The Hairy Ape

Drama | Eugene O'Neill

What is the significance of Fifth Avenue in “The Hairy Ape?”

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What is the significance of Fifth Avenue in The Hairy Ape NU Eugene O Neill s - The Hairy Ape uses Fifth Avenue as a turning point It is not only a street It is a symbol of wealth class division and rejection For Yank this place begins his final downfall Symbol of Wealth and Luxury Fifth Avenue represents the power of the rich The setting is described with jewelry shops and furs displayed in bright light The jeweler's window is gaudy with glittering diamonds emeralds rubies pearls etc This shows the extreme wealth of the upper class For Yank who comes from the dirty stokehole this world feels foreign The Avenue highlights the huge gap between the workers and the rich A Place of Class Division When Yank and Long arrive Long points out Fif' Avenoo This 'ere's their bleedin' private lane This quote shows that Fifth Avenue is

not for workers like Yank It is a symbol of class division Yank realizes he is only a trespasser in this clean and rich world The place rejects his existence Place of Yank s Anger and Defeat On Fifth Avenue Yank tries to fight back He looks at the rich crowd and shouts All dis gives me a pain It don t belong Here his anger rises He pushes and hits people but instead of fear the city laughs at him The police arrest him Fifth Avenue becomes the turning point of his downfall It proves his weakness against society Fifth Avenue is important in the play It shows wealth class division and rejection It also begins Yank s downfall For him it is the street of anger failure and tragedy

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