Eugene O'Neill (1888-1953) was an American playwright and a major figure in American realism. His plays depict the struggles of the hopeless, delving into the nature of relationships and the meaning of life itself.
Born in a New York City hotel, O'Neill's early years were spent traveling the country with his parents. His father James was a successful Shakespearean actor, heavy drinker, and notorious playboy. His mother, Ella (née Mary Ellen Quinlan), was a homemaker, addicted to morphine prescribed to her after Eugene's painful birth. She would provide direct inspiration for the character of Mary Tyrone in Long Day's Journey Into Night. Both parents were of Irish descent, and...
