List of Plays

The Masterpieces of Tao House

At Tao House, Eugene O'Neill finally gave life to plays that had been developing in his mind for years. He delved into his painful memories, transforming them into powerful theatre, a process that reopened old wounds. Carlotta Monterey O'Neill recalled her husband emerging from his study, red-eyed and gaunt, after working on "Long Day's Journey Into Night." His remark about "The Iceman Cometh" that "There are moments... that suddenly strip the secret soul of a man naked..." reflected his own struggle for forgiveness and understanding. The five plays O'Neill wrote at Tao House are considered his finest achievements, filled with profound compassion, and acts of pity and absolution. Yet, O'Neill never wrote again after leaving Tao House.

None of the Tao House plays involve a quest for a god. In his later years, O'Neill focused on the human condition, where survival depended on finding another person to cling to in the darkness.

Each Tao House play became a masterpiece in its own right. "Hughie," part of a projected cycle of long one-act plays, is a lyrical exploration of a lost soul in a cheap New York hotel lobby, seeking connection with an inarticulate night clerk to escape loneliness. "A Moon for the Misbegotten" addresses the death of O'Neill's mother and his brother's agony over failing her. Like the protagonist in "Hughie," O'Neill brings Jamie, a character in "A Moon for the Misbegotten," to a form of salvation in the arms of a giant Irish peasant woman on a moonlit night, where they both find momentary peace.

O'Neill's Plays Written at Tao House

• A Touch of the Poet - 1942
• More Stately Mansions (unfinished) - 1939
• The Iceman Cometh - 1939
• Hughie - 1941
• Long Day's Journey Into Night - 1941
• A Moon for the Misbegotten - 1943

Note: "More Stately Mansions" was never finished by O'Neill. It was discovered and produced after his death in 1953.

 

The Complete List of Eugene O'Neill's Plays

Eugene O'Neill's prolific career spanned three decades during which he wrote nearly 60 plays, encompassing a wide range of themes and styles.

Eugene O'Neill's illustrious career spanned three decades, during which he crafted nearly 60 plays that explored a vast array of themes and styles. His early works, such as "Bound East for Cardiff" (1914) and "The Long Voyage Home" (1917), set the stage for his profound exploration of complex human emotions and societal issues.

With major works like "Beyond the Horizon" (1918), which earned him his first Pulitzer Prize, and "The Emperor Jones" (1920), O'Neill demonstrated his masterful ability to blend realism with expressionistic techniques. His critically acclaimed masterpieces, including "Strange Interlude" (1927), "Mourning Becomes Electra" (1931), and the deeply autobiographical "Long Day's Journey Into Night" (1941), solidified his reputation as a pioneering playwright who delved deeply into the human psyche.

O'Neill's repertoire also includes significant one-act plays such as "Before Breakfast" (1916) and "The Rope" (1918), showcasing his talent for creating powerful, concise narratives. His later and unfinished works, like "More Stately Mansions" (1939), reflect his relentless pursuit of new forms and themes.

Overall, Eugene O'Neill's extensive body of work continues to influence and inspire the world of theater, cementing his legacy as one of America's greatest playwrights.

Early Plays

• Bound East for Cardiff - 1914
• In the Zone - 1917
• The Long Voyage Home - 1917
• Ile - 1917
• The Moon of the Caribbees - 1918

Major Works

• Beyond the Horizon - 1918
• The Emperor Jones - 1920
• Anna Christie - 1920
• The Hairy Ape - 1921
• All God's Chillun Got Wings - 1923
• Desire Under the Elms - 1924
• Marco Millions - 1924
• The Great God Brown - 1925
• Lazarus Laughed - 1926
• Strange Interlude - 1927
• Dynamo - 1929
• Mourning Becomes Electra - 1931
• Ah, Wilderness! - 1933
• Days Without End - 1934
• The Iceman Cometh - 1940
• Hughie - 1941
• Long Day's Journey Into Night - 1941
• A Touch of the Poet - 1942
• A Moon for the Misbegotten - 1943

One-Act Plays

• Recklessness - 1913
• Warnings - 1913
• Fog - 1914
• Abortion - 1914
• The Movie Man - 1914
• Servitude - 1914
• The Web - 1914
• Thirst - 1914
• The Sniper - 1915
• Before Breakfast - 1916
• The Rope - 1918
• Where the Cross Is Made - 1918
• In the Zone - 1919

Later and Unfinished Works

• More Stately Mansions (unfinished) - 1939
• The Calms of Capricorn (unfinished) - 1941
• The Last Conquest (unfinished) - 1941
• The Second Mrs. Tanqueray (unfinished) - 1941

Additional Plays

• Now I Ask You - 1916
• Gold - 1920
• Chris Christophersen - 1920
• The Straw - 1921
• The Fountain - 1923
• Welded - 1924
• The Ancient Mariner - 1925
• The First Man - 1922
• The Straw - 1921
• Gold - 1921
• S.S. Glencairn - 1920
• Exorcism - 1920