The New Myth Of The Modern Human

content: Eugene O'Neill is a great American playwright in 20th century and a master of American drama, also a first Nobel Literature Prize winner playwright in the drama history of the United State. O'Neill' plays creation was impacted by the ancient Greek mythology and Bible mythology; he displayed and deformed ancient myths and legends which are corresponding to theme of modern life. From the modern moral and psychological aspect, he reasoned for the tragedy of person who lived in modern society. The mysterious destiny which is controlled by Greek gods and God in Bible was interpreted as the unknown driving force behind life, it is such a creating feeling made figures in O'Neill's plays doing a modern new myth.The 20th century is the era of myth with amazing stuff. O'Neill and many contemporary writers adopted a type of myths and legends to create works. Northrop Frye as the representative theorist launched the Anatomy of Criticism; Northrop Frye said that the archetype could be the theme, plot, characters, and images.In the first chapter, the paper introduces O'Neill and the Anatomy of Criticism.In the second chapter, the paper analyzes theme archetype, the article respectively analyzed the theme of revenge, theme of search and theme of salvation. The theme of revenge use the "Artures family curse" as the archetype, demonstrating the New England puritans, the love—hate and Full of revenge killings of anger family, meanwhile attacking in the Puritanism of people suppressed under the twisted lust. The theme of search displaced the "Odysseus myth and Holy Grail myth" archetypes, it demonstrated the modern people who pursuit of the ideal and self—identity on the wasteland in west world. On the other hand, people lost their faith ,their God who had ever guide them to have eternal life has kept them to seek relief sermon death, the theme of salvation Suggests that O'Neill completely denied the religion.In the third chapter, the paper analyzes plot archetype, "Oedipus and Electra complex" is replacement for archetype of "Electra and Oedipus mythology", it analyzed the complex cause which is impacted by social factor, religious and human factors. Women—division—first is a copy of stepmother Feder and prince story in Greek myth, but the real chief culprit is the abnormal desire to occupy of Puritanism. The last supper plot comes from Bible which described twice holy banquet, also conveying O'Neill's pessimistic attitude to belief.In the fourth chapter, the paper analyzes character archetype, the modern woman Abby is combination of Feder and Medea archetypes, while Cobot is archetype of God in Old Testament, their tragedy are caused by endless greed and the confliction between human nature and material desires. The disharmonized marital couples are archetype of "Aagmemnon and his wife Kelvtaimo Strafford story". The ideal female image is the combination of earth mother and Virgin Mary.In the fifth chapter, the paper analyzes image archetype, based on Frye's Anatomy of Criticism theory, the article analyzed island image, sea and cage images.The replay of myth in O'Neill' plays, it makes analogy of displaced theme, plot, character and image possible. It describes to us the people's spirit of confusion and pursuit on the western wilderness in 20th century.