Stage directions: I am in no way an expert in plays, but the stage directions are unlike any I have ever seen. Immediately upon beginning the play, I noticed how detailed and specific they are. Initially meticulously describing the physical characteristics of the characters, the stage directions begin to talk about, in detail, the characters' personalities. Here are two examples:
James:
"He is by nature and preference a simple, unpretentious man, whose inclinations are still close to his humble beginnings and his Irish farmer forebears"
Jamie:
"on the rare occasions when he smiles without sneering, his personality possesses the remnant of a humorous, romantic, irresponsible Irish charm--that of the beguiling ne'er-do-well, with the strain of the sentimentally poetic, attractive to women and popular with me."
Why was O'Neill so specific? Was he such a control freak that the characters had to fit the exact mold he had for them? Was it information for the director/actors and not intended for a live audience to know? To me, the specificity of the stage directions makes me feel like I am reading a novel rather than a play.
Fatness: The word fat is mentioned five times in the First Act, and not once does it carry a connotation that I am used to. I found it funny/interesting that the word fat, which carries such a negative connotation today, can be used in a non-negative way. Knowing the way the family treats each other, you would expect it to be an insult no matter what they are saying, especially if "fat" is used. However this is not the case:
"how fat and beautiful you have become."
"There's nothing wrong with your hair. The healthier and fatter you get, the vainer you become."
-Andrew Thvedt
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