Long Day's Journey into Night

by Eugene O'Neill

Paperback, 2002

Status

Available

Call number

812.52

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

Your library

Publication

Yale University Press (2002), Edition: 2nd, Paperback, 192 pages

Description

Author Eugene O'Neill gives an autobiographical account of his explosive homelife. Fused by a drug-addicted mother, a father who wallows in drink after realizing he is no longer a famous actor, and an older brother who is emotionally unstable and misfit, the family is reflected by their youngest son, who at 23 is a sensitive and aspiring writer.

User reviews

LibraryThing member cmbohn

The Tyrones - mother, father, and two sons - spend a day more or less together in the country. Within the course of that day, we see all sorts of nasty little secrets that were only suggested in the first act.

This is the first O'Neill play I have read, and I have to say that I found it excellent.

Not much fun, but really well done. The theme, to me, was that of excuses, excuses. The entire family has someone - someone else, that is - to blame for being the way they are. Mary blames her husband, her dead son, Edmund, life in general, not having her own house, her circumstances. Tyrone senior blames his difficult childhood, his lost chances. Both sons blame their parents. But in the end, every character admits the truth of why they are the way they are.

Every character except Mary. Despite many chances to admit the truth - she is a drug addict - she denies to the very end. And it is the difference between the men in the play, with their ultimate honesty, and Mary's self-deception that makes me angry with her and feel empathy for the others.

There is a chance, a small one, but still a chance, that Edmund will get well, that Tyrone will stop drinking, that Jamie will branch out on his own. But Mary is stuck where she is, dreaming and lying through her life.

Like I said, this wasn't exactly a fun play, but it was extremely realistic. Very well done and highly recommended.

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LibraryThing member Carolfoasia

This is an amazing play and is an excellent example of the era of realism in American drama. I highly recommend the TV biography of Eugene O'Neill put out by PBS American Exerience. It gives the backstory to the play.

LibraryThing member GingerbreadMan

There’s of course no denying that this is a play with a massive impact on modern theatre, and that’s it’s very well crafted. But to me, reading it for, I think, the third or fourth time, it’s very nature as a portal work is also what stands in my way a bit. There are so many plays inspired

by this one, not least in my native Sweden, where a number of classic stagings at the Royal Dramatic back in the day kind of created a course for the whole theatre climate. Psychological realism is (sadly) to this day dominant on our stages, and several of our biggest writers claim O’Neill as a big influence.

Which means I’ve seen and read more than my fair share of middle-class quartets falling to pieces as family secrets are revealed and turned into weapons. And much as I enjoy the elegance of O’Neills exposition and ability to give just enough information, and despite several moving moments, I can’t help but thinking “Oh, dad’s a drunk and mum’s a looney. How novel”. The legacy sitting heavily on the original, sadly.

So Eugene, it’s not you, it’s me. Let’s be friends anyway?

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LibraryThing member whitewavedarling

Maybe the most intimate and autobiographical of O'Neill's plays, his mastery is as clear here as it is in his other work. In the space of a summer home and with a single family as not only the focus, but the only cast (aside from one servant), this work is both powerful and heartwrenching.

Tinged

with both poetry and humor, this journey is worth reading for any mature reader. As always, O'Neill's style also makes his plays easier to read than many other dramas--this one, especially, since the cast is so small. Absolutely recommended.

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LibraryThing member Emma_Manolis

Wow, what a depressing and dull read. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to actually sit there and watch this on a stage. I appreciate the style O'Neill brought with him when it came to details. That was really unusual and interesting. However, none of the characters were even somewhat

likable and the story was so depressing. After reading this I am much more grateful for my family. We have our problems but nothing like this. I think it is worthwhile to take a look at this play because O'Neill's style is so different, but don't be surprised if you hate it.

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LibraryThing member rampaginglibrarian

you'll never think of a "summer cold" in quite the same way again

LibraryThing member Cecilturtle

This is a difficult long play to read, but once the character start to fill out, it gets you hooked.

LibraryThing member 391

I really like the structure of this play - how the story unfolds in the tiniest bits and pieces, edging along so that you never quite know what's entirely going on until the end of the play. Mary's addiction was heartbreaking, as were her confessions about what she felt drove her to them, and each

of the other character's stories really broke my heart. It felt like they all hated the decisions they had made in the past, but couldn't repent them or change their direction - Tyrone would always be a tightwad, James wouldn't change his self-destructive nature, Edmund couldn't do anything for himself and didn't even try to.

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LibraryThing member leslie.98

Amazing if depressing play about a dysfunctional family in the early part of the 20th century (to be exact, August 1912). Unlike some of the other O'Neill plays I have read, this one has extensive stage directions which are critical if you have never seen a performance. I have seen the film with

Jason Robards and Katherine Hepburn years ago -- as I read, I could recall certain scenes vividly!

While nothing much actually happens during this play, the family is slowly laid bare. The weaknesses of each member is revealed during the course of the day (the play takes place on a single day) as well as the tangled combination of love, hate, anger and sorrow that each feels for the others. Despite its setting, there nothing dated about this play -- this could be a family struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism today.

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LibraryThing member Zumbanista

An intense and heartbreaking iconic 20th Century American play that reads like a novel when taken with the meticulous stage directions. Autobiographical in nature, and meant to be released after the author's death, Long Day's Journey into Night shines a searing spotlight on addiction within a

family of misfits. Dysfunctional doesn't start to describe these alternately repressed and emotionally brutal group. Grim, depressing, honest and brilliant.

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LibraryThing member tgamble54

Multi-media version

LibraryThing member deckla

One of my favorite plays of all time. Saw the production with Jason Robards, and also saw Olivier play Tyrone. The monologues and dialogue between the brothers and Tyrone--a marvel.

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