Beyond the Horizon was Eugene O’Neill’s first full-length play to merit
production. Set in and around the Mayo farm, the play chronicles the story of
Robert and Andrew, two brothers closely allied to each another but totally
disparate. Andrew is the born farmer, “husky, sun-bronzed son of the soil,”
while Robert is the dreamer with a “touch of the poet about him, delicate of
feature and refined.”
As the curtain rises, Robert is
sitting on the property’s fence line contemplating the horizon in the distance.
He has long dreamed of leaving the farm and traveling so he will not take root
in any one place. This, in fact, is his last night on the farm, as he will
embark the next morning to sail with his uncle, Captain Dick Scott, on the bark
Sunda, finally having the opportunity to visit the exotic places that he has
only dreamed and read about. A brief interchange with Andrew solidifies the
established roles each brother has assumed in the family. Clearly each has
different dreams and aspirations respectfully supported by the other. Ruth
Atkins now appears. Although Ruth is engaged to Andrew, Robert confesses his
love for her on the eve of his departure. Likewise, Ruth confides that she has
also loved him for many years and was only settling for Andrew because it
seemed that Robert was not interested in her. Reassured that “love” must be the
“secret calling him from over the world’s rim—the secret beyond every horizon,”
Robert decides that their love is “sweeter than any distant dream.” He will
stay and work the farm with Ruth at his side.
The next scene reveals to the
family the recent events between Ruth and Robert that the audience has just
witnessed. Andrew, upset and jilted, makes the hasty decision to accompany his
uncle in Robert’s place. The father, James Mayo, diligently attempts to
persuade his oldest son not to go as he believes Andrew is defying his own
nature and will be sorry if he proceeds. Andrew defies his father, leaves with
his uncle, and yet harbors no ill will toward his brother.
The remaining two acts of the play
depict the deterioration of the farm, the relationship of Robert and Ruth, and
Robert’s health. There is an eight-year lapse between the end of act 1 and the
beginning of act 3. Not having the skills for farming that his brother possesses,
Robert is not successful in his efforts, as hard as he tries. In the two years
since James Mayo’s death, the farm is heading for ruin. Mrs. Mayo says Robert
cannot help this deterioration, but Mrs. Atkins, Ruth’s mother, retorts that
there is no point in Robert’s working hard if his hard work does not accomplish
anything. Moreover, in these three years, Ruth has discovered that all that
charmed her about her husband no longer holds the same allure. Mary, their
daughter, is as irritable and sickly as Robert. Ruth, now seeing his “true
self,” insists that if she could have seen it earlier she would have killed
herself before she would have married him. This revelation embitters Robert
even more, and he continues to let the farm deteriorate.
With hope, each looks to the
homecoming of Andrew. Having finished his three-year apprenticeship on the
Sunda , Andrew wants to help but has lost money on ill-advised land speculation
and must travel to Argentina to recoup his losses. He promises that once that
is accomplished he will return and help restore the farm to its former glory.
Robert Mayo (Rob) is the tragic hero of the play, and when he
first appears in the opening scene, the stage directions describe him as “a
tall, slender young man of about twenty-three. There is a touch of the poet
about him” (126). Rob’s features are also “delicate and refined” (126),
immediately marking him out as unsuitable for physical farm labor. A dreamer
with a vivid imagination, Rob is characterized as the opposite of his strong,
outdoorsy brother, Andy. After a sickly childhood that kept him stuck at home,
Rob dreams of seeing the world beyond the horizon and exploring all of the
places that he read about in books. His decision to cancel his sea voyage to
marry Ruth and stay on the farm is the impetus for the tragic chain of events,
spurring Andy to take his place on Uncle Scott’s ship.
Rob’s marriage is doomed from the
outset; Ruth is not a suitable match for him and was only won over by his
poetry and romanticized storytelling. In addition, Rob is not a natural farmer
like Andy, and the family farm soon starts to fail under his care. Rob’s poor
efforts see him mocked by the local farmhands.
Dreams, and the tragic consequences of denying them, is a central themes in the play. Many characters
have dreams that end up unfulfilled—James Mayo dreams his son Andy will take
over the running of the family farm, while Ruth dreams of a romantic and idealized
marriage. However, the biggest dreamers are the Mayo brothers, Rob and Andy.
Symbol
The eponymous horizon is a significant, recurring motif that
informs the central theme of dreams and the choice to pursue or deny them. The light
brimming over the rim of the horizon symbolizes both the promise and allure of
dreams but also the difficulty in closing the distance between a future dream
and the present situation. Rob, in particular, is drawn to the horizon—for him
it represents the opportunity, freedom, and adventure that he craves after a
sickly childhood spent confined indoors. At the start of the play, Rob
describes how he feels drawn to the horizon and his “need of the freedom of
great wide spaces, the joy of wandering on and on—in quest of the secret, which
is hidden over there, beyond the horizon” (129). However, Rob stays on the farm
and never moves any closer to discovering the secret that he imagines is
waiting to be discovered beyond the hills. Each act of the play features an
outdoors scene in which the horizon is in the background: a constant reminder
of Rob’s failure to pursue his dreams.
Rob suffered from long periods of
illness as a child and spent a lot of time indoors, staring out at the hills
and thinking about what lay beyond the horizon: “Those were the only happy
moments of my life then, dreaming there at the window” (133). Rob was
physically restricted by his bodily ailments, so he allowed his mind and
imagination to wander freely by inventing amazing spaces inhabited by magical
beings. As Rob develops into an adult and grows stronger, the dream of
journeying beyond the hills and seeing the reality of “all the wonders of the
world” that he believes are waiting there remains “as alluring as ever” (133).
At the beginning of the play, Rob tells Ruth that his planned voyage is
“keeping that promise of long ago” and a fulfilment of his childhood dream
(133).
First Act
The play opens onto the outdoor
setting of the Mayo family farm at sunset. A road runs through the farm,
between the hills and ploughed fields, toward the horizon. Rob Mayo is reading
a book. He is a young man of around 23 years old, with delicate features and “a
touch of the poet about him” (126). Rob’s elder brother, Andy Mayo, enters. At
27, Andy is the opposite of Rob. Tall, strong, and tanned from working the
fields, Andy is “a son of the soil” (126). The brothers are close, despite
their differences, which they joke about.
It is revealed that this is Rob’s
last night before he is due to join his uncle’s ship and set sail for three
years. Rob had a sickly childhood that forced him to stay indoors, and he has
always dreamed of adventure and believes the voyage will help further improve
his health. Rob repeatedly gestures or references the horizon as he tries to
describe this desire to Andy, who can’t imagine leaving the farm because of his
deep love for the land.
Act II begins three years later in the same sitting room of the
Mayo’s farmhouse. The home hasn’t changed too much, but there is an atmosphere
of neglect about the place. Mrs. Atkins and Kate Mayo are discovered sat
together, with Mrs. Atkins complaining that Rob is late for his dinner again.
It is revealed that in the interceding years, Rob and Ruth have married and had
a sickly daughter called Mary. Meanwhile, James Mayo died two years earlier.
Mrs. Atkins criticizes their children, especially Rob, whom she blames for
running the farm poorly. Kate hopelessly tries to defend Rob and says luck has
been against him, but Rob is not the natural farmer that his father and brother
were.
Mrs. Atkins is outraged that Rob
is planning to mortgage the farm to raise some money, but Kate passively
accepts and says Rob will manage until Andy gets back. Lamenting that James
never had the opportunity to see Andy again and forgive him, Kate blames James’s
stubbornness and pride for causing his death. Mrs. Atkins takes a keen interest
in Andy’s imminent return and claims he would have been a better match for
Ruth.
The final act opens five years later, once again in the Mayo
farmhouse. The home is even more dilapidated—it looks dirty and uncared for.
Both Mrs. Mayo and Mary have died in the intervening years, and Ruth, who has
“aged horribly” (175), is sat up late by the stove with her sleeping mother.
Rob enters looking emaciated; he is clearly ill. Ruth and Rob discuss Andy’s
imminent visit, and Rob is annoyed that Ruth has told his brother he is sick
with “lung trouble” (177). The couple argue about Rob’s illness, and Rob
experiences flashes of jealousy toward Andy, who he feels has made a
comparative success of his life. Rob reflects on how hard the last few years
have been for he and Ruth, especially Mary’s death, although both believe that
Mary is fortunate to be dead rather than having to face their current
situation. Rob feverishly tells Ruth
about his dreams of a new life for them both in the city once he’s well, and
how he hopes to make a living from writing. Rob thinks Ruth’s reluctance to go
with him is because she still loves Andy, and his anger brings on a coughing
fit. Ruth agrees to go with Rob to soothe him, but she fears he has gone mad.
Act 1, Scene 2
Later that night, Andy sits with
his father James, his mother Kate, and her brother Captain Dick Scott, who is
telling an old sea story. Everybody else is distracted and sad over the thought
of Robert’s leaving. Robert, meanwhile, has gone with Ruth to wheel her mother
home. Andy leaves to check on one of the cows, and Mr. Mayo tells the others he
hopes that Andy and Ruth get married, since the Atkins farm is next door to the
Mayo farm, and Andy could manage both. Mrs. Mayo says that she does not think
Ruth loves Andy. Robert walks in and announces that he is canceling his voyage,
since Ruth has told him she loves him. Everybody is glad except Scott, who is
losing a shipmate, and Andy, who has been quietly listening from the doorway.
Andy forces a smile and congratulates Robert, then says that he is going to
take Robert’s place on the voyage. Scott is overjoyed, but Mr. Mayo is shocked
and accuses Andy of running away because Ruth did not choose him. Andy lies,
saying that he hates the farm and wants to get away. His father disowns him and
storms out. Robert knows Andy’s decision is because of Ruth but says that if he
were in Andy’s place, he would do the same thing.
Act 2, Scene 1
Three years later, the signs of
neglect on the farm are evident from the condition of the farmhouse. Mrs. Mayo
and Mrs. Atkins sit at the table, talking about Robert’s mismanagement of both
farms, Andy’s expected arrival, and whether or not Mr. Mayo forgave Andy before
he died. Both women agree that Ruth and Andy would have made a better match.
Ruth, who looks much older after three years, comes in with Mary, her sickly
child. All three women talk about Andy, whom they expect will stay to help
renovate the farm. Mrs. Atkins and Mrs. Mayo go outside to escape the heat of
the farmhouse. Robert comes in, and they argue about Robert not eating dinner,
Ruth’s pining over Andy’s letters, Mary not taking a nap, and Robert’s
preference for books instead of work. Ben, the farmhand, comes in, announcing
that he is quitting because he is embarrassed to work on such a poor farm.
Robert and Ruth have a vicious fight, telling each other that their marriage
has been a mistake. Robert says he wishes he had gone to sea, and Ruth says
that she loves Andy and wishes Robert would leave. Andy arrives.
Act 2, Scene 2
Later that day, Robert sits on a
boulder on the farm, gazing off toward the horizon. Andy comes up and says he
is giving up his career at sea to move to Argentina and invest in the lucrative
grain business
in Buenos Aires. Robert is dismayed
that Andy is not staying on at the Mayo farm, and they talk about the farm’s
bad condition. Andy offers to give his savings to Robert to save the farm, but
Robert refuses and becomes infuriated. Ruth stops by and it is evident that she
has put on makeup and gotten dressed up for Andy. Ruth sends Robert and Mary
away on a work task and tells Andy that she cannot wait until he takes over.
Andy tells Ruth that he is leaving but that he is going to hire some help to
run the farm. He also tells Ruth that he loves her like a sister. Ruth is
distraught over Andy’s unexpected leaving as well as over the fact that he no
longer loves her, and she rebukes him. Andy is confused at these outbursts and
thinks he is not wanted. They are interrupted by Captain Scott, who tells Andy
a ship is ready to leave for Argentina the next morning. This is the only ship
that is going to Argentina for months, so Andy decides to take it. Andy and
Captain Scott leave to walk toward the Mayo farmhouse, and Ruth breaks down
crying.
Act 3, Scene 1
Five years later, the farmhouse is
in total decay. Robert, who is obviously sick, talks with Ruth about Andy’s
imminent arrival, Mary’s death, his sickness, and their money problems. Ruth
puts Robert back to bed and talks to her mother about Jake, the hired hand who
has just quit because Robert owed him money. Andy and a medical specialist,
Doctor Fawcett, arrive. While the doctor examines Robert, Andy and Ruth talk
about Robert’s condition. Ruth says they could not afford to contact Andy sooner
and that Robert has steadily lost interest in everything since Mary and his
mother died. Andy says he needs to go away again, because he has lost most of
his money on speculative investments, but that there is enough left over in his
savings to fix the farm. Doctor Fawcett comes out of the room and says that
Robert is dying. Robert says that his dying wish is to have Andy marry Ruth,
then he goes to lie down again. Andy is confused over this request until Ruth
tells Andy about the fight she and Robert had over Andy five years ago. Ruth
goes to the bedroom to tell Robert that she does not love Andy and cannot marry
him, but Robert has climbed out the window.
Act 3, Scene 2
A few minutes later, Robert
stumbles into the same section of country road where the play started, although
the fields are no longer healthy. Andy and Ruth rush up to Robert, who tells
them he wants to die outside. Robert is happy because with his death, he says,
he will finally be able to journey beyond the horizon. Robert dies, saying once
again that Andy needs to take care of Ruth. Andy looks at Ruth, telling her
they have both screwed things up but that perhaps in the future, things will be
better, suggesting that maybe they will get married. Ruth, however, is
exhausted and gives no sign that she agrees.
CHARACTERS
Mrs. Atkins
Mrs. Atkins is Ruth’s widowed,
invalid mother, who never forgives her daughter for marrying Robert Mayo
instead of Andy. Mrs. Atkins criticizes Robert’s inefficiency in running both
the Mayo farm and her farm. She also complains about Ruth and Robert’s sickly
child, Mary, who often cries to her mother. Mrs. Atkins is an extremely
religious person and says cruelly to Kate Mayo that her husband died early
because he was a sinner and that the ill-fated marriage between Robert and Ruth
was also a result of God’s will. Although Mrs. Atkins claims in the second act
that she is about to die, she outlives many of the other characters and
survives until the end of the play. At this point, she is sneaking money to
Ruth behind Robert’s back to help pay the bills, since Robert is having a hard
time keeping the farm running on his own.
Ruth Atkins
Ruth Atkins is Mrs. Atkins’s
daughter and the wife of Robert Mayo. In the beginning, she dates Andy, but she
falls in love with Robert when he speaks about his dream of going on a sea
voyage. As a result, she tells him she does not love Andy and convinces Robert
not to go on his voyage. Her choice influences Andy to leave the Mayo farm and
take Robert’s place on the voyage, since he cannot bear to see Ruth with
another man, especially his brother. As the play goes on, Ruth’s happiness and
her ability to love slowly wane. Three years later, Ruth has aged considerably.
She and Robert hate each other, and Ruth says she loves Andy. They both agree
that if it were not for Mary (their small, sickly child) they would leave each
other. Ruth tries to rekindle the flame with Andy when he comes home for a
visit, but before she can tell him her feelings, he lets her know that he does
not love her anymore. Ruth is hurt and is rude to Andy, who assumes she does
not want him around.
When Andy comes home again five
years later, Mary has died, and Ruth is a broken woman. Like the Mayo farm, her
life is in decay, and she sits around while Robert’s health quickly declines.
She accepts money from her mother, behind Robert’s back, to help pay the bills.
When Robert shows some renewed energy in his feverish state and says that they
should move to the city and start over, Ruth is frightened. When Andy comes in with
a medical specialist, who tells them that Robert is dying, and Andy blames
Ruth, she is too exhausted to fight back. Robert’s dying wish is to have Andy
marry Ruth, which Andy suggests at the end of the play. But, Ruth is too
exhausted to care and does not indicate whether she will be willing to do this.
Note: Essay from Net Sources
