Abstract

Eugene O’Neill is one of the most important American dramatists. He began his writing career at the start of World War I and ended it at the conclusion of the Second. No doubt, the two World Wars profoundly and permanently affected the lives of people all over the world. As his country became increasingly involved in these wars, O’Neill reacted in his own way to the horrors, dehumanization and monstrosity of war experiences.

O’Neill’s The Sniper sheds light on the shattering impact of the outbreak of armed conflict on the lives of simple ordinary people-Rougon’s family in this case. Since The Sniper is written in 1915, section one of the present study is devoted to the American participation in World War I, section two to O’Neill’s attitude toward war while the third section deals with the play per se. The study is rounded off with a Conclusion in which the most important findings are stated.

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