Basically, what is mentioned by Michael Manheim are still common and frequent study objects both in domestic literature field and in foreign contexts, though the degree of study and preference toward those objects vary from country to country, from scholar to scholar。来自优W尔Y论W文C网WWw.YoueRw.com 加QQ7520,18766

Important scholars and critics who have been recognized in the literature circle of Europe and America, especially those for their criticism and analysis towards Eugene O’Neill are quite a lot。 Travis Bogard is undoubtedly one of them。 His Contour in Time (first published by Oxford University Press in 1972 and slightly revised for a second edition in 1988。) is a detailed and thorough study of Eugene O’Neill。 Michael Manheim once commented on Contour in Time, “Bogard’s approach is straightforward, looking at O’Neill’s development from early adolescence to full maturity, always in the context of his work。 Each play is dealt with, as well as the theatrical conditions of its production and the critical and popular response it generated。” (Michael Manheim, 2000: 237) Contour in Time, even seen from today’s perspective, contains leading voice in O’Neill criticism。

Besides Travis Bogard, in my point of view, Edwin Engel also should be highlighted for he, in his The Haunted Heroes of Eugene O’Neill, particularly looked at the dark side of the playwright。 This paper by Edwin Engel is before the appearance of Long Day’s Journey into Night, in which O’Neill himself clarified those once puzzling dark issues。 

Speaking of Eugene O’Neill’s masterpiece Long Day’s Journey into Night, critic Doris V。 Falk’s Eugene O’Neill and the Tragic Tension (1958) cannot be left out。 This paper begins to perceive O’Neill’s work from a psychological perspective。 Since Doris V。 Falk’s paper came out, relevant studies on the psychological analysis of O’Neill’s works flourished。 Like Joel Pfister’s Staging Depth: Eugene O’Neill and the Politics of Psychological Discourse (1995) and more recently, Kurt Eisen’s The Inner Strength of Opposites。 (1995)

There are other noted scholars who analyzed O’Neill’ works based on his creation period。 For example, Margaret Loftus Ranald’s From Trial to Triumph: the Early Plays; James A。 Robinson’s The Middle Plays; and Normand Berlin’s The Late Plays。 Those papers focus more on Eugene O’Neill’s certain creation features in particular time period, revealing O’Neill’s gradual maturity。

The inner connection and relationship with earlier writers are also one of the important study objects。 It’s quite patent that there are connection to Ibsen, Strindberg, and the Greek tragedians。 Besides, oriental thoughts in O’Neill’s works are also discussed。 For example, James R。 Robinson once wrote Eugene O’Neill and Oriental Thoughts。 There are also some studies purely focus on dramaturgical techniques, like Egil Tornqvist’s A Drama of Souls: O’Neill’s Study in Supernaturalistic Techniques。 (1969)论文网

European and American scholars and critics have paid attention to Eugene O’Neill long ago, almost simultaneous with O’Neill’s own creation while the studies on O’Neill in domestic literature circle start quite late。 And the subject, angle and interpretation of domestic scholars’ studies almost all take former foreign study as a starting point, with a few original insights。 And the relevant studies are scarcely recognized in world literature circle。 Nevertheless, there are still some studies which embody typical Chinese features, like the discussion of Eugene O’Neill’s Chinese affinity (Taoism and Buddhism) and his influence on some modern Chinese playwrights(Cao Yu and Hong Sheng)。 Domestic preference generally falls into the analysis of the tragic topic in O’Neill’s works, together with basic criticism。 One dissertation which is worthy mention in domestic is Jia Luhai’s On Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Tragedies, in which the author specifically elaborates the typical desire in almost all of Eugene O’Neill’s works。