"Luigi Pirandello, tormented by schizophrenia of his wife and family members, Noël Coward's self-obsessed characters reflect his own narcissism. Alcoholism is a recurrent theme in the works of many playwrights, including Eugene O'Neill, Edward Albee, and Brian Friel. This book looks at 20 playwrights to see how their examination of the disturbed mind influenced the modern theater"--Provided by publisher.