The Tyrones are a family ravaged by addiction. The family is filled with denial, alienation, recriminations, and an odd camaraderie that comes from being bound by blood. This play recounts a day that is both typical and remarkable in the course of their lives. "Long Day's Journey into Night" won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957.
I was warned before reading this (as I was with another of O'Neill's plays, "Moon for the Misbegotten") that I would probably be depressed by it. Maybe I just need to be contrary, but I didn't have that reaction at all. Yes, the characters are dark and haunted, and there's no happy ending, but I thought this was a brilliant portrayal of the cycle of addiction in families. The Tyrones carefully balance the line between love and hate in their family dynamics, never quite falling over the edge despite all provocation. Each character is a picture of wasted potential and thwarted dreams, but they still spark with intelligence and poetry despite their lowered circumstances. This is beautifully written and remains relevant in today's society.
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