The Two Sides Of The Scale-the Artistic And Commercial Qualities Of O'neill's Dramas

Eugene O'Neill is the pioneer and founder of modern American theatre. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize four times. In the first half of the 20th century, O'Neill made a great contribution to the development of American drama and was honored as"the father of American drama".In O'Neill's creation career, he pursues the artistic qualities of the drama. As the first American playwright who regards drama as a serious literature, O'Neill makes American drama a serious endeavor. He insists on expressing the bitter experience of"the lost souls"and the"Truth"and is marked for his powerful strength in presenting the tragedy of life, the predicament of man's existence by"the power, honesty and deep-felt emotions of his dramatic works."Meanwhile, because of the characteristics of drama, which is an art of linguistic as well as stage performance, a serious literature as well as a commercial activity, cultural elite as well as mass entertainment together with the rules of Broadway, O'Neill's creations have strong commercial qualities. O'Neill constantly lingers between art and commerce consciously or unconsciously. His works are usually successful when he can keep a balance in many conflicts of the drama nature, especially in the conflict between the artistic and commercial qualities of the drama. And when he pursues the artistic qualities of his works excessively, the works are often not accepted by audience and critics. O'Neill's creative career alternates with success and failure. This thesis discusses O'Neill's creation career, the reasons for his commercial success, meanwhile, the commercial success of his drama contributes a lot to his reputation.This thesis first conducts a literary review on Eugene O'Neill home and abroad, summarizes the situation of the theatre when O'Neill was ready to start his creation, and gives an introduction to the development of drama and the Little Theatre movement. Secondly, the author elaborates the commercial qualities and artistic qualities of O'Neill's dramas respectively. And then the author deals with O'Neill's controversial creation which lingers between the seeming opposite elements of theatre and tries to look into the inspiration of his success, his contribution to and influence on American drama. At last the author restates that"O'Neill lives in contradictions", the causes of his success and draws a conclusion that to a large extent, only those works on which he keeps a balance in the conflicts between the artistic and commercial qualities of drama, which just like the two sides of the scale, contribute a lot to his success and reputation.