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or narrative presented without significant action or plot, as the purpose of the writing is solely to present a character at their typical. Character sketches of this sort are also frequently found in journalism and regionalist humor (e.g., sketches of "Big John" or "the country rube" or "the wise
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published a series of character sketches in 1856. Whitman's sketches involved mostly physical descriptions, however, like
Addison and Steele, his sketches were written with a purpose. Rather than make social or political commentary, Whitman used the opportunity to provide sketches that publicly
189:(1697–1764) to create a character sketch of Mrs. Tow-wouse: "Indeed, if Mrs. Tow-wouse had given no Utterance to the Sweetness of her Temper, Nature had taken such Pains in her Countenance, that Hogarth himself never gave more Expression to a Picture."
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in 1608. However, the character sketch didn't become popular amongst the literate public until the late-seventeenth century. The public appreciated sketches for their humor and readable style. As Pat Rogers notes,
215:(1672–1729), and Joseph Addison (1672–1719) also wrote notable character sketches. Addison and Steele's sketches appeared in a periodical that was issued twice a week under the name
221:(1711–1712). They created several personas such as Roger de Coverly, Mr. Spectator, and Captain Sentry, who represented different classes in English society. Using the
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of these personas, Addison and Steele wrote sketches that addressed important events in the social and political atmospheres. In the United States,
245:(1937– ). The character sketch has also been adapted to appear on television in both dramatic and comedic forms such as TV serials, movies etc.
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Squire"). Each of these attempts to delineate a model of a type (a category of person) rather than a realistic person.
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Rogers, Pat. "'How I Want Thee, Humorous Hogart': The Motif of the Absent Artist in Swift, Fielding and Others."
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