Beyond the Horizon -- by Eugene O'Neill (1920)

Description

Eugene O'Neill's first full-length play serves as a wonderful entree to his magnum opus Long Day's Journey into Night. The two plays share much in common: fraternal spats, maternal heartache, and paternal pain. Quite frankly, I am amazed that this play has never seen a revival on Broadway. Sure, its plot is simple, but its emotional weight is grand.

Set in an American farmland, the play spans eight years, which proves to be enough time for a full familial fallout to occur. I will spoil the plot, but not the ending.

The play centers on the Mayo family. Brothers Andrew and Robert are opposites. Andrew is the farmer who plans to carry on the family name; Robert is the bookish dreamer who plans to explore what is beyond the horizon. Act One reveals that Robert is in love with Ruth Atkins, who he believes is in love with Andrew. She's not. When the two realize their mutual love, Robert decides to call off his sailing expedition with his uncle Dick Scott. Andrew's parents, James and Kate, are relieved. However, Andrew is livid and decides to take Robert's spot on the boat. The parents plunge back into despair.

Acts Two and Three chronicle the decay of the farm and family. Robert fails at farming, for he has no experience. James dies shortly after Andrew's departure. Ruth and Robert discover their incompatibility after they have a child together (who, SPOILER, dies at a young age). Ruth and Robert struggle to communicate truthfully without wounding each other. It is apparent that their lives have not become what they had desired. The same is said for Andrew, but he pursues more business ventures after his initial sailing visit. Robert and Ruth experience abandonment and jealousy with Andrew, but he, for the most part, is none-the-wiser.

Act Three allows for Andrew to recognize the plummet his family has experienced. Ruth has undergone an extreme emotional transformation, and Robert has caught a terrible sickness. The final scene is as cinematic as a reader could envision.


The Irish Repertory Theater produced the show in 2012. Here is a magnificent description of the play and O'Neill's influence on American theater.

Candid Reactions

• These brothers are clear-cut foils.
• Eugene O'Neill quickly makes the audience aware that diction matters. The correction from "dirt" to "earth" (202) not only develops the character of the brothers, but also activates the ears of the audience. 
• How poetic for Robert to say he is "in quest of the secret which is hidden over there -- beyond the horizon" (206). Cue music swell. 
• Robert is a romantic. He envisions traveling with the road to "find the sea together" (211). 
• HA! He did not just call her "little Miss Common Sense" (215).
• I like that O'Neill says that characters are "discovered" in the scenery. He does this several times. 
• James Mayo asserts, "You can't order the tides on the seas to suit you" (227). O'Neill's poetry is delectable. He uses an appropriate metaphor here, for sailing is an integral part of the show/conversation. 
• O'Neill can create onstage images that are simple, haunting, and effective. The two brothers navigating around their house in the darkness is terribly foreshadowing and builds an important theme. 
• I know I am gushing at this point, but O'Neill masterfully creates atmospheres and environments in considering how the setting will inform the lives of the characters and perceptions from the audience. 
• Great idea for Mrs. Mayo to not have touched the yarn. It shows her block. 
• How did they make it look like a two-year old was in the house? He gave the two-year old lines . . . What?
• Some of Ruth and Rob's relationship reminds me of George and Dot in Sunday in the Park with George. 
• Ruth accidentally blurts, "I'd have killed myself before I'd have married you" (257). Harsh much? Rob doesn't hold back by calling her a "slut" (258). THIS PLAY WAS WRITTEN IN 1920!
• Wait, what is happening . . . 
• Oh, no. Andrew, shut up. You don't know what you're doing!
• Why do numerous female characters in O'Neill's plays fare so poorly with age?
• The characters all face the truth near the end of the how and consider the appropriateness of lying. 
• Ah, yes. The sun also rises. 
• That final scene is darn-near perfect. 

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning

1. Poetry

The play is poetic in the most unobtrusive way. The poetry is so subtle, the audience may not be aware of it, but will certainly feel its emotional tugging. The dialogue and scenery work together seamlessly to deliver a tale that is heartbreaking.

2. Humanity

O'Neill focuses on the motivations of humans in this play. Good intentions don't always yield positive results, and this show exemplifies that notion. O'Neill helps the audience identify with each character in the show. He helps the audience analyze how miscommunication can damage relationships and that people might not always see the truth as liberating.

Classroom Implications

I think this play would be splendid for students to use as an author study. It could be used to discuss foils and setting. Any scene would prove worthy of character analysis. It could be fun to read this and Long Day's Journey into Night to do some comparative analysis.

Personal Takeaway

Plots do not have to be convoluted for a play to be engaging.

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 8.75
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 (1.5)
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 (1.75)	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically