Chronology Entry
Year
1923
Text
O'Neill, Eugene. The fountain. In : O'Neill, Eugene. The great god Brown ; including The fountain, The dreamy kid and Before breakfast. (London : J. Cape, 1923).
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks04/0400121h.html.
"There is in some far country of the East – Cathay, Cipango, who knows – a spot that nature has set apart from men and blessed with peace. It is a sacred grove where all things live in the old harmony they knew before man came. Beauty resides there and is articulate."
Lee Sang-kyong : Taoist influence : Spring water in its process of circulation is a symbol of the natural course of all earthly things. Spring water evaporates up to the sky and returns to earth, this means the realization of unity between the sky (yang) and earth (yin). The 'Fountain' is located in the Far East of his dreams. O'Neill's longing for the Orient is clearly expressed in his idealistic view of the countries Cipango and Cathay where all things are in harmony and all hearts rest in tranquility.
James A. Robinson : The fountain hints at a Taoist influence in its repeated allusion to China as the home of the legendary fountain. During Juan's vision, the Chinese poet appears as the originator of the fountain myth. Juan Ponce de Leon's quest for youth accords with Taoist values and practices. Taoism idealizes the youthful virtues of simplicity and spontaneity, and its central purpose of prolonging life through conservation of energy became translated into various occult practices designed to restore one's youth. By far the most vital Taoist contribution to the play lies in its rhythmic reconciliation of opposites. Juan's climactic vision and the play's imagery illustrate the Taoist treatment of apparent opposites as yin and yang, which by their cyclical alternation symbolize the dynamic unity of reality. O'Neill was constantly plagued by conflicting impulses. In regard to Christianity, he deplored the historical intolerance of the Church, yet believed in Christian values. His disillusion with institutionalized Christianity helped the exploration of Oriental thought apparent in the play's climax and resolution
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks04/0400121h.html.
"There is in some far country of the East – Cathay, Cipango, who knows – a spot that nature has set apart from men and blessed with peace. It is a sacred grove where all things live in the old harmony they knew before man came. Beauty resides there and is articulate."
Lee Sang-kyong : Taoist influence : Spring water in its process of circulation is a symbol of the natural course of all earthly things. Spring water evaporates up to the sky and returns to earth, this means the realization of unity between the sky (yang) and earth (yin). The 'Fountain' is located in the Far East of his dreams. O'Neill's longing for the Orient is clearly expressed in his idealistic view of the countries Cipango and Cathay where all things are in harmony and all hearts rest in tranquility.
James A. Robinson : The fountain hints at a Taoist influence in its repeated allusion to China as the home of the legendary fountain. During Juan's vision, the Chinese poet appears as the originator of the fountain myth. Juan Ponce de Leon's quest for youth accords with Taoist values and practices. Taoism idealizes the youthful virtues of simplicity and spontaneity, and its central purpose of prolonging life through conservation of energy became translated into various occult practices designed to restore one's youth. By far the most vital Taoist contribution to the play lies in its rhythmic reconciliation of opposites. Juan's climactic vision and the play's imagery illustrate the Taoist treatment of apparent opposites as yin and yang, which by their cyclical alternation symbolize the dynamic unity of reality. O'Neill was constantly plagued by conflicting impulses. In regard to Christianity, he deplored the historical intolerance of the Church, yet believed in Christian values. His disillusion with institutionalized Christianity helped the exploration of Oriental thought apparent in the play's climax and resolution
Mentioned People (1)
O'Neill, Eugene
(New York, N.Y. 1888-1953 Kap Cod bei Boston) : Dramatiker, Nobelpreisträger
Subjects
Literature : Occident : United States of America
Documents (2)
| # | Year | Bibliographical Data | Type / Abbreviation | Linked Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1982 | Robinson, James A. Eugene O'Neill and Oriental thought : a divided vision. (Carbondale : Southern Illinois University Press, 1982). S. 106-107. | Publication / One48 | |
| 2 | 1994 | Tao : reception in East and West = Tao : Rezeption in Ost und West = Tao : réception Est et Ouest. Ed. by Adrian Hsia. (Bern : P. Lang, 1994). (Euro-Sinica ; Bd. 5). Euro-Sinica symposium, May 25-29, 1993 at McGill University, Montreal. S. 188, 190. | Publication / Hsia10 |
|