Literary Allusions in 'Long Day's Journey Into Night'

1. Prepared by : Avani Jani
M.A Sem:1
Paper : 8- American Literature
Roll no: 3
Enrollment no: 4069206420220014
Submitted to: Department of English, MKBU

2. Shakespeare
Othello
Hamlet
Biblical Allusions
Allusions to Modern Literature

3. Shakespeare
● "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings"
(Shakespeare)
● In "Long Day's Journey Into Night," the character Edmund Tyrone makes a reference to this line in Act III, Scene 1.
● Edmund uses this quote to express his belief that people are responsible for their own actions and decisions, rather than
being controlled by fate or external forces.
● He says, "I'm sick of the past and all its memories! If it's the past that's to blame, then let's go into the future with a
new spirit of hope! The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves." (O'Neill )
● The quote also highlights the idea that the characters in the play are trapped by their own weaknesses and flaws,
which prevent them from achieving happiness and fulfillment.
● Overall, the reference to "Julius Caesar" and this particular quote reinforces the theme of personal responsibility
and the struggle to overcome one's own limitations.

4. ● "The praise Edwin Booth gave my Othello” . (O'Neill )
● In Act IV ,the character James Tyrone recalls a conversation he had with Edwin Booth, a
famous Shakespearean actor, about his portrayal of Othello.
● James tells his family, "I remember Edwin Booth's praise of my Othello. He said it was the best
he had ever seen. And he had seen the greatest Othello of his time." (O'Neill )
● This reference to Edwin Booth's praise of James Tyrone's Othello is significant because it
highlights James's past success as an actor.
Othello:

5. ● James had a promising career in the theater, but he
became trapped in a cycle of performing the same
popular role, Edmund Kean's portrayal of Richard III,
to the detriment of his artistic growth and reputation.
● The memory of Booth's praise also reveals James's
desire for recognition and validation as an actor. Despite
his past success, James is haunted by the fear that he
will never be able to escape his typecasting and achieve
the artistic greatness he craves.
● Overall, the reference to Edwin Booth's praise of James
Tyrone's Othello is a poignant reminder of James's lost
potential and his ongoing struggle with regret and self-
doubt.

6. ‘Hamlet’
● In Act II of "Long Day's Journey into Night," the character Edmund Tyrone makes a reference to the
"Mad Scene" from Shakespeare's play "Hamlet." - Jamie Tyrone breaks the heavy silence with the
words: "The Mad Scene. Enter Ophelia!" (O'Neill )
● The "Mad Scene" that Edmund is referring to is the scene in which Ophelia, Hamlet's love interest, goes
mad after her father's death and Hamlet's rejection of her.
● I believe that, Edmund's reference to the "Mad Scene" reflects his own sense of despair and
isolation.
● Like Ophelia, Edmund is struggling to come to
terms with his own mortality and the inevitability of
his own death.
● The reference also underscores the universal
themes of loss and grief that permeate the play,
and highlights the way that literature can provide
solace and meaning in times of profound sadness
and despair.

7. ● when Mary fell in love and "was so happy for a time." She, like Ophelia, talks-to herself, in her own
world-about father and lover. And she wanted to get to the nunnery to which Ophelia was sent by
Hamlet.
● Tyrone's reaction to Mary's condition is: "It's the damned poison. But I've never known her to drown
herself in it as deep as this." (O'Neill )
● Claudius' reaction to Ophelia: "Oh, this is a poison of deep grief." (Ophelia literally drowned
herself.)(Shakespeare)
● In the play, James Tyrone, who "studied Shakespeare as you'd study the Bible," quotes
Shakespeare, and only Shakespeare, at every opportunity.(Berlin)
● According to Normand Berlin, Jamie Tyrone O'Neill's Hamlet in Long Day's Journey. Bitter and
cynical, his whole life revolves around the condition of his mother. His are the most terrible
comments on his mother's dope addiction, as his reference to the mad Ophelia indicates,
because he, more than his father and brother, has the greatest dependence on her. His love is
greatest and therefore his disappointment is greatest. (Berlin)
.
Overall, the reference to the "Mad Scene" from "Hamlet" serves as a poignant reminder of the play's
enduring relevance and the power of literature to help us confront the most difficult aspects of our
lives.

8. Biblical Allusions:
● ‘In Long Day’s Journey Into Night’, the character Mary tells the story of how she
considered becoming a nun when she was younger. She says, "I told [Mother
Elizabeth] I wanted to be a nun. And I remember saying I knew. . . that the Blessed
Virgin had smiled and blessed me with her consent. . . I never lost my faith in her."
(O'Neill )
● The reference to the Blessed Virgin in this passage is a biblical allusion to the Virgin
Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Christian tradition. The idea of Mary blessing
someone with her consent is a common theme in Catholicism, where Mary is seen as
a powerful intercessor between humans and God.
● The passage also reflects the character of Mary's religious faith and her belief in the
possibility of divine intervention. Like many of the characters in the play, Mary is
struggling to find meaning and purpose in her life, and her faith provides her with a
sense of comfort and stability.
● The reference to the ‘Blessed Virgin’ also highlights the theme of family dysfunction
in the play. Mary's decision to become a nun may have been motivated by a desire to
escape the dysfunction of her family and find a sense of purpose and belonging
elsewhere.

9. ● "At the convent I had so many friends ... I used to visit them and they'd
visit me..." (O'Neill )
● As per my opinion, while recalling these memories, mary shows us
indirectly that she might have been happy before marriage. She was
having friends and living social life happily.
● Implicit in this is the idea that maintaining a connection with one's religious beliefs
can lead to sustained happiness.
● Here are some dialogues, which shows faith of Mary in God- "... I
knew she heard my prayer and would always love me and see no
harm ever came to me..."
● "...I love [Mother Elizabeth] better than my own mother" (O'Neill )

10. Allusions to Modern Literature:
● "What were you two grinning about like Cheshire
cats when you came in?" (O'Neill )
● The phrase "grinning like Cheshire cats" is an allusion to the
classic novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis
Carroll. In the story, Alice encounters a grinning Cheshire Cat,
whose smile remains even after his body has disappeared.
(CARROLL )
● This reference demonstrate how literary allusions can be
used to add depth and complexity to language, allowing us to
draw upon the rich history and cultural significance of literary
works to enrich our everyday communication.

11. Conclusion:
The conclusion that can be drawn from the fact that "Long Day's
Journey Into Night" by Eugene O'Neill is a play that contains many literary
allusions is that O'Neill was a highly educated and well-read writer who
drew inspiration from a variety of literary sources. These allusions help to
deepen the themes and characters in the play and provide additional layers
of meaning for the audience to interpret. They also demonstrate O'Neill's
skill as a writer in his ability to weave together different texts and ideas to
create a cohesive and impactful work of art. Additionally, the use of literary
allusions in "Long Day's Journey Into Night" emphasizes the play's
connections to the broader literary canon, positioning it as a significant
work within the history of drama and literature.

12. Works Cited
Berlin, Normand. “Ghosts of the Past: O’Neill and ‘Hamlet.’” The Massachusetts Review, vol.
20, no. 2, 1979, pp. 312–23. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25088957. Accessed 12 Mar. 2023.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Online Written. PRAKASH Book DEPOT, 2015.
Accessed 13 March 2023.
O'Neill, Eugene. Long Day's Journey Into Night. Edited by Christine Dymkowski, Royal National
Theatre, 1991. Accessed 12 March 2023.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet by William Shakespeare. CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Platform, 2017. Accessed 13 March 2023.
Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Maple Press, 2014. Accessed 12 March 2023.