较之前期与中期的创作,奥尼尔后期剧作展现了一种更为深刻的悲剧力量。他聚焦于现代自由个体的不幸,通过一系列酗酒者形象的塑造,揭示了所谓自由世界给现代人带来的各种痛苦。他写出,人类作为个体其实并不足以承担自由的后果,因此现代自由个体从本体论意义上就是不幸的。在执著于描绘现代人注定的悲惨命运之时,奥尼尔也试图援引大母神崇拜、古典友谊观、东方自然观等来作为终极拯救的力量。奥尼尔后期剧作预示了一种突破“自由主义悲剧”创作范式的可能。 Compared with the earlier and mid-term creation, O’Neill’s later dramas show a more profound tragedy. He focuses on the unfortunateness of modern free individuals and uncovers all kinds of pains brought by the so-called free world to the modern through the image of a series of alcoholics. He wrote that human beings as individuals are not enough to bear the consequences of freedom. Therefore, modern free-standing individuals are unfortunate in ontological sense. While obsessed with portraying the tragic destiny of the modern people, O’Neal also tries to invoke Mother God worship, the view of classical friendship and the view of oriental nature as the ultimate rescue force. O’Neill’s later plays foreshadow the possibility of breaking the “liberal tragedy” paradigm.