How did Eugene O’Neill use masks in The Great God Brown?

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Carnival mask — Mask Women wearing a mask during Carnival celebrations in Venice, Italy.

In Eugene O’Neill’s 1926 drama The Great God Brown, masks serve as a central Expressionistic device to externalize the conflict between characters' public personas and their private, interior lives.1

O’Neill uses these face coverings to illustrate the duality of human nature:

Dion Anthony: He wears a cynical, sensual mask to navigate the world. While his wife, Margaret, is drawn to this outward persona, she is repulsed when he reveals his true, vulnerable, and artistic self.1
William (Billy) Brown: Driven by jealousy of Dion’s talent, Billy adopts Dion’s mask after Dion’s death. By assuming this persona, he successfully deceives Margaret, who continues to worship the mask rather than the man beneath it.1

Ultimately, the masks highlight the tragedy of characters who are unable to reconcile their true identities with the roles they feel compelled to perform for others.1