The Past, Heart-warming yet Regretful

Taking a journey through a human being’s past can bring warmth and happiness to the heart, and yet it can also be wounding and bring disappointment. The past plays many roles, and one in particular, is being a burden. The mind revisits our past decisions and wonders whether we could have used more prudent judgment. Distressed situations could be minimized if we could relive our pasts and change them. As humans, we also find ourselves yearning to revive the glory days of our past, and we waste time in the present days whining about how wonderful those days were and how we miss them terribly. In the sorrowful play, “Long Day’s Journey into Night” written by Eugene O'Neill, the symbolic Tyrone family of Mary, James, Jamie, and Edmund find themselves wandering through their pasts and causing a decaying effect on the present.

James Tyrone, the Irish father, is deeply wounded from the unfortunate state of his family, which happens to be partly his fault. James grew up in an underprivileged Irish family that emigrated from the homeland, and sadly they struggled to keep from starving. James’ father left his family to return to I

James appreciated every penny and found himself trying to earn as much money as he possibly could. He decided to make a living by playing the lead role in the “The Count of Monte Cristo” which produced a huge income for Mr. Tyrone. Throughout his whole life James never really used his money, and so it just sat rotting away. While reading the play it seemed very apparent that James was displeased with his life and wondered whether he wasted his whole life. James revisits the day when Mr. Booth noted him as the best actor in the world numerous times and realizes that he never actually used his skill to become an even better actor. James ruined his life by taking the role in the “The Count of Monte Cristo.” James wanted to perform Shakespeare's plays because they would allow him to achieve greatness as an actor by bringing out the best in Shakespeare. These wonderful would-be achievements were shattered when he took the one-man role in the "The Count of Monte Cristo". Tyrone has the right to be devastated; he chose the path of money, which only ended up rotting, instead of grasping the chance to pursue a dream and really make use of the massive talent that embraced him. James desires to have that chance again but it is out of reach, and this is what disappoints him. There is nothing to do but for him to sit and drown in his depression. He loses hope completely. The past, to him, is a snake whose squeeze only increases; it suffocates whatever life he has, resulting in the end of his life.

This magnificent, dismaying play is for Eugene O'Neill, the author, to forgive himself and family members for their past. Eugene plays himself through Edmund, who in real life died from the measles. This transformation symbolizes how Edmund in the story felt like he is to blame for his family's corruption, and feels like he should have not been born. The past is what troubles everyone and reminds them of their mistakes causing destruction. Edmund finds himself to be the causer of evil in the family even though he was too young to do anything about it. This is fate, not Edmund's mistake. This is a completely different idea from the fact that it is James' fault for Mary's addiction because James affected the outcome in the future. Fate is an excuse for a bad decision and poor judgment. Edmund's life is hell because of others’ faulty judgment. Edmund doesn't realize that there was no connection with him for the effects of decisions in the past. Yet the past once again causes his mind to live in sorrow and feeling of guilt.

Some topics in this essay:
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