The Expressionistic Techniques In Eugene O'Neill's Plays

Eugene O'Neill, the American playwright, was most creative in the years from 1920 to 1934. His great efforts and unique contribution have won him the Nobel Prize in Literature. O'Neill was not satisfied with the conventional techniques, so he tried on a lot of new techniques. Influenced by Stringberg who was called"Father of Expressionism", O'Neil began to employ expressionistic techniques in his creation. His expressionistic works included The Emperor Jones, The Hairy Ape and so on. O'Neill was always concerned about human's inner conflicts. Expressionism, to him, was not only a new and concrete writing technique, but also a bridge into human souls.This thesis is divided into five parts: Chapter One makes a literature review of critical study on Eugene O'Neill. Chapter Two is an introduction of the movement of expressionism including its origin, development and representatives; Chapter Three shows the reasons why O'Neill accepts Expressionism. Chapter Four and Chapter Five are the main parts which deal with the concrete use of expressionistic techniques and its theatrical effects and Chapter Six makes a conclusion of Eugene O'Neill's achievements.This thesis aims to prove that influenced by the movement of Expressionism, Eugene O'Neill boldly used expressionistic techniques in his play, which brought vitality and originality to American theatre.