Eugene o'neill's selected plays: reading from a new historicist perspective
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Date
2006-04
Authors
Shahabi, Hassan
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Abstract
This research has investigated some nterary and non-literary texts as well as
the context in America during the period 1900-1960 based on the theory of
new historicism. The aim of this study was to discover the dominant
ideologies and thought of the society. Furthermore, the aim is to determine
whether the works embody or criticize the dominant ideologies and thought of
the period. Towards this aim, and on the basis of new historicist approach,
selected works of Eugene O'Neill and some other major and minor literary
works of the period were selected. These were read with their context,
constituted of texts regarding the politics, economy, history .and culture of
America of the time.
The investigation revealed that firstly there is a parallel between O'Neill's
plays and the literary, non-literary, texts, as well as the context. Moreover, the
literary works more than merely embodying it, criticized the dominant ideology
and thought of the time. In addition, the investigation showed what kinds of
cultural work or effect O'Neill as an artist and a playwright was seeking at the
time of producing his plays. In this regard, secondly it is apparent that
O'Neill's plays reflect many aspects of the time in his works such as seeking
for companionship, values of the time and gift of civilization. The investigation
also showed that O'Neill dealt with man and his nature more than the other
writers of the time. In so doing, thirdly, he was more preoccupied with human
nature and its condition, than with dealing with man in relation with society
and its problems. Additionally, it has been showed that O'Neill was dealing
with man and his world in order to make known to man his nature and his way
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of living. In so doing, fourthly, O'Neill's intention was to cleanse man's eyes
and to teach him how to look at himself and his world and to find his position
in the universe. In short, through his plays, as an artist, O'Neill was a
truthteller.
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Keywords
Selected plays , Historicist perspective