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The Hairy Ape by Eugene O’Neill: General Summary and Context Influences and Historical Context Eugene O’Neill wrote The Hairy Ape in 1922, during the height of the Industrial Age in America, a period marked by rapid urbanization, mechanization, and the rise of the working class. The play is heavily influenced by Expressionism, a theatrical movement that emphasizes emotional experience over realistic depiction. O’Neill was inspired by the struggles of industrial laborers and the growing sense of alienation caused by modern machinery and capitalist society. He sought to explore the conflict between individual identity and societal forces, showing how humans can feel powerless in a world driven by technology and social hierarchy. Harmonious Terms with the Period The play reflects the anxieties of the early 20th century, including social stratification, industrialization, and the search for identity amid urban chaos. It resonates with the period’s existential concerns—how an in...