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The Chinese Wall (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)

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Characters Discussed

The Contemporary, a modern intellectual who is both the narrator of the play and a central character. He moves back and forth in the play’s time structure, introducing the many historical and literary personages, debating with them, and commenting on their role in history and relation to the modern world. the figures represent recurring archetypal characters that populate the modern imagination. the narrator hopes to convince them (and the audience) of the need to break the cycle of their behavior. the return of such tyrants as the Chinese emperor Hwang...

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