Days Without End at Vincennes University

Authors

• Eugene O'Neill

Days Without End, set in 1932, during the heart of the Depression (economic echoes of today) is one of O’Neill’s lesser known plays, but one of his most interesting.

John Loving, until the age of 15 was a devout Christian. When his parents suddenly die, he curses a God that would take them from him, becomes an atheist and seeks succor in a series of movements ranging from Buddhism to Communism. He is unsuccessful until he finds love with his wife Elsa. In a fit of panic over whether he deserves the love and whether it is as fickle as previous “isms,” he has a one-night affair. The play is a psychological study of John and his hardened, amoral doppelganger as they contest for his soul. A priest-uncle and the serious illness of John's wife complicate John’s search for meaning in his life. What will be the final result: condemnation or salvation? Days Without End answers this question in a novel and compelling way.