The Iceman Cometh

The Iceman Cometh

  

by Eugene O’Neill

Challenges & Opportunities

Available to teachers only as part of the Teaching The Iceman Cometh Teacher Pass


Teaching The Iceman Cometh Teacher Pass includes:

  • Assignments & Activities
  • Reading Quizzes
  • Current Events & Pop Culture articles
  • Discussion & Essay Questions
  • Challenges & Opportunities
  • Related Readings in Literature & History

Sample of Challenges & Opportunities


Let's be real: no doubt, this is a long play, with novel-length stage directions and a lengthy list of characters. Be sure to allot enough time so that its mammoth size doesn't overwhelm your students. In fact, you might want to break the acts in half as you're reading, and use those moments to review characters, context, and/or plot.

You should also keep in mind that Iceman takes place during a very different social and political context, so your students might have some trouble relating. Here's a list of some topics students are probably not too familiar with: the Boer Wars, the prohibition era, and the tumultuous political period right before the Depression hit. Don't fret: Shmoop's got you covered with our entire section devoted to American History. You can help students make connections between things that were happening then (ahem, war), and things that are happening now (ahem, war), to make the play feel more relevant.