“Tyronian” Tragedy

In Eugene ONeills agonizingly autobiographic play Long Days Journey into Night, readers are introduced a dismal family situation. Drugs, death, complaint and failure lace individu completelyy conversation, and regret flows almost as unreservedly as the alcoholic drink. In such a tragedy, wiz would expect to existingize a clear idea of with whom the tap lies. In this piece of drama, however, in that respect is a distinct inability to do so. Eugene ONeill persistently manipulates the emotional responses of the reader. This utilisation keeps partiality off balance and uncertain.ONeill accomplishes this by allowing readers to sympathize with single family member. erst sympathy is established for one particular character, that character promptly vocalizes, or does, something that loses the readers alliance, along with the alliance of whichever character he or she is berating at that particular moment. This results in the readers inability to discern who, precisely, is culpabl e for the Tyrone familys situation. The idea of designation culpability in Long Days Journey Into Night is almost humourous. til now if one wanted to, it would be difficult to sort through geezerhood of built up anger, layer upon layer of repression, and huge amounts of guilt in each character for each character is at breach for one thing or another(prenominal), and, in addition, each character blames someone else for his or her problem. For example, Mary blames her husband and his tightfistedness for her addiction to morphine. Due to their mother existence an addict, Jamie is ineffective to bring girls home, thus he visits prostitutes. Such behavior has influenced his younger brother Edmund, making him old before his time (35).Consequently, Jamie is at fault for Edmunds poor health. In turn, his mother, for causing the addiction by being brought into the world, as well as worsening it with his witness illness, blames Edmund. And so, the vicious circle continues. However, if one does not wish to inflict upon ones distinguished teaching assistant a painfully long dissertation of each members contributions to the tragedy and the results in that respectof, one ought to maintain, for arguments sake, that the absolute majority of the culpability lies with throng Tyrone, for his behaviour in regards to specie, alcohol, and his give birth status as a failed actor. crowds father had left the family when jam was solitary(prenominal) ten historic period of age. This left crowd as the man of the family, working twelve hours each day to help provide for his mother and trio sisters. As James explains, It was in those days I learned to be a miser(151). He feels proud of his savings, and announces to his family in regards to buying something I got them dead moth-eaten(15). His let early recognition of the importance of money explains his continual contempt for his get childrens lack of concern when it comes to workingWhat do you know of the value of a dolla r? (150). He accuses Jamie of being lazy and having no ambition. Not only when does James Tyrone wish his sons understood the value of money, but since they do not, he is forced to be miserly enough for the whole family. Consequently, the family resents his overly sparing ways. There are many attacks throughout the play on James Tyrone for this, the first one being Jamie accusing him of not sending Edmund to a real doctor for his illness when he first got excrete. Jamie says, uncompromising only charges a dollar. Thats what secures you view hes a fine doctor (31).Later, another negotiation gives an even worse view of the situation Tyrone sending Edmund to a tatty sanatorium, but spending money on real estate JAMIE Well, for Gods sake, break out a good place and not some cheap dump TYRONE (Stung) Ill send him wherever Hardy thinks best JAMIE Well, dont give Hardy your old over-the-hills-to-the-poorhouse song closely taxes and mortgages. TYRONE Im no millionaire who can thro w money awayWhy shouldnt I tell Hardy the truth? JAMIE Because hell think you want him to pick a cheap dump, and because hell now it isnt the truth i especially if he hears afterwards youve seen McGuire and let that flannel-mouth, gold-brick merchant sting you with another piece of bum property (82) Later realizing the anger this statement comes from, James Tyrone offers Edmund any place you like Never mind what it costs each place I can afford. Any place you like. Sadly, there follows the stipulation Tyrone cannot seem to shake off Within reason. (151). Cheap checkup wield seems to be Tyrones weakness.As Mary Tyrone makes clear, his tightfisted ways result, though inadvertently, in her downfall as well, due to a doctor magnanimous her morphine as an easy fix. But bearing Edmund was the last straw. I was so sick afterwards, and that ignorant quack of a cheap hotel doctor-All he knew was I was in pain. It was easy for him to stop the pain. (90) Tyrone is as well to blame for his wifes oecumenic unhappiness, not just her addiction to morphine. Mary says to Edmund that she has never been happy in the house, because Everything was done in the cheapest way. Your father would never spend the money to make it right. (45). The subsequent scene has Mary come downstairs (60), in a detached sort of manner.She complains bitterly to Edmund about Tyrones inability to make a real home. He is too stingy to build a real home, with good servants, and so she has suffered all her life. When Tyrone himself comes in, she says in continuation of her previous statements Im sick and tired of pretending this is a home You wont help me (69). She goes on to say that had he remained a bachelor Then nothing would have happened. This indicates potently that she blames him too.Tyrone condemns Mary for her addiction, yet feels no guilt or responsibility for it, fetching away any amount of forgiveness readers may have move with in Tyrones favour. The amusing part of this however, is while he condemns his wife for means abuse, the same thing is his own major vice. Mary tells her husband I would never have married you if Id known you drank so much (115). She also launches into a story about their honeymoon, when Tyrone was dragged home intoxicated. It appears that in a formulate similar to that of their father, Jamie and Edmund seem quite partial to alcohol.In fact, the entire family seems unable to confront reality without chemical assistance. Marys words indicate that drinking all day is a common Tyrone family activity I know what to expect. You leave alone be drunk tonight. Well, it wont be the first time, will it i or the thousandth? (72). The Tyrone men validate their drinking habits with folk wisdom about whiskeys alleged health benefits Its before a meal and Ive always bring that good whiskey, taken in moderation as an appetizer, is the best of tonics (68). alcoholic beverage has contributed to Jamies failures.It has hurt Edmunds health. And it becom es a source of conflict between Jamie and Tyrone, as Jamie systematically steals his fathers whiskey, replacing the amount taken with water, so his father wont take notice. Regrettably, the alcohol solves no problems, and problems get more intricate as the tongues loosen from the booze. The threesome men share a drink, but none of the social legerdemain of alcohol seems to work. Tyrone, Edmund and Jamie remain as miserable as ever. The last, most crusade element of James Tyrones guilt is his status as a failed actor.In act four of the play, James Tyrone relates something to his youngest son that he has never told anyone before. He explains that since his father left the family when he was ten, he grew up to be miserly. therefrom he was quick to give up artistic fulfillment in exchange for financial security, ruining his career as one of the three or four young actors with the greatest artistic promise in America(153). James Tyrone now muses that he doesnt even know what it was he had wanted to buy. It appears that James has never forgiven himself for this, and therefore inflicts it on his family and neighbours.Mary says in regards to the neighbours they bowed to your father and he bowed back as if he were taking a curtain call(44). Jamie relates that Tyrone puts on an act for everybody (57). Tyrone begins to reference a play almost as tragic as his own family life, but his son, obviously well versed in his fathers repertoire of chastisements from mogul Lear, finishes the sentence before his father can continue, with to have a unappreciated child. I know(92). His sons also immediately think in hurt of tragedy when referring to their father, quoting Othello in reference to Jamess snoring The Moor, I know his trumpet(21).It appears that Tyrone turns his own life into a tragedy, like the ones he once portrayed so well upon the stage, switching affections and emotions like he would have to between scenes, although his family isnt as accepting of this as Edwin Booth and the critics obviously were. But why trouble to deal with the question of fault? After all, the characters themselves claim not to care about it, such as in act two, scene two, when James Tyrone tries to blame Edmunds consumptive state on Marys side of the family. Jamie cries out against blame Who gives a damn about that part of it