A Long Day's Journey Into Night

In Long Day's Journey Into Night, Eugene O'Neill tells the story of a dysfunctional family that perseveres through disappointment and lack of achievement. Through the conflicts and events that occur during the play, he pieces together a creative self-portrait. This picture becomes clear by observing the traits O'Neill presents each character with, and the background information that they each possess. Even the setting of the story plays a role in O'Neill's attempt at an autobiography. Janet Witalec describes a creative autobiography as "A rich self-portrait of the artist, allowing us to experience the older self returning in time to re-enact and meditate upon the discovery by his younger self of his life's work." Long Day's Journey Into Night enables Eugene O'Neill to describe himself, and his painful past experiences, by crafting an intricate tale of people with similar personalities.

One of O'Neill's main vehicles appears as the similarities between all of the Tyrone family members. Out of all of the play's characters, Edmund is most directly modeled after O'Neill himself. Edmund exists as the youngest of the Tyrones, and deals with his older brother Jamie and father James. Edmund also suffers from tuberculosis, whcih O'Neill also dealt with as a child. The relationship Edmund has with James is a direct portrayal of Eugene O'Neill's relationship with his own miserly father. There is also a lot of resemblance in all three men in the family. They display similar temper-related outbursts, and all three have an infatuation with alcohol abuse. O'Neill cultivates the character traits of each person, and, by giving them similar qualities, shows that they are a description of him and his own past life.

The setting of the story also presents fairly detailed insight into O'Neill's past. Both the time and place of the play serve to enhance the idea that Long Day's Journey Into Night is a creative autobiography. The play is set in August of 1912, which happens to be the same year that O'Neill left home to become a writer, and recover from tuberculosis. The play also coincidentally takes place during one day. Beginning at day break and ending at dusk, the format of the time in Long Day's Journey Into Night parallels the format of a person's life. O'Neill sets the past as a main theme in the story, and by causing the characters to dwell on past events, he is doing the same thing himself. O'Neill intertwines many different devices and effects into the fabric of the story, all of which contribute to the retelling of his past life.

The characters, setting, and style of Long Day's Journey Into Night all play key roles in Eugene O'Neill's efforts to mold a look into his personal life. By incorporating his own experiences into the play, O'Neill gives a realistic feel to the events in the story, and provides enhancing detail to the progression, or lack of progression, of character development. This twist helps Long Day's Journey Into Night set itself apart from other plays, and makes it one of the most distinguishable works in Eugene O'Neill's extensive catalogue.

Mann, Bruce J. "O'Neill's 'Presence' in Long Day's Journey into Night." Theatre Annual. 43.(1988) 15-30. Rpt. in Drama Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 20. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 15-30. Literature Resource Center. Gale. LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM. 21 Sept. 2008

Feet

Look at my feet, please
A glimpse, then understanding grows
Awe replaces repulsion
Pure majesty lies within

Decades, centuries, generations
Both the creator and the creation
So accepted in everyday use,
Yet so unappreciated

Your gaze becomes more fixed
Now almost a gawk, you start to wonder
How long have you been eluded?
Where does mystery end, and truth begin?

Now engulfed in wonder,
The day becomes abbreviated
Priorities lose value
Why are you staring?