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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 4 page essay that discusses Royall Tyler’s late eighteenth century play “The Contrast,” which reflects an era when the young United States was still struggling to establish its own cultural identity, apart from European influences. This purpose explains the principal theme of the play, which contrasts the virtues favored by the nascent American culture with shallow European sophistication. However, examination of “The Contrast” indicates that Tyler utilized his theme of contrasts on a number of levels, providing satirical commentary on eighteenth century gender stereotypes. No additional sources cited.
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4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khrtyler.rtf
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establish its own cultural identity, apart from European influences. This purpose explains the principal theme of the play, which contrasts the virtues favored by the nascent American culture with shallow
European sophistication. However, examination of "The Contrast" indicates that Tyler utilized his theme of contrasts on a number of levels, providing satirical commentary on eighteenth century gender stereotypes. The
first act introduces two upper class women of New York City, Letitia and Charlotte. Their character and behavior provides the plays first contrast, as Letitia is more conservative than Charlotte,
who is quite outspoken about the reality of societys expectations of women. Letitia labels Charlotte as a "libertine," to which Charlotte responds, citing a conservative periodical of the time, "The
Spectator," which she claims assures women that their "diffidence, modesty and blushes are all directed to make ourselves good wives and mothers as fast as we can" (Tyler 1295). As
this indicates, Charlottes frankness contrasts the modesty that is expected of women with the flirtatiousness that Charlotte realistically evaluates as a necessity for attracting male attention. From Letitia, the
audience learns the background to the romance between Billy Dimple and Maria Van Rough, who became engaged prior to Dimples trip to Europe, primarily to please their parents. While her
fianc? was away, Maria restricted her social contacts, read a great many books and focused on letters from Dimple. Letitia explains that the contrast between the "good sense of her
books" and the flimsiness and superficiality of her Dimples letters made Maria realize that she had "unthinkingly engaged her hand without her heart" (Tyler 1296). As this suggests, Tyler describes
Dimple as a young man who homespun American goodness has been corrupted by European influences. He is described as having metamorphosed into a "flippant, pallid, polite beau," who occupies
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