This volume investigates the dramatic techniques and thematic preoccupations of Eugene O'Neill within the context of his development as a playwright. Clifford Leech, a scholar of English drama, utilizes a biographical and analytical framework to assess how O'Neill's personal history influenced his structural innovations in American theater. The text examines the evolution of O'Neill's work from his early sea plays to his later, more expansive psychological dramas.

This work is recognized as a concise, academic introduction to O'Neill's body of work, often utilized by students of 20th-century drama. Experts note that Leech provides a focused, scholarly perspective that remains accessible for those seeking a structured overview of the playwright's stylistic progression.