Gold : A play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill

"Gold: A Play in Four Acts" by Eugene O'Neill is a dramatic play written in the early 20th century. The narrative revolves around Captain Isaiah Bartlett and his crew as they find themselves marooned on a barren coral island in the Malay Archipelago after their whaling ship has sunk. Themes of desperation, madness, greed, and the moral consequences of their actions emerge as the characters grapple with the discovery of what they believe to be gold, leading to tragic decisions. The opening of the play introduces the dire situation faced by the characters, particularly focusing on the interactions between Abel, a young boy, and Butler, the ship's cook. As they lie in the oppressive heat and discuss their dwindling water supply, the tension builds around their hopeless environment. Soon, Captain Bartlett and his crew arrive, delirious with excitement over a treasure chest they have found. The air thickens with greed and suspicion as they debate the value of the items inside, leading to a volatility that hints at the potential for violence and betrayal. The conversations reveal not only their immediate struggles but also set up an exploration of deeper themes related to morality and the cost of ambition, establishing a tense atmosphere that propels the narrative forward. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author O'Neill, Eugene, 1888-1953
Title Gold : A play in four acts
Original Publication New York: Boni & Liveright, Inc., 1920.
Credits Mary Glenn Krause, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Reading Level Reading ease score: 87.2 (6th grade). Easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Families -- Drama
Subject Shipwreck survival -- Drama
Subject Ship captains -- Drama
Subject Greed -- Drama
Subject Guilt -- Drama
Category Text
eBook-No. 72442
Release Date
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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