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Metaphor
Explanation and Analysis—Beast in a Cage:
In the following excerpt from Scene 1, O'Neill uses the stage directions to set the scene in the bowels of the ship, describing the physical appearance and demeanor of the working men. To do this, O'Neill uses metaphor to continue with the trend of juxtaposing human and animal:
The room is crowded with men, shouting, cursing, laughing, singing—a confused, inchoate uproar swelling into a sort of unity, a meaning—the bewildered, furious, baffled defiance of a beast in a cage.
The men on board the ship are "beast[s] in a cage," fumbling about in a "confused, inchoate uproar." While they are undoubtedly human, the men's behavior parallels that of herd animals grouped together, moving about in a "bewildered" manner, forced into a small space to be used or slaughtered. This bestial metaphor and the accompanying image of chaos contribute to the dehumanization of the working class, which occurred on a massive scale as industry increased exponentially in North America and Europe.
On the other hand, this metaphor of bestiality can be positively interpreted. Yes, these men are beasts in a cage, but their imprisonment is "baffled" "bewildered" and "furious," suggesting that they are aware of their imprisonment and did not enter complacently into a position of entrapment.
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