drunk I must have fallen asleep ndash almost immediatelyrdquo)16

but he did not have to The adultery was witnessed and thus the divorce was valid

The unfavourably way OrsquoNeill describe Jenkins as Ned describes Margaret shows the

lack of love or any other similar affection towards her This may be the reason why he

omitted her and his son completely in Long Dayrsquos Journey although the play takes place in

1912 three years after the marriage and conception of Eugene Jr Whatever their discords

OrsquoNeill probably realised how badly he described Jenkins in Exorcism and that might have

been a reason for destroying the play

After his divorce from Jenkins in 1912 or rather during the proceedings of it he did

not remain single His eyes set on his neighbour Maibelle Scott in New London Conc

where he had moved shortly before They were exchanging love letters daily despite the fact

they saw each other just as much Scott was from prosperous family and neither her nor

OrsquoNeillrsquos mother approved of this relationship Nonetheless the two kept meeting behind

their backs in secret during the fall Scott could not comprehend the reputation OrsquoNeill held

in the town



19

ldquoHe was always a gentleman around me never drunk or anything like thatrdquo she recalled

ldquoand I couldnrsquot understand why people talked against him including his own parents I felt

that he was very much misunderstoodrdquo (Dowling 91) but soon she discovered the reason

as she saw OrsquoNeillrsquos bad temper at parties and his depression As she admitted this was

mainly the reason why she never really fell in love with him ldquoWhen I met my husband I

realized the feeling was different I knew then that I had never loved Eugene but had only

been fascinatedrdquo (Dowling 91)

Although their relationship did not last very long Scott served OrsquoNeill as an inspiration

for a character of Muriel McComber in his 1933 play Ah Wilderness Even though their ages

differ ndash Scott was eighteen when they met and Muriel is only fifteen in the play ndash they both

had to deal with a disapproval of their loved onersquos families Murielrsquos loved one is Richard

Miller who as his counterpart OrsquoNeill sends her ldquolove letters and racy poetryrdquo (Dowling

90) In contrast with Muriel and Richard Scottrsquos and OrsquoNeillrsquos relationship did not have the

happy ending and they soon broke up

In June 1914 OrsquoNeill has fallen for a nineteen-year-old New London girl name

Beatrice ldquoBeerdquo Ashe Although Scott was his first romance ldquoBumble Beerdquo can be regarded

as his first true love The depth of his passion has been preserved in more than eighty letters

and over a dozen love poems dedicated to her with titles such as ldquoJust a Little Love a Little

Kissrdquo ldquoJust Me nrsquo Yourdquo and ldquoBallade of the Two of Usrdquo (Dowling 105) In one of them

ldquoSpeaking to the Shades of Dante of Beatricesrdquo he compares his Beatrice with the one of

Dantersquos

Dante your damozel was tall

And lean and sadmdashIrsquove seen her face

On many a best-parlor wallmdash

I donrsquot think she was such an ace

She doesnrsquot class with mine at all (OrsquoNeill in Dowling 105)

20

He gave her ldquoa scarab bracelet as a sign of his deep commitment and told her that he wished

he could buy her an ankle-length sable coat and a silk bathing suit as wellrdquo (Dowling 106)

He was in love with her but to OrsquoNeill with love comes a feeling of possession which can

be seen in this and also his future relationships In spite of his failed marriage with Jenkins

he had the intention to marry Bee although she refused to marry him ldquo(He) carried a

wedding ring for two years hoping Irsquod change my mindrdquo (106) but she did not and what is

more she started to realize how different they are and the depths of OrsquoNeillrsquos difficult

personality for one he did not respect her dream of being a soprano professional soloist As

if not supporting her career was not enough she notices his uneasiness around children ldquoHe

had a sweet gentle smilerdquo she said ldquothe sort he should have had for children but didnrsquotrdquo

(106) All the more Beatrice was not the only woman to notice that Regardless of Jenkins

who soon understood that OrsquoNeill will never be ldquoa normal fatherrdquo not mentioning being a

good one Agnes Boulton too realised he did not like children ldquoI donrsquot understand childrenrdquo

he told her ldquothey make me uneasy and I donrsquot know how to act with themrdquo (167)

Ashersquos and OrsquoNeillrsquos relationship was even more complicated due to the long distance

they had to endure as OrsquoNeill was taking a George Bakerrsquos seminar at Cambridge They were

meeting on weekends and holidays but OrsquoNeill was still writing love letters to ldquoHis Own

Little Wiferdquo He was so deeply in love and dependent on her he decided to stay faithful to

her and ignore other girls around him His letters were deeply emotional (ldquoAh My Own My

Own how I love you and how the relentless hours drag their leaden feet when I am not

with yourdquo (111)) and they contained numerous poems and even a photo of himself in his

underwear taken by a Cambridge artist practicing studies in the nude and he teased her over

her refusal to have sex with him (111) However as OrsquoNeill felt more and more in love with

Ashe he became more and more dependent on her even possessive and depressed as he

claimed he could not live without her17

17 wwwarenastageorg

21

During the following months Ashersquos love started to cool down and their relationship

changed He expressed his desire for motherly love from her claiming to be ldquoher tearful little

boyrdquo and when she expressed this kind of love instead of the passionate one typical for

lovers he answered ldquoWhy not I promise to always be your child Where you are

concerned like Peter Pan I shall never grow uprdquo18 It is obvious here that OrsquoNeill was looking

for some more that a woman his quest to find the motherly love is apparent But even this

love did not last and it was perceptible that their futures are not meant to be the same

During the simmering down of their relationship OrsquoNeill met Louise Bryant a fianceacutee

of his friend a socialist journalist John Reed Bryant was strictly against alcohol because of

her fatherrsquos drunkenness and as OrsquoNeill wrote only when he was sober her controlling his

whiskey income contributed to OrsquoNeillrsquos prolific period of writing that summer of 1914 they

spent together They were often seen together and since they were both writers of a kind ndash

Bryant a journalist OrsquoNeill a playwright ndash letters and poems were not absent in this affair

Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes

What shall I do (Bryant in Dowling 142)

asked Bryant in a poem to OacuteNeill and he responded in the same impassioned way

Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably

18 OrsquoNeill Selected Letters 59 65

22

You scatter all my peace

Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream

In a great wide space

Where horizons meet

And the unattainable is possessed

Blue eyes

The sky is blue

I dare not look at it

Because my soul is lonely

Donrsquot you know then

Why

Blue eyes (OrsquoNeill in Dowling 142)

These two poems clearly indicate the passion and sparking between Bryant and OrsquoNeill This

being said it is no surprise that their affair was intensive and lasted on and off for almost

two years Surprisingly Bryantrsquos fianceacutee and later husband John Reeds knew about the

relationship and did not mind it Nevertheless there were people who minded Bryant and

they minded her very much so much they regarded her as ldquobitchrdquo a ldquonymphomaniacrdquo and

a ldquowhorerdquo (Dowling 143) the people were Provincetown Players a group of the theatre

people OrsquoNeill was part of But Bryant OrsquoNeill and not even Reed made a big deal of this

affair Although their triangle happened long before hippie period of ldquofree loverdquo that is

exactly what they believed in Reed even expressed his opinions on extramarital affairs in his

one-act play The Eternal Quadrangle which suggests that these affairs bothered him little and

he himself had been involved in a long-standing and public romance with the married Mabel

Dodge (141)

23

Bryantrsquos and OrsquoNeillrsquos affair would probably continue for longer period of time if not for

the war when Bryantrsquos journalist duty called her off to Russia together with her husband

Reed leaving OrsquoNeill and thus ending their affair

There is no doubt that Bryant meant a lot to him and she in a way haunted him over

the course of years When she returned to New York in March 1918 she wrote him a letter

accusing his then-wife Agnes Boulton of tolerating him his alcoholism and accusing OrsquoNeill

of having an affair He responded pointing out her hypocrisy ldquoFor over a year and a half I

loved you During most of that time you lived with another man That is undeniable What

does it matter if physically you were faithful to memdashespecially considering the

circumstancesrdquo19 circumstances being Reedacutes kidney problem disabling him from having a

sexual intercourse ldquoIt is more than probablerdquo he told Bryant in this final letter to her ldquothat

you have burned yourself so deep into my soul that the wound will never heal and I stand

condemned to love you forevermdashand hate you for what you have done to my liferdquo (Dowling

170)

As in previous cases OrsquoNeill did not stay single for a long time and in November 1917

he met Agnes Boulton in the Hell Hole bar in New York where she moved from

Connecticut leaving behind her parents are step-daughter Barbara ldquoCookierdquo Burton

daughter of Boultonrsquos late husband It was striking how alike she and Bryant looked Boulton

was exactly OrsquoNeillrsquos type ndash ldquoslim of build long of neck dark of hair high of cheekbonerdquo

(163-64) Boulton soon realized what many before did that the man projected an unnerving

contagious vulnerability ldquothat of being himselfmdashan awareness on the part of others of his

being always intensely aware of himself This would account for his shyness or whatever

it wasmdashwhich was really an intense self-consciousnessrdquo (164)


24

Boulton saw him for what he was and he himself acknowledged it in a letter to Bryant

where he writes that Agnes accepted him at his worstmdashand [she] didnrsquot love him for what

she thought he ought to berdquo ldquoWhether I love her in a deep sense or notrdquo he went on ldquoI do

not yet know For the past half-year lsquoloversquo has seemed like some word in a foreign language

of which I do not know the meaning It dazes merdquo(170) Probably his love never really

deepened although they spent together over nine years and conceived two children together-

son Shane Rudraighe OrsquoNeill born October 30 1919 and daughter Oona OrsquoNeill born on

May 14 1925 a future wife of Charlie Chaplin Although the children were probably

conceived in love their mere existence did not help the relationship on the contrary it

worsened it As OrsquoNeill himself admitted ldquoPerhaps I could do with less progeny about for

I was never cut out seemingly for a pater familias and children in squads even when

indubitably my own tend to lsquoget my goatrsquo rdquo20 Despite the general belief that children can

save relationship theirs could probably not be saved and they got divorced disproving

OrsquoNeillrsquos words to Agnes the first night they met ldquoI want to spend every night of my life

from now on with you I mean this Every night of my liferdquo21

What actually ended their relationship ndash whether they were sick of each other after all these

years and could not or would not amend it or was there a new better woman in sight

OrsquoNeillrsquos actions proved both options but mainly the latter

OrsquoNeill and Carlotta Monterey met during his relationship with Boulton when she

played Mildred in OrsquoNeillrsquos play The Hairy Ape Back then OrsquoNeill ignored her and the only

thing he said about her was ldquoWhat a dumb bitch she isrdquo22 Four years later they met again

ldquoYou donrsquot like me do yourdquo OrsquoNeill remarked that July 15 to the woman

accompanying him down to Bess Marburyrsquos bathhouse


21 Boulton Part of a Long Story 29 21

22 King Another Part of a Long Story 149

25

ldquoYoursquore the rudest man Irsquove ever metrdquo came an icy reply from the actress

Carlotta Monterey ldquoWhen I went into that play of yours [The Hairy Ape] I didnrsquot

want to I had just finished one thing and wanted to go out to California and see

my mother and daughter But Hoppy [Arthur Hopkins] kept after me so I did

with hardly a rehearsal and you never had the decency to thank merdquo (Dowling

322)

It can be seen from this quote that their love was not the one ldquoon the first sightrdquo and they

had a rocky start but later they started to spend time together and if nothing else there was

a thing they had in common- the feeling of loneliness OrsquoNeillrsquos soberness took him the

comfort of the alcohol and he lost his ldquophantoms and obsessionsrdquo and Monterey felt alone

after her divorce Although still married to Boulton they grew closer and closer to each

other Boulton still oblivious to the threat Monterey represented declared ldquoI didnrsquot worry

about him because she didnrsquot seem smart enough for him It seemed to me he was more

amused by her than anything elserdquo proving what I claimed before that OrsquoNeill was attracted

to the intelligent women But then at the same time she admitted that OrsquoNeill did say that

Monterey had eyes just like his motherrsquos23 And when on October 13 1926 Boulton stayed

behind in Maine to decamp from Loon Lodge OrsquoNeill took an overnight train back to New

Yorkmdashand back to Carlotta Monterey (Dowling 328) After returning to Boulton although

Carlotta was not present she was constantly on OrsquoNeillrsquos mind He was sending her love

letters somehow strangle but at the same time honest ldquoAs soon as I reached here I told

Agnes exactly how I felt about leaving yourdquo he told her ldquoI said I loved you I also said and

with equal truth that I loved her Does this sound idiotic to you I hope not I hope you will

understand It is possible to love like thatrdquo (330) Well to love like that is not very

common but OrsquoNeill himself was not a common man His love to Monterey or the

infatuation with her had its stronger and weaker moments

23 Sheaffer Son and Artist 217

26

One time he swore his love to Boulton claiming ldquoI was never in love with her That was

nonsense I love you and only you now and foreverrdquo24 But as future showed his ldquonow

and foreverrdquo did not last long and in 1929 he finally married Carlotta Monterey she thus

becoming his third and last wife They spend the rest of OrsquoNeillrsquos life together and she was

in many ways more like his mother than wife

If Carlotta was a good wife is a matter that raises many questions One may say she

was an exemplary wife taking care of OrsquoNeill and his needs she was a housekeeper lover

friend mother and everything else he needed She took care of typewriting his plays dealt

with his letters and managed the visitors On the other hand she completely took control

of his life and tried to (and succeeded) to cut off his old friends However perhaps this was

not such a bad thing as his friends were mainly drunkards who encouraged his alcoholism

She tried hard to provide OrsquoNeill a home he did not have and ldquodone everything possible to

make him forget the self-conscious uneasy slovenly atmosphere in which he livedrdquo

(Dowling 375) Her strong impact on him is visibly shown in her ldquoinventionrdquo a new time

scale for her husbandrsquos life ldquoBCrdquomdashldquoBefore Carlottardquo(Dowling 375)

Although it may seem like OacuteNeill completely devoted himself to her and did not make

his own decisions and despite their passionate fights and misunderstandings it is undeniable

that Monterey took care of him when most needed and she fulfilled the wedding vows- ldquofor

better for worse for richer for poorer in sickness and in health until death do us partrdquo

In OrsquoNeillrsquos most autobiographical play Long Dayacutes Journey it is Monterey he dedicated his

play to

For Carlotta on our 12th Wedding Anniversary

Dearest I give you the original script of this play of old sorrow written in tears

and blood


27

A sadly inappropriate gift it would seem for a day celebrating happiness But

you will understand I mean it as a tribute to your love and tenderness which gave

me the faith in love that enabled me to face my dead at last and write this playmdash

write it with deep pity and understanding and forgiveness for all the four haunted

Tyrones

These twelve years Beloved One have been a Journey into Lightmdash into love

You know my gratitude And my love

Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125

Eugene OrsquoNeill is known for his autobiographical features in his plays and the women

of his life are no exception More or less every one of them affected his life in some way

beginning with his mother whose character was an inspiration for Mary Tyrone in Long Dayacutes

Journey into the Night (which is closer examined in following chapter 3) through his first wife

Kathleen Jenkins in Exorcism or Maibelle Scott in Ah Wilderness Although Carlotta Monterey

did not appeared as one of his fictional characters she was significant in another sphere ndash

she rendered him home and care he needed so much all his life and later in their life she was

more like his mother than his wife and it can be said that finally OrsquoNeill found what he lacked

all his life ndash the love of a mother

25 OrsquoNeill Long Dayacutes Journey into the Night

28

4 Eugene as a son and a brother

ldquoNone of us can help the things life has done to us Theyrsquore

done before you realize it and once theyrsquore done they make you

do other things until at last everything comes between you and

what yoursquod like to be and yoursquove lost your true self foreverrdquo

― Eugene ONeill Long Days Journey into Night (63)

This chapter deals with the family members of Eugene OrsquoNeill and how each and

every one affected OrsquoNeillrsquos life Additionally I will show on various examples how these

people inspired numerous characters from OrsquoNeillrsquos plays thus proving that his life and

work are close-knitted Starting with the person who most affected OrsquoNeillrsquos life his

mother Ella I will describe her life and personality depicted mainly in the image of Mary

Tyrone

Mary Ellen ldquoEllardquo Quinlan later OrsquoNeill was a member of Irish family which

escaped the famine disaster happening from 1845 till 1852 Ella was as her alter ego Mary

in Long Dayrsquos Journey a convent girl and a promising pianist whose life took an unexpected

direction Her father Thomas was a tobacco and liquor merchant and it was through

Thomas Ella met James twelve years older bachelor They married five years later and had

three sons- James Jr in 1878 Edmund Burke in 1883 and Eugene Gladstone in 1888

What seemed to be a normal family if we can refer to the family of an actor as a

ldquonormalrdquo soon turned out to be a tragedy affecting each member of the family The first

misfortune came with an unfortunate and needless death of Edmund when he was only

eighteen months old on March 4 1885 The OrsquoNeills while James was performing in

Colorado had left Edmund and Jamie in New York under the supervision of Bridget Ellarsquos

mother In their absence Jamie caught measles and was not allowed in Edmundrsquos presence

but he visited his brother anyway infecting Edmund and thus causing his death Hard as it

29

is to outlive onersquos child it is even harder when the death was caused by onersquos other child

OrsquoNeill was convinced that Ella never forgave his older brother and he himself was suffering

from tormenting mixture of survivorrsquos guilt and death envy (Dowling 34) In Long Dayacutes

Journey he even named his alter ego Edmund and the dead child Eugene thus switching the

roles with his deceased brother Even Mary Tyrone who makes clear that she gave birth to

her third son to replace the deceased Eugene and only at the insistence of her husband James

(ldquoAbove all I shouldnrsquot have let you insist I have another baby to take Eugenersquos place because

you thought that would make me forget his deathrdquo) 26 made it clear that she did not want

another baby probably under the weight of guilt ldquoI knew Irsquod proved by the way Irsquod left

Eugene [Edmund] that I wasnrsquot worthy to have another babyrdquo Mary Tyrone says to James

ldquoand that God would punish me if I did I never should have borne Edmund [Eugene]rdquo27

What was even worse outcome of Eugenersquos birth was the unbearable pain after the

labour for which she was prescribed morphine by the hotel doctor This triggered her

morphine addiction which lasted till 1914 and affected all four lives of TyronesOrsquoNeills

What could have helped Ella might have been a kind of safe haven which one normally finds

at home but even in this her family was unique Years of travelling with James and his theatre

company meant she was always on the road The only thing slightly resembling home was

their Monte Cristo Cottage summer house which she did not considered proper home

although it was as close as the family would ever come to a true home (Dowling 40) Ella as

Mary Tyrone acknowledged that she ldquoknew from experience by then that children should

have homes to be born in if they are to be good children and women need homes if they

are to be good mothersrdquo28

26 Eugene OrsquoNeill Long Dayrsquos Journey into Night 90



30

It was probably the lack of such home that caused her being not very good mother

and drowning her sorrows in morphine

When under the influence of morphine she often felt depressed moody and

melancholic In one such case she finds consolation in the fog ldquoI really love foghellipIt hides

you from the world and the world from you You fell that everything has changed and

nothing is what it seemed to be No one can find or touch you any more [sic]rdquo29 Her

depression culminated one night in 1903 when she attempted suicide She ran out of

morphine and only in her night gown she cried and ran towards the Thames River stopped

right before she could jump from the dock (Dowling 43) This accident has not been a

surprise for James and Jamie who have been aware of her ldquoproblemrdquo but decided to keep

it from Eugene ldquoJamie told merdquo he recounts as Edmund in Long Dayrsquos Journey ldquoI called him

a liar I tried to punch him in the nose But I knew he wasnrsquot lying His voice trembling his eyes

begin to fill with tears God it made everything in life seem rottenrdquo30

It can be said without any doubt that this revelation change OrsquoNeillrsquos attitude towards

his mother In his eyes drug addiction was a problem of ldquoprostitutes and derelictsrdquo (Dowling

43) and this was the main trigger for his life-long problem - alcoholism What was another

outcome of this problem probably worse although being an alcoholic is a bad thing itself

was destruction of a ldquomother figurerdquo for OrsquoNeill This could not go unnoticed in his plays

especially Long Dayacutes Journey but also in other plays where his mother was an inspiration for

other characters Biographers like Louis Sheaffer and critics including Michael Manheim

Doris Alexander and Laurin Porter identify aspects of Ella in many if not most of the

playwrightrsquos female characters (Barlow 169) And it is true in many of OrsquoNeillrsquos plays his

mother is present not exactly (like) her but rather as an inspiration for ldquobad mother rolerdquo

unable to care for neither her husband nor her child



31

Following examples show what tragic lives the characters lead mainly because the wife

and the mother does not care at all or at least not enough to save them and they all end up

drunk or dead

In Before Breakfast both Mrs Rowlandrsquos still born child and her husband face death

the first one unintentionally the second one by suicide Mrs Rowland shows no remorse for

her dead infant ldquoItrsquos lucky the poor thing was born dead after all What a father yoursquod have

beenrdquo31 She has no respect for her husband blaming him for her misfortune calling him

drunkard who does not appreciate her ldquoYou never did have any gratitude for what Irsquove

donerdquo and rebuking him for his laziness ldquoDonrsquot you think itrsquos about time you got up Do

you want to stay in bed all day Not that Irsquove got any doubts about your being lazy enough

to stay in bed foreverrdquo32 Death of a child and husband is also present in Beyond the Horizon

where Ruth Mayorsquos inability ldquoto appreciate her husbandrsquos aspirations is mirrored in her

impatience with their daughter who is far more attached to her lsquodaddyrsquordquo (Barlow 171) Her

husband Robert dies shortly after his daughter Another example where death of a child and

bad marriage is presented can be found in OrsquoNeillrsquos tragedy Desire under the Elms There are

several features connecting the main character Abbie to Ella ndash their craziness death of a

child (although Abbie murdered her son to prove her love to her lover and at the same time

son-in-law Eben as in opposition to Ella who had to face the death of her child) and marital

issues (Ella not being satisfied with her life with James Abbie falling for her husbandrsquos son)

The most distinct contrast however between the two is that Abbie Putnam has nothing else

to offer so she must sell herself in marriage in order to stake a claim on the farm (her first

real home) which father and son struggle over as a matter of right (Nelson) and Ella marries

James to build her own family not as a way to gain money

31 Eugene OrsquoNeill Before Breakfast


32

Yet the most significant example is the one of Mary Tyrone she is the woman

drowning her sorrows in morphine unable to care for her men- husband and two sons

tortured by the death of her son Edmund

Character of Mary Tyrone Ella OrsquoNeillrsquos alter ego is OrsquoNeillrsquos most fully realize female

character (Bowler 172) Rather unsurprising matter she was after all his mother and a

woman who influenced OrsquoNeill and his life the most OrsquoNeillrsquos attitude towards Mary is

rather ambiguous he is understanding of her ldquotroublesrdquo and it could be said he pities her

but at the same time he blames for her failures as a mother as well as a wife Maryrsquos character

as well as perception of it is full of contradictions It is possible to look at her as a vain

woman (Mary always checking her hair and complains about her fingers) unsuccessful piano

player failed mother and wife and a drug addict on top of it but what if she is just a broken

woman who cannot live under the burden of death guilt her husbandrsquos and older sonrsquos

intensifying alcoholism and her younger sonrsquos illness Would it be possible to say that she is

just a sad woman not living fulfilling life and she uses the drugs as a way of escape from

reality I would say the truth is somewhere in between but what is certain is that she blames

herself as well as Jamie for the death of Edmund

I blame only myself I swore after Eugene died I would never have another baby

I was to blame for his death If I hadnt left him with my mother to join you on

the road because you wrote telling me you missed me and were so lonely Jamie

would never have been allowed when he still had measles to go in the babys

room

Her face hardening

Ive always believed Jamie did it on purpose He was jealous of the baby He

hated him

As Tyrone starts to protest

Oh I know Jamie was only seven but he was never stupid

33

Hed been warned it might kill the baby He knew Ive never been able to forgive

him for that33

She is thus proving that the guilt is ever present and she is not to forgive Jamie

OrsquoNeillrsquos father whom I will describe in this part of the thesis in comparison to Ella

OrsquoNeill is rather secondary in a sense of impact he had on his son However similarly to

Ella he also showed his son how not to do certain things in life rather than vice-versa This

goes mainly to the question of theatre as OrsquoNeill despised the theatre of his father its

artificiality and longed to try new more natural ways together with experimentalism

James OrsquoNeill was a son of Edward and Mary OrsquoNeill Irish immigrants who left

Ireland to escape the potato famine in 1850 when James was only five years old He was the

seventh child but after his fatherrsquos departure and subsequent death six years after his return

to Ireland James was forced to provide for his family at the age of ten He was working at

a machine shop making files for 12 hours a day He remembers (as a James Tyrone in

OrsquoNeillrsquos play Long Dayacutes Journey) this place as ldquoa dirty barn of a place where rain dripped

through the roof where you roasted in summer and there was no stove in winter and your

hands got numb with cold where the only light came through two small filthy windows so

on grey days Irsquod have to sit bent over with my eyes almost touching the files in order to see

And what do you think I got for it Fifty cents a week Itrsquos the truth Fifty cents a weekrdquo34

After moving to Cincinnati where he and his family was supported by Edwardrsquos sister

Josephine James discovered his talent for acting In 1872 he shared one stage with famous

actor of that time Edwin Booth brother of Lincolnrsquos assassin John Wilkes Booth Booth

remarked that ldquoThat young man is playing [Othello] better than I ever didrdquo (Dowling 30)



34

This was the high point of his career and probably something that drove him to pursue his

acting career The most significant moment came when he accepted the role of Edmund

Dantegraves in Charles Fechterrsquos adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo the title of which was

reduced to Monte Cristo (Dowling 30) The play was such a success that James decided to buy

rights to the script for $2000 He would perform the role for almost thirty years earning

nearly forty thousand a year Like Edmund Dante in the play James escaped the poverty he

was living in most of his life But why was the play so successful that audiences came to see

it night after night for so many years ldquoThe answer of course was my father He had a

genuine romantic Irish personalitymdashlooks voice and stage presencemdashand he loved the part

Audiences came to see James OrsquoNeill in Monte Cristo not Monte Cristordquo answered OacuteNeill

(Dowling 32)

Jamesrsquo alter ego in Long Dayrsquos Journey is a man of sixty-five but according to OrsquoNeill he

ldquolooks ten years youngerrdquo He is described as a man of fine stature and according to his son

ldquoThe stamp of his profession is unmistakably on him Not that he indulges in

any of the deliberate temperamental posturing of the stage star He is by nature

and preference a simple unpretentious man whose inclinations are still close to

his humble beginnings and his Irish farmer forebears But the actor shows in all

his unconscious habits of speech movement and gesture These have the quality

of belonging to a studied technique His voice is remarkably fine resonant and

flexible and he takes great pride in itrdquo35

The story of James Tyrone is basically identical with the one of James OrsquoNeill They

unfortunately also share the burden of their wifersquos addiction whom they still love and

treat with upmost affection (ldquoBut I did truly have beautiful hair once didnt I Jamesrdquo

ldquoThe most beautiful in the worldrdquo)36 but at the same time they are tormented by the

outcomes of this addiction



35

Overall it can be said that James is described in a sympathetic light as if OrsquoNeill tried to

make peace with his dead father at least through the character of James Tyrone

The third significant member of OrsquoNeillrsquos family is his already mentioned

brother Jamie As I will demonstrate on certain examples their relationship was

contradictory and Jamie did not serve as a good example to his brother but regardless

they loved each other James Jr OrsquoNeill or Jamie was ten years older than his brother

born as the oldest son of James and Ella in 1878 and a failed actor who could not hold

a job was always close to the bottle and far from money Relationship between OrsquoNeill

and his older brother can be regarded as complicated which might have been caused

by the age difference but also by Jamiersquos envy This problem is apparent in Jamiersquos

heart-rending and honest confession in Long Dayrsquos Journey into the Night

ldquoMama and Papa are right Ive been rotten bad influence And worst of it is I did it on

purpose []Nix Kid You listen Did it on purpose to make a bum of you Or part of

me did A big part That part thats been dead so long That hates life My putting you

wise so youd learn from my mistakes Believed that myself at times but its a fake Made

my mistakes look good Made getting drunk romantic Made whores fascinating vampires

instead of poor stupid diseased slobs they really are Made fun of work as suckers game

Never wanted you succeed and make me look even worse by comparison Wanted you

to fail Always jealous of you Mamas baby Papas pet He stares at Edmund with increasing

enmity And it was your being born that started Mama on dope I know thats not your

fault but all the same God damn you I cant help hating your gutsmdashBut dont get wrong

idea Kid I love you more than I hate you My saying what Im telling you now proves it

I run the risk youll hate memdash and youre all Ive got left But I didnt mean to tell you

that last stuffmdash go that far back Dont know what made me What I wanted to say is

Id like to see you become the greatest success in the world But youd better be on your

guard Because Ill do my damnedest to make you fail Cant help it I hate myself Got to

take revenge On everyone else Especially yourdquo37


36

In this quote we can see two things already mentioned paradox of the romantic

myth of the alcohol and how one can perceive whores as some ldquofascinatingrdquo creatures

but the truth is they are not and drinking is not romantic The second thing is the

clarification of the relationship between two brothers and what is obvious now

jealousy of the older one but at the same time a kind of hope that Eugene will do

better than Jamie

What the character of James Tyrone represents is the man with the wounded

soul unsatisfied with the course of his own life and together with his parents James

and Mary they present two selvesmdashthe selves that might have achieved their potential

and the selves theyrsquove been fated to endure (Dowling 433)

The character of OrsquoNeillrsquos other brother Edmund is not present but it is the

memory of him and more importantly his death that haunts all of the members of the

TyroneOrsquoNeill family His presence is significant as an embodiment of the death in

Long Dayrsquos Journey it is the cause of familyrsquos misery and there is also parallel in Exorcism

where the main character Ned tries to commit suicide Ned is short for Edmund

37

5 Conclusion

Eugene OrsquoNeill was undoubtedly one of the most noticeable and distinctive

playwrights in the history of American drama and many believe that he is to be considered

lsquothe first American playwrightrsquo or that the drama really begins with OrsquoNeill

The goal of this thesis was to prove the belief that Eugene OrsquoNeill was the

autobiographical playwright As a tool for this I used the analyses of his plays and certain

significant events from his life together with the important people he met or lived with The

thesis started with three chosen aspects of OrsquoNeillrsquos life ndash alcoholism seafaring and sickness

which I determined as important features of OrsquoNeillrsquos biography The examples from the

plays A Moon for the Misbegotten Exorcism and Long Dayrsquos Journey into the Night has shown how

these aspects affected OrsquoNeillrsquos work and the path he took in his writings I proved that

alcoholism was his problem a demon which he could not get rid of that he found his

freedom at least temporary while on the sea and that the sickness of body and mind was

the important part of his life as well as it helped him determine his purpose and gave him a

lot of inspiration for his work

The chapter about OrsquoNeillrsquos women showed that also the ladies in his life had great

impact on him beginning with his mother Ella who caused his life-long quest for motherly

love which he was able to found more or less in some of his women but the one to help

him finish this search was his third wife Carlotta Monterey often loathed and blamed for the

partition of OrsquoNeill and his friends Nevertheless no one can deny that she was the one who

took care of him provided him home and companionship and what is more ndash love The

plays used in this part were Ah Wilderness and Exorcism mainly the latter showed how closely

intertwined were the life and work of OrsquoNeill on the example of his first wife Kathleen

Jenkins

38

The last part of the thesis the one dealing with OrsquoNeillrsquos family revealed the tragedies

and misfortunes they had to endure and deal with They all had a way to do it Ella with drugs

and later craziness as a way to protect her mind by losing herself in the past and things that

might have been James and James Jr abused alcohol as their way of dealing with things

James with his wifersquos addiction James Jr with his unsatisfactory life The one who got away

but in a way caused all these tragedies was Edmund the middle son of James and Ella whose

death pulled the trigger of Ellarsquos addiction and subsequent miseries The most important play

in this part is Long Dayrsquos Journey into the Night which is considered to be OrsquoNeillrsquos most

autobiographical play

All of the presented examples in the thesis served one goal- to prove the statement

that OrsquoNeill is the autobiographical author and show these proofs on the basis of the chosen

plays and significant parts and quotes of the plays It is therefore undeniable that OrsquoNeill

gained the inspiration for his plays from his life and experiences

39

6 Works Cited

Barlow Judith E ONeills Female Characters The Cambridge Companion to Eugene ONeill

Ed Michael Manheim Cambridge Cambridge UP 1998 164-77 Print

Black Stephen A Celebrant of Loss Eugene ONeill 1888-1953 The Cambridge Companion

to Eugene ONeill Ed Michael Manheim Cambridge Cambridge UP 1998 4-17

Print

Bogard Travis and Jackson R Bryer Selected Letters of Eugene ONeill First ed New Haven

Yale UP 1988 Print

Boulton Agnes Part of a Long Story Garden City Doubleday 1958 Print

Chothia Jean Trying to Write the Family Play Autobiography and the Dramatic

Imagination The Cambridge Companion to Eugene ONeill Ed Michael Manheim

Cambridge Cambridge UP 1998 192-205 Print

Dowling Robert M Eugene ONeill A Life in Four Acts New Haven Yale UP 2014 Print

King William Davies Another Part of a Long Story Michigan U of Michigan 2010 Print

Nelson Doris ONeills Women The Eugene ONeill Newsletter Ed Frederick Wilkins

Np nd Web 23 Nov 2015

ONeill Eugene A Moon for the Misbegotten Project Gutenberg Australia Np Jan 2004

Web 13 Dec 2015

ONeill Eugene Ah Wilderness Project Gutenberg Australia Np May 2013 Web 23 Oct

2015

ONeill Eugene Desire under the Elms Project Gutenberg Australia Np Jan 2004 Web

13 Dec 2015

ONeill Eugene Long Dayacutes Journey into the Night New Haven Yale UP 1955 Print

ONeill Eugene Mourning Becomes Electra Project Gutenberg Australia Np Jan 2004

Web 06 Dec 2015

40

Ranald Margaret Loftus From Trial to Triumph The Early Plays The Cambridge

Companion to Eugene ONeill Ed Michael Manheim Cambridge Cambridge UP 1998

51-68 Print

Shafer Yvonne Eugene ONeill and American Society First ed Valencia Universitat De

Valencia 2011 Print

Sheaffer Louis ONeill Son and Playwright Fourth ed Boston Little Brown 1968 Print

Sinclair Lewis - Nobel Lecture The American Fear of Literature Nobelprizeorg Nobel

Media AB 2014 Web 1 Dec 2015

The Women of OacuteNeill Arena Stage Np nd Web 23 Nov 2015

41

7 Reacutesumeacute

The objective of this thesis is the claim that Eugene OrsquoNeill is an autobiographical

playwright and proving this statement by comparing his real life and plays while searching

for similar aspects by describing his women and family and additionally his life-long

problem of alcoholism seafaring years of his youth and sickness As a tool for such

comparison serves analysis of his dramatic works mainly plays from his sea years and plays

in an autobiographical canon in comparison with life events and also characters who

appeared in the plays as well as in his biography

The thesis is divided into three main parts The first one deals with the three significant

parts of OrsquoNeillrsquos life ndash alcoholism seafaring and sickness of body and mind This part offers

and overview of OrsquoNeillrsquos life and how these aspects evince in his work and plays The key

points of this part are depiction of OrsquoNeillrsquos depression and loneliness together with the

feeling of freedom while on sea

The second part of the thesis focuses on the women of OrsquoNeill This chapter describes

his lovers wives and other affairs who affected OrsquoNeillrsquos life and attempts to find any

connection between the actual women and fictional characters of his plays Not every woman

serves as an inspiration for such a character but all of them help to determine the kind of

relationship OrsquoNeill had with women with one significant aspect being the search for

motherly love This quest begins with OrsquoNeillrsquos mother morphine addict who did not serve

as a good mother example and who was probably not capable of expressing her love to her

son

The link connecting chapters 2 and 3 is OrsquoNeillrsquos above mentioned mother What is

only indicated in chapter 2 is fully elaborated in chapter 3 This chapter also deals with other

members of OrsquoNeillrsquos family ndash his father and two brothers In this part I describe these

members and compare them with their alter egos in OrsquoNeillrsquos plays

42

8 Reacutesumeacute

Ciacutelem teacuteto bakalaacuteřskeacute praacutece je potvrdit vyacuterok že je Eugene OrsquoNeill autobiografickyacute

dramatik což bude provedeno komparaciacute jeho skutečneacuteho života s divadelniacutemi hrami ktereacute

napsal Budou představeny jeho ženy a rodina roky ktereacute straacutevil na moři v době sveacuteho mlaacutediacute

a jeho nemoc ale takeacute jeho celoživotniacute probleacutem kteryacutem byl alkoholismus to vše za uacutečelem

najiacutet podobneacute prvky i v jeho literaacuterniacutem diacutele

Naacutestrojem k porovnaacuteniacute bude analyacuteza jeho dramatickyacutech her předevšiacutem her v jeho

autobiografickeacutem kaacutenonu v komparaci s udaacutelostmi v jeho životě a s postavami ktereacute se

objevujiacute jak v jeho hraacutech tak i v jeho biografii

V souladu s uvedenyacutemi ciacuteli je praacutece rozdělena do třech stěžejniacutech kapitol Prvniacute čaacutest se

zabyacutevaacute třemi vyacuteznamnyacutemi aspekty OrsquoNeillova života ndash alkoholismem plavbou po moři a

onemocněniacutem duše i těla V teacuteto čaacutesti je uvedeno jak se tyto skutečnosti promiacutetajiacute do jeho

praacutece a her Důležityacutem bodem je zobrazeniacute OrsquoNeillovy deprese a osamělosti spolu s pocitem

svobody v době kterou straacutevil na moři

Druhaacute čaacutest bakalaacuteřskeacute praacutece je zaměřena na OrsquoNeillovy ženy Tato kapitola představuje

jeho milenky manželky a dalšiacute vztahy ktereacute ovlivnily jeho život zaacuteroveň se snažiacute najiacutet

spojitost mezi těmito ženami a fiktivniacutemi postavami z jeho her Inspiraciacute pro jeho postavy

nebyly všechny ženy ale každaacute z nich pomaacutehala definovat typ vztahů ktereacute OrsquoNeill udržoval

Nejvyacuteznamnějšiacutem prvkem je nepochybně jeho hledaacuteniacute mateřskeacute laacutesky Jeho matka nebyla

přiacutekladem spraacutevneacute matky byla zaacutevislaacute na morfiu a sveacutemu synovi nedokaacutezala projevit svou

mateřskou laacutesku A praacutevě matka je tou kteraacute spojuje kapitoly 2 a 3 Vše co je pouze

naznačeneacute v kapitole 2 je naacutesledně plně rozvedeneacute v kapitole naacutesledujiacuteciacute kteraacute rovněž

pojednaacutevaacute o dalšiacutech členech OrsquoNeillovy rodiny ndash o jeho otci a dvou bratrech Tato čaacutest

poskytuje popis těchto postav s jejich alter egy v OrsquoNeillovyacutech autobiografickyacutech hraacutech

2

I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently

using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Authorrsquos signature

3

Acknowledgment




4

Table of Contents









5

1 Introduction

























6













Exorcism













play

7






8



-Eugene OrsquoNeill






















9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























3

Acknowledgment




4

Table of Contents









5

1 Introduction

























6













Exorcism













play

7






8



-Eugene OrsquoNeill






















9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























4

Table of Contents









5

1 Introduction

























6













Exorcism













play

7






8



-Eugene OrsquoNeill






















9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























5

1 Introduction

























6













Exorcism













play

7






8



-Eugene OrsquoNeill






















9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























6













Exorcism













play

7






8



-Eugene OrsquoNeill






















9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























7






8



-Eugene OrsquoNeill






















9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























8



-Eugene OrsquoNeill






















9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























9











story














10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























10





















reality of drinking


6 wwweoneillcom

7 wwweoneillcom


11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























11



























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























12
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























13













14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























14

























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























15



























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























16













In my eyes

Burning unshed


In my mouth

Ashes of orchids


In my brain


And Columbine also






17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























17

























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























18























in the town



19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























19





















Dantersquos






20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























20


























17 wwwarenastageorg

21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























21














Dark eyes

you stir my soul

Ineffably

You scatter

All my peace

Dark eyes



Blue eyes

You stir my soul

Ineffably


22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























22


Blue eyes

What shall I do

I dream


Where horizons meet


Blue eyes

The sky is blue




Why













Dodge (141)

23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























23














170)











24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























24



























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























25






322)





















26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























26





















play to



and blood


27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























27





Tyrones



Gene

Tao House

July 22 194125











28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























28












Tyrone














29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























29


























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























30



























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























31



drunk or dead























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























32





















room

Her face hardening


hated him



33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























33


him for that33























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























34











(Dowling 32)

















35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























35





























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























36






better than Jamie










37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























37

5 Conclusion























Jenkins

38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























38














39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























39

6 Works Cited





Print


Yale UP 1988 Print










Web 13 Dec 2015


2015


13 Dec 2015



Web 06 Dec 2015

40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























40



51-68 Print


Valencia 2011 Print





41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























41

7 Reacutesumeacute




















son





42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























42

8 Reacutesumeacute
























Eugene O'Neill - IS MUNI

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Transcript of Eugene O'Neill - IS MUNI