Oliver
Goldsmith's Comedy, She Stoops to Conquer opens with a prologue in which an
actor mourns the death of the classical low comedy at the altar of sentimental,
'mawkish' comedy. He hopes that Dr. Goldsmith can remedy this problem through
the play about to be presented. The play's heroine and the 'she' of the title
is Kate Hardcastle, daughter of Mr. Hardcastle who falls in love with Charles
Marlowe. Marlowe is extremely shy around refined ladies of upper class but
comfortable with women of humble birth. Be mistakes Kate for a woman of the
lower class and she allows him to continue to mistake her identity. She poses
as a maid so that be becomes comfortable. The subplot revolves around the
romance between Marlowe's friend, George Hastings and Constance Neville, niece
of Mrs. Hardcastle. The play ends with the two couples, Marlowe and Kate and
Hastings and Constance- united and ready to wed. The play deals with the theme
of social class.
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