The Image of Irish in the Life and Work of Eugene O’neill

As a result of his ambivalent relationship with his father and, by extension, his Irish heritage, O’Neill’s work displays Irish characters in a variety of contexts. From the early plays of the S.S. Glencairn cycle to the later plays, including The Iceman Cometh, A Touch of the Poet, and A Moon for the Misbegotten, O’Neill’s Irish characters become increasingly complex and enigmatic. Using primarily a biographical approach, this essay examines O’Neill’s relationship with his Irish heritage and the evolution of his Irish characters throughout his career.