The First Man by Eugene O'Neill
The play revolves around the character of Edmund Tyrone, a former actor who has become disillusioned with his life and career. He is haunted by his past mistakes and struggles with addiction to morphine. The story takes place in one day, August 1912, at the Tyrone family's summer home in Massachusetts.
By Eugene O'Neill · First published 1922 · Genre: Drama, Literary Fiction, Psychological · 4 chapters · 29,130 words
First lines
CHARACTERS CURTIS JAYSON MARTHA, his wife JOHN JAYSON, his father, a banker JOHN, JR., his brother RICHARD, his brother ESTHEE (MRS. MARK SHEFFIELD), his sister LILY, his sister MRS. DAVIDSON, his father's aunt MARK SHEFFIELD, a lawyer EMILY, JOHN JR. 'S wife RICHARD BIGELOW A MAID A TRAINED NURSE
What this Textopian page supports
The First Man is listed on Textopian as a play by Eugene O'Neill, dated 1922 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: Eugene O'Neill
- Date: 1922 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Literary Fiction, Psychological, Tragedy, Family Saga
- Length: 29,130 words
- Structure: 4 chapters, 765 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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- Work identity for The First Man by Eugene O'Neill
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Drama — The play explores complex human emotions and relationships, focusing on personal struggles and societal expectations.
- Literary Fiction — The narrative delves into deep themes of identity, loss, and the human condition, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Psychological — The characters' internal conflicts and motivations are central to the plot, highlighting psychological depth.
- Tragedy — The themes of loss and the impact of past decisions on present lives align with tragic elements.
Tags
Autobiographical · Family Drama · Psychological Insight · Coming-of-Age · American Literature · Early 20th Century · Dysfunctional Family · Father-Son Relationship · Mother Figure · Trauma · Mental Health · Guilt
Contents
- ACT I
- ACT II
- ACT III
- ACT IV