부스 타킹턴의 밀회

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.