The two plays Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams can be seen as two of the most successful and respected plays of American Modernism.
Besides other similarities, both plays deal, more or less obviously with the consumption of alcohol and - in case of Mary Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey into Night - drugs.
This paper’s matter is to find out what function drinking or the consumption of other drugs have for the characters of the two plays. This question could also be interesting looking at the authors: O’Neill’s play has very many parallels to his own life and also Williams admitted that he is to be found in the character of Blanche DuBois to a certain extend.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Importance of Drugs for the Individual Family Members in O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night
2.1 Tyrone
2.2 Jamie
2.3 Edmund
2.4 Mary
2.5 Cathleen
3. The Function of Alcohol for the Two Main Protagonists in Williams‘ A Streetcar Named Desire
3.1 Stanley Kowalski
3.2 Blanche DuBois
4. Comparison of the Function of Drugs in both Plays: Similarities and Differences
5. Conclusion
Research Objective and Key Themes
This paper examines the psychological and functional roles of alcohol and drug consumption within the characters of Eugene O’Neill’s "Long Day’s Journey into Night" and Tennessee Williams’ "A Streetcar Named Desire," exploring how these substances serve as mechanisms for coping, escapism, or social interaction.
- The role of addiction as a symptom of psychological distress and family conflict.
- Social functions of alcohol as a means of group identity and hierarchy negotiation.
- The use of substances as escapism to foster "oblivion" and return to an idealized past.
- Contrasting coping mechanisms between the Tyrone family and Williams’ protagonists.
- Gendered perceptions and societal responses to addiction in the mid-20th-century American drama context.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Tyrone
James Tyrone used to be a very famous actor who was often touring through the country. Out of Mary’s memories one learns that Tyrone always used to drink: “Always a bottle on the bureau in the cheap hotel rooms!” (LDJ, 122). It is evident that with Tyrone, drinking had at the time of his young actor life, when he was just married to Mary, a social function. He used to go out with his “barroom friends” (LDJ, 124) as Mary calls them and to return to drunk to find his way to the “ugly hotel rooms” (LDJ, 125) by himself.
Now, in his older days, Tyrone usually has a drink before lunch as an appetizer: “It’s before a meal and I’ve always found that good whiskey, taken in moderation as an appetizer, is the best of tonics.” (LDJ, 72). But he also uses to drink when he “hobnob[s] with men at the Club or in a barroom” (LDJ, 51). At the end of the play, Tyrone is drunk (“He is drunk and shows it by the owlish, deliberate manner in which he peers at each card to make certain of its identity” LDJ, 137) and from Mary’s remark it becomes obvious that this is probably quite likely to happen oft: “I know what to expect. You will be drunk tonight. Well it won’t be the first time, will it - or the thousandth?” (LDJ, 76).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the scope of the comparative analysis, identifying the focus on alcohol and drug consumption in the selected plays and the theoretical framework provided by psychological literature.
2. The Importance of Drugs for the Individual Family Members in O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night: An individual character study of the Tyrone family members, exploring how each person uses addictive substances as a means to navigate personal trauma and family dynamics.
3. The Function of Alcohol for the Two Main Protagonists in Williams‘ A Streetcar Named Desire: This section analyzes how Stanley and Blanche employ alcohol for vastly different purposes—social camaraderie versus individual, secretive escapism.
4. Comparison of the Function of Drugs in both Plays: Similarities and Differences: A synthesis of the findings, highlighting how the two plays treat addiction as a symptom of deeper psychological issues rather than merely a behavioral vice.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the core thesis, concluding that across both works, the primary function of drug and alcohol consumption is the pursuit of oblivion.
Keywords
American Modernism, Long Day’s Journey into Night, A Streetcar Named Desire, addiction, alcohol, morphine, escapism, psychological distress, family dynamics, oblivion, Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, comparative literature, substance abuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the functions that alcohol and drug consumption serve for the primary characters in Eugene O’Neill’s "Long Day’s Journey into Night" and Tennessee Williams’ "A Streetcar Named Desire."
What are the primary thematic areas covered in the analysis?
The study covers the psychological drivers of addiction, the social role of drinking in group settings, the use of substances for escapism, and the perception of addiction within familial structures.
What is the central research question?
The work seeks to determine what specific functions drinking or drug use fulfill for the characters, and how these behaviors reflect their internal psychological states and responses to their environment.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis supported by psychological background research, specifically referencing Silvia Berke’s "Familienproblem Alkohol" and critical essays on the respective playwrights.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body systematically analyzes each character in O’Neill’s play and focuses on Stanley Kowalski and Blanche DuBois from Williams’ play, identifying their drinking habits and the intended function of those habits.
Which keywords define the scope of this paper?
Key terms include American Modernism, addiction, substance abuse, psychological coping mechanisms, and specific character analyses from the plays of O’Neill and Williams.
How does the author distinguish between the drinking habits of Stanley and Blanche?
The paper characterizes Stanley as an open, social drinker who seeks group identity, whereas Blanche is described as a secretive drinker who uses alcohol to calm herself and maintain a fragile fantasy world.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the "purpose" of these addictions?
The author concludes that despite the varying reasons for initial consumption, the ultimate goal for all featured characters is to achieve a state of "oblivion" to escape the pressures of their reality.
- Quote paper
- Nadine Esser (Author), 2007, The function of drugs in Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey into Night" and Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/82471
