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''The Contrast'', written in 1787 by Royall Tyler, is an American play in the tradition of the English Restoration comedies of the seventeenth century; it takes its cue from Sheridan's ''The School for Scandal'', a British comedy of manners that had revived that tradition a decade before. Royall uses the form to satirize Americans who follow British fashions and indulge in 'British vices'. Thus, the play is often concerned with portraying the contrast between European and American culture. It was the first American Comedy to receive production from a professional acting company. ''The Contrast'' marks the first comedy written by an American citizen that was professionally produced.〔James Benjamin Wilbur, Preface to ''(The Contrast )'', by Royall Tyler, Houghton Mifflin, 1920, p.xiv.〕 The play is most remembered for its prologue: an evaluation of home-made versus foreign goods and ideas and offers the play's most prominent part, along with the introduction of the Yankee character〔Yankee〕 (Jonathan). Royall Tyler's introduction of Johnathan established the Yankee, a type of stock character. He portrayed him with a back-woods, down home attitude with great pride for his country.〔Carson, Ada Lou., and Herbert L. Carson. Royall Tyler. Boston: Twayne, 1979. Print. Tanselle, G. Thomas. Royall Tyler. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1967. Print. 〕 Play in 5 acts.〔Dramatic structure〕 == Characters == * Charlotte: Colonel Manly's sister * * Lives with her uncle in New York * * Has friends and good social standing * * Coquette * Letitia: Friend of Charlotte and ward of Charlotte's uncle * * Possesses monetary wealth, which makes her attractive to Dimple * * Coquette * Mr. Billy Dimple * * Dandy * * Attempts to manage relationships with Charlotte, Letitia, and Maria at once * * In need of money * * Anglophile fop * * Villain * Maria Van Rough: Daughter of Van Rough * * Sentimental * * Virtuous * Colonel Henry Manly * * A contrasting character to Mr. Dimple * * Sincere * * Gentleman / Persona of America * * Patriot * * Hero * Van Rough * * Maria's father * Jessamy: Dimple's waiter/servant * * As snobbish as his master / Persona of Europe * Jonathan: Manly's waiter/servant * * Represents the New England Yankee * * Unsophisticated country bumpkin * * Honest * * Patriotic * Jenny: Maria's waiter/servant * * Jessamy's friend * Servants 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Contrast (play)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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