The Iceman Cometh (published in 1940) and Long Day’s Journey into Night (published in 1956 after O’Neill’s death) are widely recognized to be two of Eugene O’Neill’s best plays. Both belong to his late plays and apart from that bear a lot of similarities. The focus of this paper will be to analyze The Iceman Cometh and Long Day’s Journey into Night with special regard to the importance of illusion and reality for both the characters and the progress of the play. Furthermore a comparison will be made between Hickey in The Iceman Cometh and Mary Cavan Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey into Night in order to show that they have similar functions in their respective plays. Finally a conclusion will be given which will sum up the argumentation.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Illusion and Reality in Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh and Long Day's Journey into Night
- Plot summaries
- The Iceman Cometh
- Long Day's Journey into Night
- Illusion and Reality in The Iceman Cometh
- Illusion and Reality in Long Day's Journey into Night
- Hickey in The Iceman Cometh and Mary Cavan Tyrone in Long Day's Journey into Night - a comparison
- Plot summaries
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the significance of illusion and reality in two of Eugene O'Neill's most acclaimed plays, "The Iceman Cometh" and "Long Day's Journey into Night." The analysis explores how these concepts affect both the characters and the progression of the plays. Additionally, a comparative analysis of Hickey in "The Iceman Cometh" and Mary Cavan Tyrone in "Long Day's Journey into Night" will be conducted to highlight their parallel roles within their respective plays. Finally, a concluding statement will summarize the arguments presented.
- The role of illusion and reality in shaping character development and plot progression in O'Neill's plays
- The concept of "pipe dreams" as a coping mechanism and its impact on the characters
- The relationship between addiction and the pursuit of illusion and reality in the plays
- The dysfunctional family dynamics and the struggle for truth in both plays
- A comparative analysis of the characters of Hickey and Mary Cavan Tyrone
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper begins with a brief introduction outlining the focus and methodology of the analysis. It then delves into plot summaries of both "The Iceman Cometh" and "Long Day's Journey into Night," providing a foundational understanding of the narratives. The analysis moves on to explore the themes of illusion and reality in each play, highlighting how characters rely on pipe dreams to cope with their existential anxieties. The paper then delves deeper into the analysis of these themes, with particular focus on how these characters grapple with the nature of truth and their own realities. A comparison between Hickey and Mary Cavan Tyrone is undertaken, highlighting their roles in their respective plays.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts explored in this paper include illusion, reality, pipe dreams, addiction, dysfunctional families, truth, self-deception, existentialism, Eugene O'Neill, The Iceman Cometh, Long Day's Journey into Night, Hickey, Mary Cavan Tyrone.
- Quote paper
- B.A. Dennis Alexander Goebels (Author), 2010, Illusion and Reality in Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh" and "Long Day's Journey into Night", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/150538
