Article #554-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The Contrast, by Royall Tyler

THE 'Contrast' was the first American play ever performed in public by
a company of professional actors. Several plays by native authors had
been previously published, the more noteworthy being the 'Prince of
Parthia,' a tragedy by Thomas Godfrey of Philadelphia, which was
probably written, and was offered to Hallam's company in 1759 (but not
produced), and was printed in 1765, two years after the author's
death.[1]

A comedy called the 'Mercenary Match,' by one Barnabas Bidwell, is said
to have been performed by the students at Yale College, under the
auspices of the Rev. Dr. Ezra Styles, President of the College. Dunlap
speaks of having heard it read, but does not mention whether it was
from a manuscript or printed copy. It was printed at New Haven in
1785. The 'Contrast,' however, was the first to meet successfully the
critical judgment and approval of a professional manager. This fact
alone should redeem it from the neglect and inattention it has
heretofore met with. Besides, it possesses considerable intrinsic
merit, and as an acting play will compare favorably with many of the
English comedies of the period; and though, perhaps, meager in plot and
incident, it is bright, humorous, and natural; the dialogue is
sparkling with genuine wit; and its satire aimed at the evils and
follies of the time is keen and incisive. The contrast between the
plain and simple honesty of purpose and breeding of our American home
life and the tinseled though polished hypocrisy and knavery of foreign
fashionable society is finely delineated, and no doubt suggested the
name of the play. Thoroughly natural in its plan and characters, it
was a bold venture of a young writer in a new literary domain.

The character of Jonathan is a thoroughly original conception; nothing
of the typical Yankee, since so familiar and popular, had as yet
appeared, either on the stage or in print.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Contrast by Royall Tyler**

1. Context of the Source

The Contrast (1787) is a comedy of manners by Royall Tyler, an American lawyer, playwright, and jurist. It holds the distinction of being the first professionally produced American play, premiered in New York City in 1787 by the Old American Company (managed by Lewis Hallam Jr. and John Henry). Before this, American theater was dominated by British plays, and while a few American-written plays existed (such as Thomas Godfrey’s The Prince of Parthia, 1765, and Barnabas Bidwell’s The Mercenary Match, 1785), none had been successfully staged by a professional troupe.

The play was written in the early post-Revolutionary period, a time when the new United States was grappling with its national identity—particularly in contrast to British and European influences. Tyler’s work reflects the cultural tension between American simplicity and European sophistication, a theme central to early American literature.

2. Themes in the Excerpt (and the Play as a Whole)

The provided excerpt is not a scene from the play itself but rather a critical introduction (likely from an early edition or scholarly preface). However, it highlights the play’s major themes and significance:

American vs. European Values
- The play’s title, The Contrast, refers to the juxtaposition of American honesty and European affectation.
- The excerpt notes that Tyler contrasts "plain and simple honesty of purpose and breeding of our American home life" with the "tinseled though polished hypocrisy and knavery of foreign fashionable society."
- This reflects post-Revolutionary anxieties about whether America should emulate European high society or forge its own path.
National Identity & Cultural Independence
- The play was written at a time when America was defining itself culturally after breaking from Britain.
- The character of Jonathan (a Yankee archetype) is highlighted as an original American creation, predating later stereotypical depictions (e.g., in Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle or Mark Twain’s works).
- His presence symbolizes American ruggedness, practicality, and moral integrity in contrast to the deceptive sophistication of European-influenced elites.
Satire of Social Pretensions
- The play mocked the affectations of the American upper class, many of whom imitated British manners despite the Revolution’s rejection of monarchy.
- The excerpt praises Tyler’s "keen and incisive satire" aimed at "the evils and follies of the time"—likely referring to vanity, class snobbery, and moral hypocrisy.
Theater as a New American Art Form
- The excerpt emphasizes that The Contrast was a "bold venture of a young writer in a new literary domain."
- Before this, American theater was derivative of British models; Tyler’s play marked a shift toward native storytelling.

3. Literary Devices & Style (as Described in the Excerpt)

While the excerpt itself is expository (not dramatic), it describes the play’s literary qualities:

Contrast as a Structural & Thematic Device
- The title itself (The Contrast) signals the play’s binary oppositions:
  - American sincerity vs. European artifice
  - Rural simplicity vs. urban sophistication
  - Honest labor vs. idle aristocracy
- The character of Jonathan embodies the American ideal, while other characters (like the foppish Billy Dimple or the scheming Charlotte) represent European-influenced corruption.
Wit & Humor
- The excerpt praises the play’s "sparkling… genuine wit" and "humorous" tone.
- Tyler likely used irony, wordplay, and exaggerated caricatures (common in comedy of manners) to critique society.
Naturalism in Dialogue & Character
- The play is described as "thoroughly natural in its plan and characters," suggesting realistic speech and relatable scenarios (unlike the stylized language of neoclassical British drama).
- Jonathan’s vernacular speech (likely filled with colloquialisms and malapropisms) would have been a novelty in theater, which typically favored formal, British-influenced diction.
Satire & Social Critique
- The play employs satirical exaggeration to expose hypocrisy and pretension.
- The excerpt mentions "evils and follies of the time," implying that Tyler targeted specific behaviors (e.g., affectation, greed, and moral decay in high society).

4. Significance of the Play (as Highlighted in the Excerpt)

First Successful American Play
- While earlier American plays existed (The Prince of Parthia, The Mercenary Match), they were either unpublished, unperformed, or amateur.
- The Contrast was the first to gain professional approval, marking the birth of American drama.
Cultural Nationalism
- The play championed American values at a time when many elites still looked to Europe for cultural validation.
- The character of Jonathan became a prototype for the "Yankee" archetype, influencing later American literature.
Theater as a Tool for Social Commentary
- By using comedy and satire, Tyler engaged audiences in debates about morality, class, and national identity.
- The play’s success proved that American stories could resonate without relying on British models.
Legacy in American Literature
- While The Contrast is not as widely read today, it paved the way for later American playwrights (e.g., Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and later realist dramatists).
- Its themes of cultural independence foreshadowed later works like Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (American morality vs. European Puritanism) and Twain’s Huckleberry Finn (American individualism vs. Southern aristocracy).

5. Analysis of the Excerpt’s Rhetoric

The excerpt itself is persuasive and laudatory, likely written to elevate the play’s reputation. Key rhetorical strategies include:

Appeal to National Pride ("our American home life")
Contrast with British Theater (implying American originality)
Praise for Naturalism & Wit (positioning the play as both entertaining and morally instructive)
Emphasis on Historical Importance ("first American play… successfully performed")

This framing suggests that early critics saw the play as more than just entertainment—it was a cultural statement.

**Conclusion: Why The Contrast Matters**

The Contrast was not just the first American play—it was a deliberate act of cultural self-definition. Through humor, satire, and the creation of an iconic American character (Jonathan), Royall Tyler:

Challenged the dominance of British theater in America.
Celebrated American virtues (honesty, simplicity) while critiquing European affectation.
Proved that American stories could succeed on their own merits.

While the play may seem simple or didactic by modern standards, its historical and thematic significance makes it a foundational text in American literary history. The excerpt’s praise underscores how early American critics viewed theater as a battleground for national identity—a tradition that would continue in later works from Melville to O’Neill to Miller.

Would you like a deeper analysis of a specific scene or character from the play itself?

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s characterization of The Contrast as a "bold venture of a young writer in a new literary domain" primarily serves to:

A. underscore the play’s technical deficiencies compared to established British comedies of the period.
B. imply that Tyler’s youthful inexperience is evident in the play’s meager plot and incident.
C. suggest that the play’s success was largely attributable to the novelty of its American setting rather than its artistic merit.
D. frame the work as a pioneering act of cultural assertion in a postcolonial context where American artistic independence was still nascent.
E. contrast Tyler’s ambition with the more cautious, derivative approaches of his contemporaries like Godfrey and Bidwell.

Question 2

The passage’s description of Jonathan as a "thoroughly original conception" is most strongly supported by which of the following claims?

A. The character predates the emergence of the "typical Yankee" as a recognizable literary and theatrical archetype.
B. Jonathan’s dialogue exhibits a level of wit and humor that was unprecedented in American drama prior to 1787.
C. The character’s moral integrity is depicted as a direct rebuttal to the hypocrisy of European-influenced American elites.
D. Tyler’s portrayal of Jonathan was the first to use vernacular speech as a deliberate stylistic device in comedy.
E. The character’s popularity among audiences stemmed from his embodiment of rural simplicity over urban sophistication.

Question 3

The passage’s assertion that The Contrast "will compare favorably with many of the English comedies of the period" is primarily intended to:

A. dismiss the notion that American theater could ever rival the sophistication of British drama.
B. position the play as a credible artistic achievement within a tradition dominated by foreign models.
C. argue that Tyler’s work surpasses its British counterparts in terms of moral and satirical depth.
D. suggest that the play’s humor and naturalism were derived from English comedic conventions.
E. imply that the play’s success was due to its adherence to neoclassical dramatic principles rather than innovation.

Question 4

The passage’s tone when discussing the "neglect and inattention" that The Contrast has "heretofore met with" is best described as:

A. indignant, implying that the play’s historical significance has been unjustly overlooked by critics and historians.
B. resigned, acknowledging that the play’s limited plot and incident make its obscurity understandable.
C. ironic, suggesting that the play’s very American themes rendered it unappealing to contemporary audiences.
D. didactic, using the play’s neglect as a cautionary example of how cultural nationalism can lead to artistic parochialism.
E. nostalgic, lamenting the loss of a once-celebrated work that has since fallen out of public memory.

Question 5

Which of the following inferences about the relationship between The Contrast and its historical moment is most strongly supported by the passage?

A. The play’s satire of European fashion was primarily a commercial strategy to appeal to anti-British sentiment in post-Revolutionary America.
B. Tyler’s use of contrast as a structural device was an explicit rejection of the unity of action prized in neoclassical drama.
C. The play’s success with professional managers indicates that American audiences were more receptive to moral didacticism than British ones.
D. The character of Jonathan was likely inspired by real-life figures who embodied the virtues of rural American life in opposition to urban corruption.
E. The play’s thematic preoccupations reflect a broader cultural anxiety about defining American identity in the wake of political independence.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The phrase "bold venture of a young writer in a new literary domain" is embedded in a discussion of The Contrast as the first professionally successful American play, written in a period where American artistic production was still emerging from colonial dependence. The passage emphasizes the play’s role in asserting cultural independence ("the contrast between the plain and simple honesty... of our American home life and the tinseled though polished hypocrisy... of foreign fashionable society"), making D the most defensible answer. The "new literary domain" is not merely generic but national—a postcolonial space where American voices were still establishing legitimacy.