The Expressionist Influence in Eugene O'Neill’s Plays Cover Image

Влиянието на експресионизма върху творчеството на Юджийн О’Нийл
The Expressionist Influence in Eugene O'Neill’s Plays

Author(s): Ksenia Kisselincheva
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts, Education, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Essay|Book Review |Scientific Life, Visual Arts, Higher Education , Cultural Essay, Film / Cinema / Cinematography
Published by: Нов български университет
Keywords: Eugene O'Neil; Expressionism; A. Strindberg; influence; reception; non-realism

Summary/Abstract: The main focus in this study is the unique individual reception of the Expressionism in some of Eugene O'Neill’s plays from the 1920s: "The Emperor Jones" (1920) and "The Hairy Ape" (1922). A strong source of influence is August Strindberg and his experiments at the Chamber Theater in Stockholm. This can be traced by pointing out common thematic and stylistic features in Strindberg's trilogy "The Road to Damascus" and O'Neill's "The Emperor Jones". Another major source of influence is the German Expressionist movement from the first quarter of the 20th century, especially some of the leading playwrights like Georg Kaiser and Ernst Toller. Yet another source of influence are the German Expressionistic films of R. Wiene, F. Lang and Murnau, which followed most of the principles of the avant-garde trend.

  • Issue Year: 2020
  • Issue No: 40
  • Page Range: 68-73
  • Page Count: 6
  • Language: Bulgarian