영어로 읽는 고전 _ 부스 타킹턴의 밀회
부스 타킹턴의 "밀회 : 1막 소극"은 20세기 초에 쓰여진 희극 연극입니다. 이 연극 작품은 시골 호텔을 배경으로 하며 사랑, 착각된 정체성, 그리고 대인 관계의 복잡성이라는 주제를 중심으로 전개됩니다. 사회적 논평과 재치로 알려진 타킹턴의 작품은 로맨스와 사회적 기대에 대한 유머러스한 탐구를 보여줍니다.
이 연극은 한적한 호텔 라운지에서 펼쳐지며, 여기서 과부인 커티스 부인은 그녀에게 첫눈에 반한 젊은 남성 랜슬롯 브릭스의 관심을 받는 중심에 서게 됩니다. 극 전반에 걸쳐, 랜슬롯은 자신의 감정과 가족이 제시하는 장애물과 씨름하는 반면, 커티스 부인은 그에게 더 젊은 여성들과 춤을 추도록 격려하며 수줍게 행동합니다.
상황은 랜슬롯의 어머니와 누이의 도착과 함께 더욱 복잡해지며, 커티스 부인의 다른 남성과의 비밀 만남이 더해집니다. 오해와 희극적인 혼란 속에서 등장인물들은 그들의 로맨틱한 얽힘을 헤쳐나가며, 예상치 못한 계시와 유머러스한 긴장감으로 이어집니다. 이 연극은 가벼운 방식으로 청춘의 순수함과 성인 관계의 복잡성을 담아냅니다.
Classics Read in English _ The Trysting Place: A Farce in One Act by Booth Tarkington
Booth Tarkington's "The Trysting Place" stands as a delightful example of early 20th-century theatrical comedy, offering audiences a brisk, witty exploration of romantic entanglements set within the confines of a country hotel lounge. This one-act farce combines sharp dialogue with classic comedic devices to create an entertaining meditation on love's complexities across generations.
The action unfolds in the secluded alcove of a resort hotel—a space ostensibly designed for quiet reflection but which rapidly transforms into the eponymous "trysting place" for multiple pairs of would-be lovers. At the center of this romantic whirlwind stands Mrs. Curtis, an attractive young widow who has caught the eye of the earnest but socially awkward Lancelot Briggs. Despite being merely seventeen years old, Lancelot pursues Mrs. Curtis with the determined intensity of youth, oblivious to both their age difference and the amusement his passion inspires in his sophisticated beloved.
Tarkington masterfully complicates this central romance with the arrival of additional characters, each harboring their own amorous secrets. Lancelot's domineering mother and his romantically inclined sister Jessie soon appear, followed by Mrs. Curtis' mysterious gentleman caller. As these characters converge on the same supposedly private location for their various rendezvous, Tarkington orchestrates a symphony of hiding, eavesdropping, and mistaken assumptions.
The comedy reaches its peak when the characters discover each other's presence, forcing revelations of closely guarded sentiments. Through this cascade of discoveries, Tarkington playfully examines the gap between public decorum and private desire, highlighting how individuals of different ages experience similar emotions yet express them according to the social expectations of their generation.
With its tight structure and rapid-fire revelations, "The Trysting Place" exemplifies Tarkington's gift for crafting comedies that entertain while subtly commenting on social pretensions. The play's enduring charm lies in its lighthearted yet sympathetic portrayal of human vulnerability in matters of the heart, regardless of age or social standing.
Among the contents
THE YOUNG WOMAN
Here’s a place we can sit down! (She immediately drops into a chair.)
THE BOY
Yes, this is a lovely place, where nobody is at all. It’s the only quiet place in the hotel: you never see more than two people here at a time, because it’s kind of off, like this. That’s why I wanted to walk this way. (Sitting on a lounge and leaning toward her.) Isn’t it divine to be in a place where nobody is at all?
THE YOUNG WOMAN (still fanning herself)
Why, you and I are here.
THE BOY
Yes; but I mean nobody else at all. We’re practically all alone, practically.
THE YOUNG WOMAN (laughing as she waves her hand to indicate the spacious corridors to the right and left)
Alone? Why, there are at least three hundred people in this hotel.
THE BOY
Yes, but they’re all either outdoors, or dancin’, or havin’ tea, right now. It’s practically the same as being alone. It is—practically, I mean.
부스 타킹턴(1869-1946)은 미국의 소설가이자 극작가로, 20세기 초 미국 문학계에서 가장 인기 있고 성공한 작가 중 한 명이었습니다. 그는 두 번이나 퓰리처상을 수상했는데, 1919년 '위대한 앰버슨가(The Magnificent Ambersons)'와 1922년 '앨리스 애덤스(Alice Adams)'로 각각 수상했습니다. 인디애나 주 인디애나폴리스 출신인 타킹턴은 중서부 중산층 마을의 생활과 미국 사회의 변화를 작품에 담아냈습니다. 그의 소설 '펜로드(Penrod)' 시리즈는 어린 소년의 모험을 그린 작품으로 널리 사랑받았으며, '세븐틴(Seventeen)'은 청소년기의 사랑과 성장통을 다룬 작품입니다. 타킹턴의 작품은 주로 빠르게 변화하는 산업화 시대의 미국 사회, 특히 중서부 소도시의 모습과 가치 변화를 섬세하게 포착했습니다. 그는 생전에 미국에서 마크 트웨인의 뒤를 잇는 국민 작가로 여겨졌으나, 오늘날에는 그의 명성이 다소 줄어들었음에도 불구하고 미국 문학사에서 중요한 위치를 차지하고 있습니다.
Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) was an American novelist and playwright who was one of the most popular and successful authors of the early 20th century. He was a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, receiving the award for "The Magnificent Ambersons" in 1919 and for "Alice Adams" in 1922. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Tarkington captured the life of middle-class Midwestern towns and the changing American society in his works. His "Penrod" series, which chronicled the adventures of a young boy, was widely beloved, and "Seventeen" dealt with teenage love and growing pains. Tarkington's works primarily focused on capturing the nuances of American society during the rapidly industrializing era, particularly the changing landscape and values of small Midwestern towns. During his lifetime, he was considered a national literary figure second only to Mark Twain in America, and although his reputation has somewhat diminished today, he remains an important figure in American literary history.