Poquette has a bachelor's degree in English and specializes in writing about literature. In the following essay, Poquette discusses O'Neill's use of staging techniques to underscore and amplify the tragic mood of his play.

In his essay "O'Neill and the Cult of Sincerity," Ronald H. Wikander notes the response of O'Neill's father, James, when he saw Beyond the Horizon: "Are you trying to send the audience home to commit suicide?" This reaction underscores the fact that O'Neill's play is impressively tragic. O'Neill increases the level of tragedy in his play through his detailed stage requirements. Through the use of stage techniques such as lighting, the use of interior and exterior sets, costumes, and makeup, O'Neill amplifies the already dark mood of the play as it progresses.

O'Neill considered his play an experiment in which he could break many of the conventions of the day. The play was...