Early American Drama

Author Various
This unique volume includes eight early dramas that mirror American literary, social, and cultural history: Royall Tylers The Contrast (1789); William Dunlap'sAndre (1798); James Nelson Barker's The Indian Princess (1808); Robert Montgomery Bird's The Gladiator (1831); William Henry Smith's The Drunkard(1844); Anna Cora Mowatt's Fashion (1845); George Aiken's Uncle Tom's Cabin(1852); and Dion Boucicault's The Octoroon (1859).

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Daniel Hahn is an award-winning translator, writer and editor. His 2026 books include If This Be Magic: the unlikely art of Shakespeare in translation, and translated novels from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Guatemala.

Padma Viswanathan is author of three novels and a memoir, published in eight countries and shortlisted for the Pen Center USA Fiction Prize, the Scotiabank Giller Prize and others, and has translated four books from Brazilian Portuguese. View titles by Various
Early American DramaAcknowledgments
Introduction by Jeffrey H. Richards
Suggestions for Further Reading
A Note on the Texts

The Contrast (1787) by Royall Tyler
André (1798) by William Dunlap
The Indian Princess (1808) by James Nelson Barker
The Gladiator (1831) by Robert Montgomery Bird
The Drunkard (1844) by William Henry Smith
Fashion (1845) by Anna Cora Mowatt
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) by George L. Aiken
The Octoroon (1859) by Dion Boucicault

Explanatory and Textual Notes

About

This unique volume includes eight early dramas that mirror American literary, social, and cultural history: Royall Tylers The Contrast (1789); William Dunlap'sAndre (1798); James Nelson Barker's The Indian Princess (1808); Robert Montgomery Bird's The Gladiator (1831); William Henry Smith's The Drunkard(1844); Anna Cora Mowatt's Fashion (1845); George Aiken's Uncle Tom's Cabin(1852); and Dion Boucicault's The Octoroon (1859).

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Author

Daniel Hahn is an award-winning translator, writer and editor. His 2026 books include If This Be Magic: the unlikely art of Shakespeare in translation, and translated novels from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Guatemala.

Padma Viswanathan is author of three novels and a memoir, published in eight countries and shortlisted for the Pen Center USA Fiction Prize, the Scotiabank Giller Prize and others, and has translated four books from Brazilian Portuguese. View titles by Various

Table of Contents

Early American DramaAcknowledgments
Introduction by Jeffrey H. Richards
Suggestions for Further Reading
A Note on the Texts

The Contrast (1787) by Royall Tyler
André (1798) by William Dunlap
The Indian Princess (1808) by James Nelson Barker
The Gladiator (1831) by Robert Montgomery Bird
The Drunkard (1844) by William Henry Smith
Fashion (1845) by Anna Cora Mowatt
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) by George L. Aiken
The Octoroon (1859) by Dion Boucicault

Explanatory and Textual Notes