"Tragedy Becomes The Meaning Of Life And Hope": On Fatalism And Libertinism In Eugene O'neill's Tragedy Writing

Playwright Eugene O'neill is the only Nobel Prize winner in the history of American drama. Most critics focus on the fatalism in his plays, while the other few perceives the libertinism in his writing. This paper probes into the thought of libertinism implied in Eugene O'neill's works by doing close reading in the guidance of some related theories.The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part summarizes his general achievements and the overall situation of Eugene O'neill's studies. The main part of this paper is the second part which illustrates the paradox of fatalism and libertinism demonstrated in his writing. By doing this, it stresses the often neglected thought of libertinism concealed in his plays. The third part concludes that his thought of libertinism goes through a journey shifted from active to passive. In the closing part, the paper reiterates Eugene O'neill's writing purpose of tragedy creation which is interpreted in his very own saying"Tragedy becomes the meaning of life and hope."...