Beyond the Horizon

The depiction of Rob’s illness is largely based on O’Neill’s own experience with tuberculosis, for which he was admitted to a sanatorium for five months. It was during this time that he sought comfort in writing and felt called to it as a vocation. Similarly, after his daughter Mary dies, Rob “stayed indoors and took to reading books” (184). Do poetry, literature and writing have a positive or negative influence in Beyond the Horizon? Explain.

Encyclopedia.com defines a tragedy as “a form of drama in which a noble hero (the protagonist) meets a fate inherent in the drama’s action.” To what extent are the tragic events of the play inevitable or a result of the central characters’ own free choices? Support your response with evidence from the play.

The horizon is a central recurring motif throughout the play. Trace the appearance of the horizon throughout the play and consider how O’Neill’s use of the image changes as the plot progresses.