Cover of The Emperor Jones

The Emperor Jones

by Eugene O'Neill · 1920

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Brutus Jones, a former Pullman car porter wanted in the United States on two murder charges, has established himself as the self-proclaimed ruler of a West Indian island. Warned that his subjects are about to rebel, he flees to the jungle — sick with fright — where he is plagued by ghosts of the men he has murdered and haunted by visions of injustices done to his race. Powerful scenes, punctuated by beating tom-toms, suggest Jones's panic as he flees his angry countrymen and his own personal demons.

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First produced in 1920, The Emperor Joneshelped establish O'Neill's reputation as one of America's most important dramatists. Bold and expressionistic, the play was an instant success on the stage and has remained one of the staples of the dramatic repertoire. It is now available to a wide audience in this attractive, inexpensive Dover Thrift Edition.

Genre
literary fictionliterary fictionMore like thisLess of this
Themes
theatretheatreMore like thisLess of this
Setting
20th century20th centuryMore like thisLess of thiscollegecollegeMore like thisLess of thisCaribbeanCaribbeanMore like thisLess of thisNorth AmericaNorth AmericaMore like thisLess of thisUSAUSAMore like thisLess of this
Audience
adult
Length
short · 64 pages
Form
playsplaysMore like thisLess of this

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