Proverbial language figures prominently in the works of Eugene O'Neill (1883-1953), the recipient of four Pulitzer Prizes and a Nobel laureateship for literature. This book is a directory to the proverbs, proverbial expressions and proverbial comparisons in O'Neill’s 50 dramas and numerous letters, articles, diaries and notebooks. Very little attention has been given to any aspect of O'Neill’s language, to say nothing of the virtual disregard of him as a wielder of proverbial diction. This collection of 2059 examples of O'Neill’s proverbial usage is a first step towards remedying that situation, and provides a foundation for future scholarship. The introduction shows how O'Neill used proverbs as a structural element of his dramas, and places his proverbial usage in the context of international proverb scholarship, offers examples and generalisations about his manipulation of proverbs, and suggests fruitful areas of further investigation. The heart of the book is key-word index to the proverbial texts that identifies the locations of the proverbial examples in the canon of O'Neill’s works, and facilitates comparisons of similar locutions. Each proverbial construction is dated so that the reader can immediately see the chronological range of the texts. For those interested in the history of particular proverbs, citations of standard proverb dictionaries are appended to most of the texts. Two appendices show the frequency with which proverbs appear and their distribution among the various dramas. George B. Bryan is the author of Stage Deaths: A Biographical Guide to International Theatrical Obituaries, 1850-1990 (two volumes), Ethel Merman: A Bio-Bibliography , American Theatrical Legislation, 1607-1900: Conspectus and Texts and Black Sheep, Red Herrings, and Blue Murder: The Proverbial Agatha Christie .
