The New Yorker: "Exorcism" by Eugene O'Neill

October 17, 2011: "Exorcism" by Eugene O'Neill
Eugene O'Neill is spinning in his grave, although it's funfor us to have this "new" O'Neill play to study. "Exorcism" is a one-act playthat was performed in a short run in 1920, after which O'Neill had all thecopies destroyed. Except they weren't, of course, and one recently turned up.It's being published later this year and you can read it now in The New Yorker(if you have a subscription). (And if you don't have a subscription, you canstill go to the website and check out the video of an actor reading part of theplay.)
To the extent there is suspense here, it's mostly lost whenthe introduction tells us that the play is autobiographical and deals with O'Neill'searly suicide attempt. So when Ned Malloy drops broad hints ("Later? Supposingthere wasn't any—"), there's not much doubt about what he means, although hispal Jimmy doesn't seem to get it. Except he does, apparently, as he revealslater: "You'd been dropping hints—dark, dark hints—you weren't yourself, youknow—and I had my suspicions…"
The play isn't about an exorcism so much as it is aboutresurrection. Ned attempts suicide, his friends save him, and now his eyes areopen to the possibilities of spring, both literal and metaphorical. There'sbeen a reconciliation of sorts with his father, cessation of hostilities withhis estranged wife, and the doom and gloom (again, both literal andmetaphorical) have lifted.
It's a quick read and I recommend it if you have access toit. But it's not exactly O'Neill's greatest work, and I don't think I can blamehim for wanting all traces of it destroyed.