The Impact of the Absent Character in Eugene O’Neill’s Strange Interlude

	The Impact of the Absent Character in Eugene O’Neill’s Strange Interlude
Al-Fatih journal
Article 1, Volume 4, Issue 37, 2008, Pages 104-113
Abstract
Eugene O’Neill’s Strange Interlude (1928) is often described as a minimized novel, due to the play’s unusual length which is three times longer than normal plays. The reason is O’Neill’s intensive use of interior monologues through which he uncovers the repressed personalities of his characters. Despite its length, Strange Interlude is regarded as a successful play by most critics. Frederic I. Carpenter asserts:Lazarus Laughed, Strange Interlude, and Mourning Becomes Electra form a kind of trilogy. Not only are they among O’Neill’s most successful drama, but, on different levels of action, they carry forward his romantic logic to its inevitable conclusion. Together, they describe the human tragedy of modern man…. Who envisions the perfect, struggles vainly to achieve it, and finally accepts inevitable defeat.1 Strange Interlude is constructed around the absent character, the war-hero, Gordon Shaw. Although Gordon is already dead when the play opens, yet his presence is very powerful especially in the thoughts and actions of the heroine Nina Leeds. In this play, O'Neill examines the effect of the absent character upon the course of life of those people connected to him, especially his beloved, Nina. Paul Rosefeldt remarks "the hero becomes a longed for, but haunting presence. His sacrificial death diminishes the lives of his survivors"

Statistics Article View: 22 PDF Download: 4