logo

55 pages 1 hour read

Long Day's Journey Into Night

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1956

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Eugene O'Neill

Long Day's Journey Into Night

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1956
Book Details
Pages

179

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Connecticut • 1910s

Publication Year

1956

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

NP0L

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill depicts a single day in 1912 at the Tyrone family's summer home, where parents James and Mary and their sons, Jamie and Edmund, struggle with deep-seated issues. Mary battles morphine addiction, while Edmund's illness and Jamie's perceived laziness exacerbate familial tensions. As the day progresses, arguments flare, revealing years of trauma, financial struggles, and unspoken grievances. This play includes discussions of addiction to drugs and alcohol, as well as references to suicidal ideation and child loss.

Melancholic

Dark

Unnerving

Emotional

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.3

42,092 ratings

74%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night is lauded for its raw, autobiographical exploration of family dynamics and addiction. Critics commend its emotional depth and complex characters, though some find its relentless gloom challenging. The play's powerful performances and poignant dialogue make it a memorable, if heavy, theatrical experience.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Long Day's Journey Into Night?

A reader who enjoys Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill likely appreciates intense family dramas and psychological depth akin to Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman or Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. They savor intricate character studies and explorations of personal and familial struggles.

4.3

42,092 ratings

74%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

179

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Connecticut • 1910s

Publication Year

1956

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

NP0L

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.