The Hairy Ape (Cyclopedia of Literary Places)
At a glance:
- Author: Eugene O’Neill
- First Published: 1922
- Type of Work: Drama
- Type of Plot: Expressionism
- Time of Work: Early twentieth century
- Genres: Drama, Expressionist literature
- Subjects: Twentieth century, Alienation, Class consciousness, Human race, Lower classes, Ships, Isolation
- Locales: New York, NY, Oceans
Places Discussed
Steamship. Ocean liner at sea on which the hairy, bare- chested Yank is stoking the boilers when the play opens. The stokehole into which he shovels coal is at the very bowels of the ship, where the low ceilings force workers to stoop, making them seem apelike. When Mildred Douglas, a wealthy passenger aboard the ship insists on visiting the stokehold, she is so frightened by what she sees that she faints. Yank’s buddy Paddy tells him that the woman looks as if she has seen a hairy ape. The incident shatters Yank’s self-identity and sense of belonging, and...
[The entire page is 920 words long]
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