Long Day's Journey into Night -- by Eugene O'Neill (1957)

Description
Eugene O'Neill penned this semi-autobiographical play in 1940, but it was not produced until 1956 after his death. The show initially was performed in Sweden, where his work flourished; the play quickly traveled to NYC to gain its popularity. O'Neill is best know for this play in particular as it has solidified its place in the canon.

Characters:
James Tyrone (the husband and father)
Mary Cavan Tyrone (the wife and mother)
James Tyrone, Jr. (the older son often referred to as Jamie)
Edmund Tyrone (the younger son)
Cathleen (girl who helps the Tyrones)

The show is split into 4 acts. The most recent Broadway revival of the show lasted 4 hours!! I am no mathematician, but that means each act was, on average, an hour long . . .

The setting is the Tyrone family's house in August of 1912. I use the term "house" because there is an ongoing debate in the play regarding the place not being a true "home." All members of the Tyrone family struggle to face what life has brought them. Mary is a nervous mess whose hands signify her life's ruthlessness. After one of her children died, she had another son, Edmund. Due to her rheumatism, the doctor suggested morphine. Her development of an addiction both separates and traps her with the present. Edmund has a case of "consumption," a disease otherwise known as Tuberculosis. Edmund and Mary complement each other with their nervousness and their desire to not effect each other--an impossible task.

James views his family with both deep compassion and bitterness. He appears to think little of his children. He is devout to his wife, but his happiness has been challenged for decades. Not only does the health of his family beleaguer him, but his abandoned dreams haunt him, too. Near the end of the play, James reveals to Edmund how his worldview has been shaped. It is a moment of paternal vulnerability. A flaw of James, according to his entire family, is his cheapness.

Jamie constantly annoys James and troubles Edmund. Jamie's relationship with Edmund is curious, but Edmund declares at the end of the play how he has decided to relate to Edmund his entire life.

The play takes place over the course of one day in the Tyrone household. It starts at 8:30 and ends at midnight.  

Candid Reaction

• The epigraph is illuminating! Epigraphs are intimate secret-keepers. O'Neill's dedication to his wife allows the reader to approach the work with sensitivity. His diction includes "Dearest," "written in tears and blood," "tribute," "haunted," and "love." These words reveal his passion, pain, and close psychological distance to the piece. Read the epigraph here.  
• Wow, three whole pages of stage directions at the start? Seems a little much. However, I feel like I already know the characters. If I were an actor, I would feel like O'Neill has just given me tons of gems. 
• The fog is an apparent symbol in this story
• Both parents are so self-conscious, but they react in such different ways!
• Man, James can get heated QUICK
• Accusations and fears of lies and suspicion fuel the drama
• James sarcastically encourages Jamie, "Yes, forget! Forget everything and face nothing! It's a convenient philosophy if you've no ambition in life except to--" (21). His commands pinpoint their problematic familial philosophy. This line stood out when reading.  
• "James! We've loved each other! We always will! Let's remember only that, and not try to understand what we cannot understand, or help things that cannot be helped-- the things life has done to us we cannot excuse or explain" (85), coaxes Mary. Her attempt to let bygones be bygones is quite confusing as she so often has her past demons haunt her. 
• Mary refuses to forget the past: "Why? How can I? The past is the present, isn't it? It's the future, too. We all try to lie out of that but life won't let us" (87). Context is crucial here: she is high on morphine. Her commentary is still worth pontificating, though. 
• That poor drugstore clerk. 
• SO MUCH SYMBOLISM. Wedding dresses, lightbulbs, fog, stairs. The way the setting is described kinda reminded me of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. 
• SO MANY ALLUSIONS. I was wondering why O'Neill was so specific about the bookshelves from the start. The male characters all end up quoting classic works in the final scene. It's a little excessive and impressive that they would be able to recite all of that while drunk . . .
• So it's one of those endings, all ambiguous and stuff . . .  
• It is no wonder Jessica Lange won for the role of Mary. She'd be a perfect fit. Watch some clips of her in the role here.  

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning
1. The Symbolism
The show does not dwell on the symbols involved. The fog provides both atmospheric aesthetic and cognitive clues. All of the characters are in a fog, literally and metaphorically. Light, or reality, pierces through fog, and the cold and dark increase the fog.

The wedding gown reminds me of when Amanda Wingfield changes her clothes in The Glass Menagerie.

There are several other symbols and motifs O'Neill employs, but I won't list them all.

2. Narrative Structure
The show is Seinfeld-esque in that the plot is . . . nonexistent . . . However, the narrative structuring is seamlessly innovative. With each act occurring at a later time of the day, the reader or audience member gets to feel the emotional toll of a "typical day." Additionally, the characterization is executed on a more intricate scale. It is easy to develop a character by flashbacks or cutting 10 years to the future to see how the character changed. In this play, there are memories voiced, but the characters are fleshed out by viewing their behavior over the course of a limited amount of time.

(I cannot help but wonder, too, if the award was given partially due to its personal nature to the renowned, deceased playwright.)

Classroom ImplicationsI think this play would be a model text for 11th or 12th grade students. If I had students doing an author study, I would absolutely include this title on the list.

If I were to teach this text, I would specifically focus on the symbolism and character development. Each Tyrone family member is developed wonderfully. It could be interesting to split the room into groups where each group would focus on a different character's development.

Personal Takeaway
Setting reveals character as much as dialogue does.

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 9.25
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points	Devices somewhat enhance story	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters (2)	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity (1.75)	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping! (1.75)	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation (2)	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically (1.75)