The Daoist Influence on the Late Plays of Eugene O’Neill
Abstract
Eugene O’Neill is the greatest American playwright in the 20th century. He led the modern U.S theater into the mainstream of the world drama and was the father of American drama. Some critics hold that Orientalism is one of the most important and distinctive aspects of O’ Neill’s art. Among the Oriental thoughts, Taoist influence on him was profoundest and lasting. This thesis studies O’Neill and Taoism systematically and extensively. His late plays are the climax of his Taoism which is his ultimate pursuit of his faith and arts. O’Neill affirms the Taoist principles of “Non-action” and “Cycle” by the theme of pipe dream. By reading these plays in his late periods, it analyzes the general trend of O’Neill’s Taoist ideas. It puts forward and proves that the great influence of the Tao of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu on the O’Neill’s plays. The Tao is the ultimate pursuit of O’Neill’s attitude towards life, way of life and faith.
Key Words: Eugene O’Neill; Taoist; The Iceman Cometh; The Long Day’s Journey into Night
摘 要
尤金•奧尼爾是美國210世紀最著名的現代劇作家。他爲210世紀初的美國戲劇能進入世界戲劇的主流發揮了巨大的先驅作用,被譽爲 “美國戲劇之父” 。東方特色的奧尼爾藝術中最重要而且最顯著的1個方面。然而在各種東方思想中,中國道家思想對奧尼爾的.影響又是最深遠的。他的後期作品都結合了他的終身信仰——道家思想，他深受道家“無爲”和“循環”的影響。 因此,本文通過道家思想對奧尼爾後期作品的影響而進行研究。通過解讀奧尼爾後期兩部偉大著作《送冰的人來了》和《進入黑夜的漫長旅程》,分析了奧尼爾後期作品中體現的道家思想意識, 從而提出並證明中國哲學道家思想對奧尼爾戲劇創作的深遠影響。
關鍵詞: 尤金•奧尼爾、道家思想、《送冰的人來了》、《進入黑夜的漫長旅程》