e of a ship. He meets Paddy, Long, Mildred Douglas, the police, the I.W.W., and finally the gorilla in the Zoo. The play shows big themes of life. These themes are identity, class, isolation, industrialization, and existentialism.

Class Conflict and Social Division: One main theme is class conflict. The play shows the fight between the rich and the poor. In the firemen’s forecastle, Yank feels powerful. But Mildred Douglas comes in a white dress. She is from a rich steel family. She sees Yank and cries, 

“Oh, the filthy beast!” 

Then she faints. This insult breaks Yank. It shows how the rich look down on workers. In Scene Five, he goes to Fifth Avenue. People from the church avoid him. He shouts, he pushes, but they reject him. This proves the gap between the rich and the poor. The theme of class division is very strong.

Industrialization and Dehumanization: Another theme is industrialization. The ship’s stokehole is full of coal, smoke, and heat. Paddy remembers old sailing days when ships moved with the wind. He says there was freedom. Now everything is machine and iron. Yank proudly cries, 

“I’m part of de engines!” 

He feels like the ship’s power. But soon he learns the truth. Industrial society uses workers only as tools. In the prison, Yank tries to bend the iron bars. He looks like an animal in a cage. This shows machines make men less human. The play proves that the industry dehumanizes workers.

Identity Crisis and Alienation: The play is also about identity. Yank begins with pride. He feels he belongs to the ship. But Mildred’s insult makes him doubt. He tries to find his place. But he fails in every scene. The I.W.W. workers reject him. A policeman ignores him. 

“Yank—Say, where do I go from here?

Policeman— Go to hell.”

Finally, in the Zoo, he thinks the gorilla is his brother. He dies in its arms. This shows total alienation. He belongs nowhere, not to the rich, not to the poor, not even to himself.

Existentialism and the Search for Meaning: Another theme is existentialism. Yank keeps asking questions. In the beginning, he feels certain. But after Mildred’s words, he is lost. His pride breaks. He wants meaning. But every place rejects him. At last, in the gorilla’s cage, he cries, 

“Christ, where do I get off at? Where do I fit in?”

This is a cry of existential pain. He cannot find purpose. His strength is wasted. His death shows the emptiness of life. O’Neill asks the big question of modern tragedy: what is man’s true place?

Illusion of Power: A final theme is the illusion of power. At first, Yank looks like a leader. Other firemen fear him. He feels like the master of the ship. He says,

"I’m de end! I’m de start! I start somep’n and de woild moves!" 

But this power is false. When he goes to the city, he is powerless. The police handcuffed him. The I.W.W. throws him out. Even the gorilla destroys him. The man who felt like the engine of the world ends as a broken body in a cage. The play shows that strength without wisdom leads only to defeat.

“The Hairy Ape” is full of powerful themes. It shows class conflict between workers and rich people like Mildred. It shows how industry makes men less human. It shows alienation, loss of identity, and the search for meaning. Yank meets Paddy, Long, Mildred, the police, the I.W.W., and finally the gorilla. Every step proves a theme of modern life. Eugene O’Neill makes the play a tragic mirror of society and a warning for mankind.