AJ1771


 * //__The Year Was 1771… __//**



1771 was a somewhat sleepy year for jolly old England. King George III was on the throne and all was well in the realm. Explorations to new lands were about and underway. England was establishing itself as a world power as evident by Spain’s decision to yield governance of the Falkland Islands to England. Despite all the happenstances and new discoveries, Londoners still found time to find enjoyment in the theater. Unlike the year in which it began, the theater season that stretched from 1771 – 1772 was a busy one.

The theatric al season was ripe with melodies lifted in song, music, dance, and a distinctive understanding of local happenings. Not to be outdone by the stage, the articles in the local press contained many an amusing commentary happenings of the day and of course on the productions of the theater. The press also concerned itself with international events. All of this made for a very well rounded populace. Theater companies took note of their patrons growing sophistication and as such there was a return to the works of Shakespeare. Productions of: //Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing//, and //The Merchant of Venice,// all made their way to the stage during 1771. Playwrights also pi cked up on this growing cleverness in their audiences and begin to address it in their plays. This burgeoning worldliness made it possible for a number of new and different works to be produced for the theater. Plays such as: //The Beggar’s Opera, The English Merchant, The Clandestine Marriage, King Arthur, The Jealous Wife, The Suspicious Husband, The Maid of Bath, Clementina, // and //Cymbeline // were all performed during the 1771 theater season. Art imitates life or so the saying goes and the 1771 theater season seemed to do just that. Theater companies and playwrights both took note of the public’s interest in both local and worldly news and adjusted accordingly. Arguably one of the most successful if not most popular of the plays that went to stage that season was Richard Cumberland’s //The West Indian//. According to the author George Stone, //The West In// //dian // played nightly for 28 straight nights after its debut in January of 1771. Richard Cumberland found a way to successfully marry the public’s interest in the happenings of the West Indies and trade, in a fashion entertaining to the English public.

The West Indian Character Flow Chart

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The West Indian a 5 act stage play by Richard Cumberland <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The play is full of questions about morality and proper behavior. There are villains and heroes, sympathetic types and wayward types. Greed, deception, honour and goodness all play their role in this play. Way before Darth Vader revealed himself as Luke’s father, Cumberland uses this plot device to set up the action that takes place in The West Indian. The West Indies represented a newness if not altogether different way of doing things, this is depicted in the character of Belcour. As merchants had begun to be respected members of society, the character of Stockwell reflects this new image of respectability. Mr. and Mrs. Fulmer who cannot seem to win at anything th <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">ey do especially theft, represent the old way of doing business through deception and trickery. The character of O’Flaherty represents a turn toward doing what’s right as opposed to operating from a standpoint of what is best for your pocket. Charles and Louisa embody the notion that the just will be rewarded.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Characters of Note <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mr. Stockwell <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Belcour <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Captain Dudley <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Varland <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charles Dudley <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Louisa Dudley <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Major O’Flaherty <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mr. Fulmer & Mrs. Fulmer <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lady Rufport <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charlotte

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Act 1
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mr. Stockwell, details the secret history of Belcour
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mr. Stockwell intends to test the moral fiber of Belcour
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour is out of his element causes a street fight as he is not use to large crowds
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Lady Rufport explains to her stepdaughter Charlotte that she is under no legal obligation to support her poor relatives, the Dudleys
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte counters with Christian duty which dictates that she should do so.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Lady Rufport accuses Charlotte of being in love with Charles Dudley
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Again Charlotte counters indicating that Major O’Flaherty’s is taken with Rufport
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles arrives to ask Lady Rufport for financial assistance for his family who were not left any of Sir Oliver’s fortune as it all went to Lady Rufport
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles pleads his father’s case to no avail
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty interrupts their conversation and goes off with Lady Rufport
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles prepares to leave, but Charlotte first asks him for the address at which his family is staying.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Act II.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Fulmers ponder their many failed business endeavors.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Fulmers express confusion over the Dudley’s constant misfortune.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Making reference to Louisa’s beauty, the Fulmers imply that she become a leased woman as she would bring in a heft penny
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Louisa Dudley enters to say that a young man treated her very improperly in the street but she gave him the slip.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour, the gentleman in question, arrives at the house and speaks with Mrs. Fulmer. Mrs. Fulmer discerns that Belcour has fallen in love with Louisa, but refuses to give him any information about her.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Attempting to get rid of Captain Dudley, Mr. Fulmer tells Belcour that Dudley is a soldier who wants to go on full-pay but no one will give him the funds to return to service.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sympathetic, Belcour asks to meet with Dudley. Belcour offers him £200.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Major O’Flaherty arrives bearing bad news, Lady Rufport wants Dudley to leave London
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty offers to share part of his fortune with Dudley when he marries Lady Rufport
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte worries that she has shown her affection for Charles too overtly.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles loves Charlotte but cannot court her because of their differences in fortune.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte tells Charley to exchange her earrings with Mr. Stockwell for £200
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty determines to give Dudley the money himself since Lady Rufport has given Dudley nothing, O’Flaherty calls Lady Rufport a hyena

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Act III.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mr. Stockwell asks Belcour to return Charlotte’s jewels, and recommends Charlotte as a possible candidate for matrimony.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour is in love Louisa; Mrs. Fulmer sends him a note saying that she has found her
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mr. Stockwell advises Belcour to not allow himself to fall prey to seduction
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Fulmers go over their plot to deceive Belcour and profit off of Louisa
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mrs. Fulmer lies to Belcour indicating that Miss Dudley is Charles’ mistress and not his sister
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mrs. Fulmer attempts to relieve Belcour of Charlotte’s diamonds indicating to do so would be a means seducing ‘Miss Dudley’ away from Charles
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Louisa Dudley enters and Belcour throws himself at her. She refuses his advances and leaves
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mr. Stockwell visits Charlotte to say that he will loan her the money without her having to use diamonds.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mrs. Fulmer has kept the jewels
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Defeated, Belcour arrives at Charlotte’s to apologize and to present her more expensive diamonds than those she had sent fourth
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte forgives him, but refuses to take the new jewels
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles sends a note describing Belcour’s generosity and indicates that Charlotte’s money is no longer needed
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte announces that she intends to marry Charles, Belcour counters with his hand believing that he is liberating her from Charley’s lust
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Louisa Dudley arrives; both she and Belcour are tongue-tied.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte sends Belcour away and speaks privately to Louisa; she discovers that Louisa has not received the diamonds
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles arrives and Charlotte sends him to clear up the diamond matter with Belcour.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Act IV.


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Fulmers prepare to flee to Boulogne with the diamonds
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles determines to never see Charlotte’s as a means to repay her generosity
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Louisa realizes she is falling in love with Belcour.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour asks for Louisa’s hand; she asks him to return Charlottes diamonds
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles and Belcour fight. O’Flaherty enters and Louisa breaks up the fight.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour departs, saying that Charles knows where he is to be found should they wish to resume the duel. O’Flaherty says he will act as Charles’ second.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Varland arrives to discuss financial matters with Lady Rufport.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Varland produces a will signed by Sir Oliver that leaves his entire estate to Charles Dudley.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte instructs O’Flaherty to spy on Lady Rufport and Varland
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte asks Charles if he would make her his wife were he in possession of his grandfather’s estate.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charlotte asks Charles to run away with her; she can stay at Belcour’s in the meantime.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This doesn’t sit well with Charles
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty realizes that something is amiss between Lady Rufport and her lawyer, advises Charles that he must leave immediately.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty purposes to continue to eavesdrop on Lady Rufport and Varland
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Lady Rufport offers Varland five thousand pounds if he burns the will, to which he happily agrees
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">After Lady Rufport leaves, O’Flaherty threatens to beat Varland if he does not give up the will
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Varland’s “conscience is acquitted” despite losing out on the money
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour confesses to Stockwell’s that he is a hothead and that keeps him in fights
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty enters and tells Belcour that the duel will take place at nine o’clock. O’Flaherty tells Belcour that he has gotten what he deserves for attempting to seduce an honorable woman
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Though furious, Stockwell offers to be Belcour’s second.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Stockwell is furious with his son (who is still unaware of his true parentage!)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour explains the situation to Stockwell
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Stukely, reveals to Stockwell that the Fulmers have been apprehended for trying to sell stolen diamonds.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour must still fight Charles. Stockwell says that he will reveal a secret to Belcour

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Act V. > <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> At the duel, Charles asks Stockwell why he is fighting with Belcour
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Stockwell says that they have the means to clear Louisa’s name without fighting.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Fulmers admit the scheme
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mr. Fulmer indicates the plan was his wife’s devising, and asks that he be excluded from the punishment and that disgrace not be brought upon his profession (he is a printer).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Stockwell indicates that Fulmer is the one who brought about the disgrace
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles agrees not to fight
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty tells Charles that his aunt intends to cheat him of his inheritance
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Stukely finds Dudley and Louisa and informs them of the Fulmers’ plot
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Stockwell encourages Louisa to forgive Belcour for his treatment of her, as he has not yet adjusted to the climate and customs of England
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour apologizes to Louisa and she forgives him
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">O’Flaherty goes to get the will
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour tries to persuade Louisa to love him, but she cannot because she is too poor.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles and O’Flaherty enter triumphantly to announce that Louisa has been left fifteen thousand pounds from her grandfather’s will, and that Charles has inherited the rest of the fortune.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The family agrees to finance O’Flaherty if Varland launches a lawsuit of assault and battery against him.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Louisa loves Belcour and the joyful Stockwell admits that Belcour is his son.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour’s servant brings Charlotte ready to elope to Scotland with Charles
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Charles and Charlotte are reconciled
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Lady Rufport enters; O’Flaherty informs her of Charles’ inheritance; She leaves in a angrily
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Belcour urges Louisa to remind him of this occasion if he ever deviates from good behavior.



**__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16pt;">Works Cited: __**

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Arts and Entertainment" Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette 69 (1771): 1.17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cumberland, Richard. The West Indian. A comedy. As it is performed at the Theatre Royal, in Drury-Lane. By the author of The brothers. Belfast, MDCCLXXI. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">[1771]. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale. University of Maryland College Park. 12 Aug. 2012. "News, April 20." Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gazette 47 (1771): 1. 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stone, George W. "The Season of 1770-1771." The London Stage. 1st ed. Vol. 3. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois Univ. Pr., 1968. 1495-564. Print. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stone, George W. "The Season of 1771-1772." The London Stage. 1st ed. Vol. 3. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois Univ. Pr., 1968. 1565-597. Print. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"To The Public, March 16." Bingley's Weekly Journal or the Universal Gazette 42. (1771): 1. 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cumberland, Richard. "The West Indian : A Comedy as It Is Performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane." The West Indian : A Comedy as It Is Performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. Rice University/LYRASIS and Sloan Foundation, 30 June 2011. Web. 1 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Williams, Stanley J. "Full Text of "Richard Cumberland's West Indian"" Full Text of "Richard Cumberland's West Indian" Modern Language Notes Volume 35, 10 Mar. 2001. Web. 1 July 2014. "Richard Cumberland's West Indian is an article from Modern Language Notes, Volume 35. Page range: 413-417 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hegele, Arden. "Collection No. 31: The West Indian, by Richard Cumberland. "The West Indian. University of Toronto, 2009. Web. 1 July 2014 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Arnold, Albert James. A History of Literature in the Caribbean: English- and Dutch-speaking countries. John Benjamins Publishing, 2001. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lorenzen, Richard L. The History of the Prince of Wales's Theatre, London, 1771-1903. Hatfield: U of Hertfordshire, 2014. Print <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Price, Jacob M. "By Subject." Joshua Johnson's Letterbook 1771-1774. London Record Society, Nov. 2013. Web. 1 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Historical Events for Year 1771 - HistoryOrb.com." HistoryOrb.com. History Orb, 2000. Web. 1 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cable, Richard. "British History Timeline." BBC News. BBC, 9 Sept. 2007. Web. 1 July 2014 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Williams, Hywel. Cassell's Chronology of World History: Dates, Events and Ideas That Made History. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005. Print <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> "§3. Richard Cumberland; "The Brothers; The West Indian". XII. The Georgian Drama. Vol. 11. The Period of the French Revolution. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: An Encyclopedia in Eighteen Volumes. 190721." §3. Richard Cumberland; "The Brothers; The West Indian". XII. The Georgian Drama. Vol. 11. The Period of the French Revolution. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: An Encyclopedia in Eighteen Volumes. 190721. Bartleby.com/Cambridge England: University Press, 1907–21, Jan. 2000. Web. 1 July 2014. The Cambridge history of English and American literature: An encyclopedia in eighteen volumes, ed. by A.W. Ward, A.R. Waller, W.P. Trent, J. Erskine, S.P. Sherman, and C. Van Doren <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Our History. Back." Falkland. Falkland Government, 2012. Web. 1 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The Gazette." //Issue 11109, 12 January 1771//<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0980392);">. The Stationary Office, 2011. Web. 2 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The Gazette." //Issue 11117, 2 February 1771//<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0980392);">. The Stationary Office, 2011. Web. 2 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The Gazette." //Issue 11126, 12 March 1771//<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0980392);">. The Stationary Office, 2011. Web. 2 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The Gazette." //Issue 11135, 13 April 1771//<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0980392);">. The Stationary Office, 2011. Web. 2 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The Gazette." //Issue 11179, 14 September 1771//<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0980392);">. The Stationary Office, 2011. Web. 2 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The Gazette." //Issue 11187, 12 October 1771//<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0980392);">. The Stationary Office, 2011. Web. 2 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Image of Drury Lane Theater taken from "Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London – Official Theatre Tickets – Book Now! "Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London – Official Theatre Tickets – Boo...London Theater, n.d. Web. 12 July 2014. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Image Scott Samuel, “The Thames and the Tower of London supposedly on the Kings Birthday, 1771”, Yale Centre for British Art, Hartford, Connecticut, USA, 1771