The Iceman Cometh

Eugene O'Neill

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delusions and pipe dreams

great depression

tragic portrayal of struggle

saloon setting

complex character dynamics

introspection and self questioning

mixture of comedy and pathos

philosophical reflection on life

hopelessness and disillusionment

slow pacing for character development

impact of dreams on reality

The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neill is a tragic and beautiful portrayal of a group of struggling men who gather at a local saloon full of big dreams but lacking in action. The play revolves around a salesman named Hickey who forces the individuals to reevaluate their lives, leading to introspection and questioning of their aspirations. Set in the early 20th century New York City, the characters' delusions and pipe dreams are explored in a comical, pathetic, and sympathetic manner. O'Neill's writing captures the hopelessness and disillusionment prevalent during the Great Depression, providing a poignant reflection on the crumbling American dream.

Characters:

The characters are complex individuals facing their own failures and dreams, with Hickey serving as a catalyst for their introspection.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by a mixture of comedy and pathos, effectively capturing the characters' delusions and the harsh realities of their lives.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around the lives of alcoholics and their delusions, particularly as they await the arrival of Hickey, who challenges them to confront their lives.

Setting:

The setting is a saloon in New York City, embodying the atmosphere of despair and broken dreams of the time.

Pacing:

The play has a slow pacing that necessitates patience, particularly in the early portions where character dynamics are established.

Notes:

The Iceman Cometh explores themes of addiction and delusions.

Eugene O'Neill wrote the play during the Great Depression, reflecting a time of disillusionment in America.

The play is set in a saloon in early 20th century New York City, touching on the lives of down-and-out characters.

Hickey, a central character, represents the challenge to face reality and abandon pipe dreams.

The play is described as dark, depressing, yet powerful and thought-provoking.

It gained recognition over time and is now considered one of the greatest American plays.

O'Neill was the first American playwright to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The Iceman Cometh has a long run of performances and continues to be influential in American theater.

Characters speak in accents that reflect their backgrounds, adding to the play's realism.

The saloon in the play is based on a real place called Jimmy the Priest's in the East Village.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings are high due to themes of addiction, depression, existential despair, and the portrayal of alcoholism, which may be distressing to some readers.

From The Publisher:

"Spellbinding-soaring theater-. For reasons that remain mysterious, it seems especially moving today."-The New York Times

Eugene O'Neill mined the tragedies of his own life for this depiction of a seedy, skid row saloon in 1912, peopled by society's failures: worn-out anarchists, failed con artists, drifters, whores, pimps, and informers. The pipe-dreaming drunks of Harry Hope's bar numb themselves with rotgut gin and make grandiose plans, while waiting for the annual appearance of the big-spending, fast-talking salesman, Hickey. But this year's visit fails to bring the expected good times, as a changed Hickey tries to rouse the barflies from their soothing stupor with a proselytizing message of salvation through self-knowledge.

Considered by many to be the Nobel Prize-winning playwright's finest work, The Iceman Cometh exposes the human need for illusion as an antidote to despair. The recent gripping, critically acclaimed Broadway production, starring Kevin Spacey, has highlighted anew the subversive genius of O'Neill's play.

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About the Author:

Eugene O'Neill (1888-1953) is one of the most significant forces in the history of American theater. With no uniquely American tradition to guide him, O'Neill introduced various dramatic techniques, which subsequently became staples of the US theater. By 1914 he had written…

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