Dramatic, bi-polar Irish family overreacts to everything. It's a sight to behold as this unique family goes about their daily lives. Every situation seems to be blown out of proportion, with emotions running high and tempers flaring. Whether it's a minor argument or a simple decision, they manage to turn it into a full-blown drama. The bi-polar nature of the family only adds to the chaos, with moods swinging from extreme highs to devastating lows in the blink of an eye. It's no wonder that those around them are constantly on edge, never knowing what to expect. But despite all the drama and overreactions, there is a certain charm and warmth to this Irish family. They may be a bit crazy, but they are also full of love and life. Tune in at 11 to find out more about this fascinating family.

Interesting read. This is my first encounter with O'Neill's work. The story presents an unhappy family that finds itself reliving, through intoxicated conversations, all the highs, lows, lies, and fantasies that they seem to believe have brought them to their current morbid state. There is a lot of blaming going on. The mother is blamed, as is the father. The sons are also held accountable. Society, drugs, death, loneliness, and want are all blamed. It is extremely hard to realize the emotionally charged and psychologically complex nature of the story, especially when considering the directions given to the actors. The dialogue is realistic, which adds to the authenticity of the narrative. However, the play is very long. Overall, I would rate it 3.5 stars, which I have rounded up to 4.

[O'Neill] is the elegist of the Freudian 'family romance,' of the domestic tragedy that plagues our lives on a daily basis, chipping away at us little by little.

The powerlessness of family love to uphold, let alone mend, the fractures of marriage, parenthood, and sonship has never been depicted with such unrelenting and pathological precision. The forceful gestures within the play are too excruciating to be erased from our memories.

— Harold Bloom, from the forward of Long Day's Journey Into Night.

I wholeheartedly concur with Harold.

“The thing is, if you get very depressed about something, it's hard as hell to swallow.”

― Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye

Holden encapsulates the experience of delving into this play.

\\"I'm going on the theory that the United States, instead of being the most triumphant country in the world, is the greatest fiasco. It was bestowed with everything, more than any other nation. By advancing at such a breakneck pace, it has failed to establish any genuine roots. Its central tenet is that perpetual game of attempting to possess one's own soul through the acquisition of something external, thereby forfeiting both one's own soul and the external thing as well.\\"

— Eugene O'Neill in a 1946 interview with James Agee

This quote will serve as an interpretive lens for me when I inevitably return to reread the play.

What is it that I was looking for?

I know it's something that I lost. Something that I miss terribly. It can't be altogether lost. Something that I need so very much.

I remember when I had it, I was never lonely or afraid. I simply can't have lost it forever. I would die if I thought that way. Because then there'd be no hope at all.

That was in the winter of my senior year.

Then in the spring, something happened to me. Yes, I remember clearly. I fell in love with James Tyrone and was so happy for a certain period of time.

It was as if a bright light had suddenly shone into my life,驱散了 the darkness and the loneliness that had been plaguing me.

But now, as I look back, I wonder if that love was also a part of what I had lost, or perhaps it was a new beginning, a chance to find something even more precious.

I'm still searching, still hoping to find that something that will make my life whole again.

The bitter disturber. As if powerlessness would be, beyond everything, the own of the man. 4.4/5

The bitter disturber seems to lurk just beyond our reach, as if powerlessness is an inherent part of being human. It's like a shadow that follows us, no matter how hard we try to outrun it. We strive for success, for control, but often find ourselves at the mercy of forces beyond our understanding. 4.4/5

This sense of powerlessness can be both frustrating and demoralizing. It makes us question our abilities and our place in the world. But perhaps it is also a reminder that we are not in complete control, and that there are things that are beyond our comprehension. Maybe we should learn to embrace this powerlessness, to find strength in our vulnerability. 4.4/5

In the end, the bitter disturber may always be there, but we can choose how we respond to it. We can either let it consume us or use it as a catalyst for growth and change. 4.4/5

It's truly disheartening to consider that high school kids are compelled to read works like "DEATH OF A SALESMAN" and "THE CRUCIBLE" which are junk, while a remarkable play such as this one is nearly forgotten.

What I cherish the most about this play is that it truly gives the impression of a family's story where there is no glimmer of hope. I am intimately familiar with the situation when one parent is constantly addicted to drugs or alcohol, and the other parent attempts to maintain a false facade, and the kids either act out or simply pretend that nothing is amiss. I grew up in a household precisely like this, and I would sacrifice everything to be able to convey these emotions in words as Eugene O'Neill does in this play. There is nothing depressing about reading it as every word feels genuine, natural, and devoid of any sentimentality.

I would also like to emphasize that the characters in this play are all highly educated, and the father is a杰出的 Shakespearean actor. Therefore, the language they employ is far more emotional, expressive, and even poetic, in contrast to the dull, flat, and lifeless conversations in "DEATH OF A SALESMAN" or the unbearably artificial Puritan dialogue in "THE CRUCIBLE".

Who rigged the system to make Arthur Miller the "official" American playwright? Eugene O'Neill could defeat him hands down.

Completely depressing and beautiful. After reading this play, it becomes abundantly clear why O'Neill elected to have it published posthumously due to its autobiographical nature. O'Neill even used his own name for the baby who passed away at a young age, and this event ultimately served as the catalyst for so much of the family's dysfunction. The rich dialogue and intense relationships draw your emotions right into the Tyrone family and their turmoil.

There was substance abuse among every member of the family. It was fascinating to observe the different levels of tolerance that were expressed. The mother's morphine addiction was accompanied by a great deal of shame, disgrace, and banishment, while the father's alcoholism was regarded as a minor annoyance that was simply part of being a man.

The play is full of dysfunction, addiction, greed, loathing, and cynicism. It leaves you pondering the process of dealing with trials in our lives and what we do with those trials. Despite its dark themes, I truly loved it.

Another one was read for an English Course.

To be honest, I didn't initially understand that this was an autobiographical piece. However, upon further reflection, I can't claim to be astonished. The dialogue presented within it and the essence of the confidence expressed were so ordinary and commonplace that it gave the impression of a conversation that might have taken place in my home perhaps around 50 years ago.

It's quite interesting how such seemingly unremarkable exchanges can hold a certain charm and familiarity. It makes me wonder about the universality of human experiences and how they can be captured in written form.

This reading has definitely provided me with a new perspective and has made me more aware of the power of simple yet authentic conversations.

I look forward to exploring more works like this in the future and delving deeper into the world of literature.

Long Day's Journey into Night - this was my childhood, my life.

This family drama hit home for me like no other. I could relate to it on a deep level. Mostly, I identified with the younger brother, as I am in real life. But at times, I also found myself in the shoes of the older brother, the father, and even the mother. The flaws of these characters were extreme, yet so relatable. They were mostly horrible creatures who hated each other, but also loved each other deeply in their own ways. As a reader, I latched onto those ways and hoped they would triumph and come together as a family.

Over and over in the play, the characters say, "I loved you, in my own way." This simple phrase captures the complexity of their relationships. We often express love in strange and unhealthy ways, and this play shines a light on those common ways. My family wasn't as extreme as the one in the play, but we still had our own complicated relationships. Reading about these characters was healing in many ways. It allowed me to step inside them and relive my own family drama. When I said the things they said, things I never did but wished I could, I felt a sense of relief and healing.

The story is set up like a whodunit murder mystery, with the alcoholics (two brothers and father) pitted against the mother. There are accusations from all sides, and it's up to the reader to decide who to believe. But the story is more than just intriguing. The characters are filled with depth in the way they relate to each other. Right from the beginning, Eugene O'Neill had me hooked with these characters, and as the character development progressed, I was swept away in the pages.

"Journey to the Night" is an absolute classic of 20th-century theater. It tells the story of a broken family, filled with ghosts and zombies who share the same house and, as a result, the same memories and nightmares. Family relationships and generational conflicts thus take on other contours, with various traps and constant surprises.

The play delves deep into the complex emotions and dynamics within the family. The presence of ghosts and zombies adds an element of the supernatural, heightening the tension and mystery. As the story unfolds, we see how the past haunts the present, and how the characters struggle to come to terms with their shared history.

Each character in the play is unique, with their own motives and desires. The relationships between them are fraught with conflict and misunderstanding, yet there are also moments of tenderness and love. The play explores themes such as forgiveness, redemption, and the power of memory. It forces us to confront our own pasts and consider how they shape our present and future.

This is truly kind of brilliant.

The buried resentments within the family are so incredibly tangible, as if they could reach out and touch you. And the family dysfunction is so palpable that it almost fills the air. The play was not only as gripping as it was distressing, but it also had the power to draw you in and make you feel every emotion.

As the appearance of civility slowly unravels, just reading this feels like embarking on a long and arduous journey. You can sense the underlying tensions and the hidden secrets that are gradually being revealed. It's a captivating exploration of the human psyche and the complex dynamics within a family.

The story unfolds in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to discover what will happen next. It makes you question the true nature of family and the lengths we go to in order to maintain an appearance of normalcy.

This play is a powerful reminder that sometimes, beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary lives, there are hidden depths of pain and turmoil waiting to be uncovered.

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.

I'm having an extremely difficult time rating this one. I won't deny that there is a profound power emerging from the rawness and brutal honesty at certain points in this highly autobiographical play by O'Neill. However, at the same time, it's like marvelling at a train wreck.

There is an abundance of dysfunction on display within the dynamics of the Jerome family. Throughout the play, they are constantly at each other's throats. It seems as if they are in a perpetual state of conflict, and while I understand that this is the essence of the drama, it is极其 bleak and depressing given the subject matter. At times, it feels a little too burdensome with so much dirty laundry being aired.

The sins of the past are closely examined for each member of the Jerome household. Since these failings have not been properly addressed and resolved over the years, they continue to haunt and be a part of the present. Alcoholism, morphine and drug addiction, broken promises, shattered dreams, and broken relationships are all aspects that O'Neill's work delves into. The title becomes symbolic not only of the journey of this one day of family strife but also of the journey of life.

So, I wouldn't say this is a play that someone "enjoys" or "likes," despite the fact that there is a great deal of depth, food for thought, and room for reflection in this drama.

It reminds me a little of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman in that the hopes of the characters are dashed and they receive a reality check. However, I feel that Miller's play provides more context for the decline of Willy Loman and, to a certain extent, his sons, whereas this play is more about characters bickering and criticizing each other endlessly.

So, on one hand, I can appreciate the play's depth and brutal honesty, while on the other hand, I find it far too bleak to embrace. Personally, I was simply not in the right state of mind to fully embrace a work like this. Perhaps in the future, I will give it another try and re-read it to see if my feelings change.