The Iceman Cometh

Eugene O'Neill

Nov 2022 · DigiCat

About this ebook

This is a play that revolves around a group of alcoholics who live together in a flop house above a saloon. They always discuss their dreams but never take a step toward actualizing them. This group of misfits always awaits the coming of the salesman whose name is Hickey. Hickey determines to strip them of their pipe dreams and then reveals that he has been on the run after murdering his wife.

About the author

Eugene Gladstone O'Neill, born on October 16, 1888, in New York City, was a seminal figure in American theatre and is renowned as one of the greatest playwrights in U.S. history. His literary legacy is marked by his intense exploration of the human condition, often delving into themes of despair, isolation, and the quest for meaning. O'Neill's upbringing in a theatrical family influenced his early interest in drama, though his own life was ripe with struggles, including illness, academic difficulties, and battles with alcoholism, all of which would pervade his later works. O'Neill's literary career began to flourish in the Playwrights' Theater, where his innovative plays earned him critical acclaim and multiple Pulitzer Prizes. 'The Iceman Cometh' stands as one of his most celebrated works; first published in 1946, the play evocatively depicts the intersection of illusion and harsh reality amongst the patrons of a seedy bar, and it has since become a classic of the American stage. Grounded in realism and characterized by its profound psychological depth, O'Neill's creation is emblematic of his broader existential inquiries. His oeuvre signaled a shift in American theatre toward a more serious and artistically ambitious undertaking. O'Neill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1936, a testament to his pathbreaking contributions to modern drama. He passed away on November 27, 1953, but his works continue to be pivotal in both literary and theatrical canons.