毛猿The Hairy Ape.ppt

THE HAIRY APE
Members：王慧杰 张安澜 苗茜茜 马艳 朱佳楠
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Team Topics for Discussion
Writer & background
Plot
Character analysis
Writing techniques
Themes
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Eugene O'Neil (1888-1953)
He successfully introduced the European theatrical trends of realism, naturalism, and expressionism to the American stage as devices to express his interest in life and humanity. His success in realistic and expressionistic drama has turned the American drama from the traditions of romantic comedy to a modern mode.
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Background
The play was created in 20th century when western people suffered an intellectual crisis. In the crisis, Nietzsche shouted “ God is dead ” that meant human beings lost their absolute value, which made people fall into confusion and desperation. Besides, man’s desire to emotions was ignored in the rapid development of technology. People put existence of individuality first at that time. Sartre’s existentialism was well welcomed. Existentialism is a term applied to the work of a number of philosophers since the 19th century who, despite large differences in their positions, generally focused on the condition of human existence, and an individual’s emotions, actions, responsibilities, and thoughts, or the meaning or purpose of life.
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The plot
Yank, the hero of the play, is a barbaric ship stoker. At first Yank feels innocently proud as he stokes the engines of an ocean liner , and is highly confident of his physical power and his leading position in front of his fellows. However, when the frail daughter of an industrialist in the steel business calls him as a "filthy beast", Yank suddenly suffers a crisis of identity. He leaves the ship and wanders into Manhattan, only to find he does not belong anywhere—neither with the class on Fifth Avenue, nor with the labor organizers on the waterfront. Finally he goes to a zoo, trying to seek a sense of belonging with the gorilla in the zoo and dies in the animal's viole