Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill

American playwright Eugene O'Neill created the four-act play Long Day's Journey into Night between 1939 and 1941. It was first released posthumously in 1956. The play is regarded as one of the best American plays of the 20th century and is usually regarded as his magnum masterpiece. It had its world premiere in Sweden in February 1956, and in November 1956 it had its Broadway debut, receiving the Tony Award for Best Play.

This autobiographical play about O'Neill's formative years burns hot from beginning to end. James, Mary, and their sons Edmund and Jamie make up the Tyrone family. The play's scenario, which takes place over the course of one day, is referred to as "The Long Day." Immediately after it begins, you can sense the rawness as a guy and his two adult kids work to keep their wife calm after she spent time in rehab for morphine addiction. From there, things get worse as she starts using again and the three boys start drinking. This play represents the apex of American family drama and was written from a position of total rawness.

For Long Day's Journey into Night, O'Neill received the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Drama posthumously. The play is based on my life. As a follow-up, O'Neill created A Moon for the Misbegotten (1952), which portrayed Jamie Tyrone's later life.

Written by: Eugene O'Neill

Created: 1939 - 1941