She Stoops to Conquer

An Anti-Sentimental comedy

What is a sentimental comedy?

The sentimental comedy of the ۱۸th century was a reaction against the
comedy of manners which had been vogue during the Restoration period. It
appeals especially to our feelings of sorrow, pity and sympathy. It produces
tears rather than laughter.

Anti-Sentimental comedy:

• Anti-Sentimental comedy is a reaction against sentimental comedy.

• The comedy of humor, which Oliver Goldsmith cultivated in the
۱۸th century was a reaction against sentimental comedy.
• Goldsmith opposed “sentimental comedy” because he wanted to
regain the sense of humor, wit and laughter, lost at the hands of
sentimental comedy, which was more of a tragedy than a comedy.

• Anti-sentimental comedy is a kind of comedy representing complex

and sophisticated code of behavior current in fashion circles of
society.

The prologue

• The basic premise of the prologue is that the comic arts are passing
away, and that Dr.Goldsmith might prove the doctor, and she stoops
to conquer the medicine that will cease its death.

Mr. Wood ward enters and speaks apologue. He is drying his eyes as though
he has been crying. In verse , Woodward laments to the audience that “the
comic muse , long sick , is now a dying !” as an actor trained in comedy , he
intuits that his own career will pass away along with comedy itself , since
he “can as soon speak Greek as sentiments!” unable to tell moralistic,
sentimental stories , he fears for the fate of himself and his brethren. He
attempts to tell a moral poem beginning with “all is gold that glitters”, but
performs poorly and stops himself. He offers one final hope for his problem
– “a doctor this might of medium. He urges the audience to accept the
doctor’s comic medicine willingly, to laugh heartly, and stresses that should
the doctor’s goal not be achieved, and then they can hold it against him and
deny him his fee.

● Analysis:
The play’s prologue is useful in the way it provides insight into Goldsmith’s
purpose in the play. Obviously, the most elicit purpose is to make the
audience laugh.

The speaker- Mr. Woodward, who would have been portrayed by a different
actor-comes out in mourning, already having been crying, which in a way
poses a challenge to the play. If we, as actors and audience, are in a state of
sadness, can the play lift out spirits? However, most relevant is the state of
affairs sculpted here.

The prologue mirrors the trends in theater that writers like Goldsmith were
desperately trying to change. At the time of she stoops to conquer, popular
theater comedy termed “sentimental comedy” and “laughing comedy”. The
former was concerned with bourgeois (middle-class) morality and with
praising virtue. The latter, which dated back to the Greeks and Romans and
through Shakespeare, was more willing to engage in “low” humor for the
sake of mocking vice.

It’s worth reviewing the “about ‘An Essay on the theater “section this classic
note that explains in more detail the context of the theater of the time, since
it will provide an even more in-depth understanding of the purpose
suggested in this prologue. But even without such extensive historical
research, the prologue brings the audience in with a particular question: can
this play remind us that true comedy, which is willing to be silly and
unpretentious; is the most entertaining of all?

Conclusion:
Anti-sentimental comedy this forms is becomes popular with the comedies
that were presented by Oliver Goldsmith’s ‘she stoops to conquer’ it’s a kind
of comedy representing complex and sophisticated code of behavior correct
in fashionable circle of the society. The title of this novel refers to the
“stooping down” of Kate Hardcastle from her position in high society to the
position as a barmaid. She does this in order to test the feelings of Marlow,
to make sure that he loves her for herself and not for her money. In the end,
she gets what she wants, and proves a point. She learns that Marlow’s
feelings are genuine and demonstrates that love is not controlled by social
position. By “stooping down”, she conquered society.
She Stoops to Conquer Analysis vexing the kittens. And, Hardcastle says, “It was but yesterday
he fastened my wig to the back of my chair, and when I went
to make a bow, I popt my bald head in Mrs. Frizzle’s face.”
Type of Play ....... .......Now as a young man, Tony has become a fat slob who
She Stoops to Conquer is a stage play in the form of a spends most of his time at the local alehouse. Soon he will
comedy of manners, which ridicules the manners (way of come of age, making him eligible for an inheritance of 1500
life, social customs, etc.) of a certain segment of society, in pounds a year with which to feed his fancies. Mrs. Hardcastle
this case the upper class. The play is also sometimes wants to match Tony with her niece and ward, Constance
termed a drawing-room comedy. The play uses farce Neville, who has inherited a casket of jewels from her uncle.
(including many mix-ups) and satire to poke fun at the As Miss Neville’s guardian, Mrs. Hardcastle holds the jewels
class-consciousness of eighteenth-century Englishmen and under lock and key against the day when Constance can take
to satirize what Goldsmith called the "weeping sentimental legal possession of them.
comedy so much in fashion at present." .......While Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle discuss the London trip
that is not to take place, Tony passes between them and sets
off for the alehouse, The Three Pigeons. Mrs. Hardcastle
Setting chases out the door after him, saying he should find
Most of the action takes place in the Hardcastle mansion in something better to do than associate with riffraff.
the English countryside, about sixty miles from London. .......Alone, Mr. Hardcastle laments the follies of the age. Even
The mansion is an old but comfortable dwelling that his darling Kate is becoming infected, for now she has become
resembles an inn. A brief episode takes place at a nearby fond of “French frippery.” When she enters the room, he tells
tavern, The Three Pigeons Alehouse. The time is the her he has arranged for her to meet an eligible young man,
eighteenth century. Mr. Charles Marlow, a scholar with many good qualities who
“is designed for employment in the service of the country.”
Title Marlow is to arrive for a visit that very evening with a friend,
The title refers to Kate's ruse of pretending to be a barmaid Mr. George Hastings. Young Marlow is the son of Hardcastle’s
to reach her goal. It originates in the poetry of Dryden, friend, Sir Charles Marlow. Kate welcomes the opportunity to
which Goldsmith may have seen misquoted by Lord meet the young man, although she is wary about her father’s
description of him as extremely shy around young ladies.
Chesterfield. In Chesterfield's version, the lines in question
.......By and by, Constance Neville comes in for a visit. When
read:
Kate tells her about young Mr. Marlow, Constance tells her
"The prostrate lover, when he lowest lies, But stoops to
that her own admirer, Mr. Hastings, a friend of the Marlow
conquer, and but kneels to rise."
family. Miss Neville welcomes the attentions of Hastings but
laments Mrs. Hardcastle’s attempts to pair her with her
Plot Summary . “pretty monster,” Tony, in an effort to keep Miss Neville’s
.......In a downstairs room of their old mansion, Dorothy jewels in the family. Tony and Constance despise each other.
Hardcastle tells her husband that they need a little
diversion—namely, a trip to London, a city she has never Tony Plays Trick
visited. Their neighbors, the Hoggs sisters and Mrs. Grigsby, .......Meanwhile, at the alehouse, Tony is having a ripping
spend a month in London every winter. It is the place to see good time singing and drinking when Hastings and young
and be seen. But old Hardcastle, content with his humdrum Marlow come in asking for directions to the Hardcastle home.
rural existence, says people who visit the great city only bring Having just arrived in the area from London after a wearisome
back its silly fashions and vanities. Once upon a time, he says, trip, they have lost their way. Tony, who resents Mr.
London’s affectations and fopperies took a long time to reach Hardcastle’s treatment of him lately, sees a way to get even:
the country; now they come swiftly and regularly by the He tells Marlow and Hastings that Hardcastle is an ugly,
coach-load. cantankerous fellow and that his daughter is a “tall, trapesing,
.......Mrs. Hardcastle, eager for fresh faces and conversations, trolloping, talkative maypole.” But, he says, Hardcastle’s son
says their only visitors are Mrs. Oddfish, the wife of the local (meaning himself) is a “pretty, well-bred youth that
minister, and Mr. Cripplegate, the lame dancing teacher. everybody is fond of.” Marlow says he has been told
What’s more, their only entertainment is Mr. Hardcastle’s old otherwise, namely, that the daughter is “well-bred and
stories about sieges and battles. But Hardcastle says he likes beautiful; the son, an awkward booby, reared up and spoiled
everything old—friends, times, manners, books, wine, and, of at his mother’s apron-string.”
course, his wife. .......Taken aback, Tony can only hem and haw. Then, deciding
.......Living in their home with them is their daughter, Kate, a to work a mischief, he tells them the Hardcastle home is too
pretty miss of marriageable age, and Tony, Mrs. Hardcastle’s far to reach by nightfall but that there is a nice inn just up the
son by her first husband, Mr. Lumpkin. As a boy, Tony road. The “inn” is, of course, the Hardcastle home. When
bedeviled his stepfather, Mr. Hardcastle, with every variety of Marlow and Hastings arrive there, they note that the inn is old
mischief, burning a servant’s shoes, scaring the maids, and but commendable in its own way. Hastings comments that
Marlow has traveled widely, staying at many inns, but inducement for Hastings to run off with Constance. Later,
wonders why such a man of the world is so shy around young Mrs. Hardcastle discovers it missing and thinks a robber is
women. Marlow reminds him that he is shy only around about.
young ladies of culture and bearing. Around women of the .......Meanwhile, a maid tells Kate that Marlow believes he is
lower classes, he is a nonstop talker, a wag completely at at an inn. The maid also tells her that Marlow mistook Kate
ease. Hastings replies: “But in the company of women of for a barmaid after she changed into her casual attire. Kate
reputation I never saw such an idiot, such a trembler; you decides to keep up the charade, changing her voice and
look for all the world as if you wanted an opportunity of demeanor in Marlow’s presence.
stealing out of the room.” .......When he strikes up a conversation with her, he says she is
.......When Mr. Hardcastle enters, he welcomes them as the “vastly handsome.” Growing bold, he adds, “Suppose I should
expected guests—the Marlow fellow who is to meet his call for a taste, just by way of a trial, of the nectar of your
daughter and Marlow’s friend Hastings. However, the young lips.” (To audiences attending the play, Marlow’s bold
men—believing that they are at the inn described by Tony— behavior is not at all surprising, for they are aware that
think Mr. Hardcastle is the innkeeper, and treat him like one, Marlow is a different man when in the presence of women of
giving him orders to prepare their supper and asking to see the servant class.) When old Hardcastle observes Kate and
the accommodations. Hardcastle is much offended by Marlow together, he sees Marlow seize Kate’s hand and treat
their behavior, thinking them the rudest of visitors, for he her like a milkmaid. He’s thinking of turning Marlow out.
remains unaware that they think they are at an inn. He keeps When he makes his feelings known to Kate, she asks for an
his feelings to himself. hour to convince her father that Marlow is not so bold and
.......When Hardcastle goes upstairs with Marlow to show him rude as her father believes he is. He agrees to her proposal.
his room, Hastings runs into Constance Neville and, through .......The plot thickens at this point, for another visitor will
his conversation with her, realizes that he is at the Hardcastle shortly arrive—Marlow’s father, Sir Charles Marlow. It seems
home, not an inn. Hastings decides to keep the information a Miss Neville happened on a letter to old Hardcastle in which
secret from Marlow, fearing that Marlow would react to the Sir Charles announced that he would arrive at the Hardcastle
mix-up by immediately leaving. Thus, he allows Marlow to home a few hours after his son made his appearance. When
believe that Constance and Kate are also guests at the “inn.” she tells George Hastings of Sir Charles’s expected arrival at
.......When Marlow finally meets Kate, his shyness all but any minute, George worries that Sir Charles—who is aware of
tongue-ties him. Almost every time he starts a sentence, Kate George’s fondness for Constance—will somehow upset their
has to finish it. But she compliments him on being so clever as plans to run off together. Constance asks whether the jewels
to bring up interesting topics of conversation. All the while are safe. George assures her they are, for he has sent the
that they talk, Marlow lacks the courage even to look at her jewels, via a servant, to Marlow for safekeeping.
face. He does not even know what she looks like. .......Unfortunately, unknown to Hastings, Marlow has told the
.......In another room, Tony, who has returned from the pub, servant to give the casket of jewels to the “landlady” for
and Constance are insulting each other, as usual, to the safekeeping. So the jewels are back where they were
dismay of Mrs. Hardcastle. After Hastings observes their originally, in Mrs. Hardcastle’s possession (as Miss Neville’s
spitfire give-and-take, he tells Tony he will take the young lady guardian). Tony tells his mother a servant was responsible for
off his hands if Tony will help him win her. misplacing them. Satisfied, she returns to the task of
.......“I’ll engage to whip her off to France, and you shall never promoting a romance between Tony and Constance, unaware
hear more of her,” Hastings says. that Hastings and the young lady are plotting to abscond.
.......Tony replies: “Ecod, I will [help] to the last drop of my .......Marlow is by now captivated by the barmaid and says to
blood.” himself, “She’s mine, she must be mine.”
.......Meanwhile, old Hardcastle has had enough of impudent
Hardcastle Annoyed Marlow and orders him to leave. Marlow protests. Hardcastle
.......Mr. Hardcastle, meanwhile, is becoming more and more rants and exits in a huff. When Kate enters, she realizes
annoyed with Marlow for treating him like a lackey. Alone on Marlow now knows something strange is going on, so she
the stage, Hardcastle laments, “He has taken possession of reveals that the inn is Hardcastle’s house. However, she
the easy-chair by the fire-side already. He took off his boots in describes herself as a “relative”—a “poor relation” who helps
the parlour, and desired me to see them taken care of. I’m out. As such, she knows, Marlow will continue to talk to her
desirous to know how his impudence affects my daughter.” freely, since a “poor relation” is the same in standing as a
.......Kate has been upstairs changing into casual clothes. barmaid. Marlow, shaken and deeply embarrassed, says, “To
When she comes down and talks with her father, she mistake this house of all others for an inn, and my father's old
bemoans Marlow’s incredible shyness while Hardcastle, in friend for an innkeeper! What a swaggering puppy must he
turn, complains about Marlow’s rudeness. They wonder take me for! What a silly puppy do I find myself!
whether they are talking about the same person. .......Marlow tells the “poor relation” that he will be leaving, in
.......While they converse, Tony, who knows where his mother view of the circumstances, but notes that she has been the
keeps everything, gets the casket of jewels Mrs. Hardcastle is only positive thing that happened to him during the confusing
holding for Constance and gives it to Hastings as an and disconcerting ordeal. His words help to identify the
feeling she felt for him when they met: love. Her scheme of Themes
posing as a barmaid/poor relation to find out his real .
feelings—a scheme in which she stooped to conquer—has
Class Bias
proved wise.
Until Kate teaches him a lesson, Marlow responds to
.......Further mix-ups develop involving Miss Neville’s jewels
women solely on the basis of their status in society. He
and Mr. Hastings’ planned elopement with Constance. Tony is
looks down on women of the lower class but is wholly at
implicated as the trickster who set in motion the comedy of
errors by telling Marlow and Hastings that the Hardcastle ease around them; he esteems women of the upper class
home was an inn. but is painfully shy around them. Like the London society in
.......When Sir Charles arrives, he and old Hardcastle have a which he was brought up, he assumes that all women of a
laugh about the mix-ups, but Hardcastle tells Kate that he is certain class think and act according to artificial and
still unconvinced that Marlow is anything but rude and arbitrary standards expected of that class. As for Mrs.
insulting. To prove that Marlow is a worthy man, Kate enacts Hardcastle, she appears to assess a person by the value of
one final scene as the poor relative while Marlow converses his or her possessions.
with her and Sir Charles and Hardcastle listen behind a screen. .
In the end, Kate reveals her identity to Marlow, and everyone Love Ignores Social Boundaries
understands the mistakes of the evening. Although prevailing attitudes among England's elite classes
.......But there is a further development: Old Hardcastle frown on romance between one of their own and a person
reveals that Tony is “of age”—and has been for three months, of humble origin, Marlow can't help falling in love with a
meaning he has a right now to make up his own mind about common "barmaid" (who is, of course, Kate in disguise).
his future. Immediately, as his first act as his own man, Tony .
goes against his mother’s wishes and refuses to marry Hope for Flawed Humanity
Constance Neville, freeing her to marry Hastings—and Although Marlow makes a fool of himself as a result of his
qualifying her to receive the jewels. In the end, the young upper-class biases, Kate has enough common sense to see
lovers—Kate and Marlow, Constance and Hastings—are
through the London hauteur encasing him and to
betrothed.
appreciate him for his genuinely good qualities—which are
.......Mrs. Hardcastle comments, “This is all but the whining
considerable, once he allows them to surface. Also, Mrs.
end of a modern novel.”
Hardcastle, in spite of her misguided values, enjoys the
love of her practical, down-to-earth husband. He, too, is
Climax willing to look beyond her foibles in favor of her good
The climax occurs when Kate reveals her true identity to points.
young Marlow while Hardcastle and Sir Charles listen .
behind a screen. Money Breeds Indolence
Tony Lumpkin will get 1,500 pounds a year when he comes
Style and Structure ....... of age. Thus, without financial worries, he devotes himself
Goldsmith's style is wry, witty, and simple but graceful. to ale and a do-nothing life.
From beginning to end, the play is both entertaining and
easy to understand, presenting few words and idioms that .
modern audiences would not understand. It is also well First Performance
constructed and moves along rapidly, the events of the first Goldsmith completed the play in 1773. It was first
act—in particular, references to Tony Lumpkin's childhood performed at Covent Garden Theatre in London on March
propensity for working mischief and playing playing 15 of that year. It was well received. Over the last two
practical jokes—foreshadowing the events of the following centuries, it has become one of the most popular comedies
acts. in English literary history. It is still performed often today
....... throughout the English-speaking world.
There are frequent scene changes, punctuated by an
occasional appearance of a character alone on the stage
(solus in the stage directions) reciting a brief account of his
feelings. In modern terms, the play is a page-turner for
readers. Goldsmith observed the classical unities of time
and place, for the action of the play takes place in single
locale (the English countryside) on a single day.
 She Stoops To Conquer: Summary and Analysis

She Stoops to Conquer or The Mistakes of a Night was written by Irish

novelist Oliver Goldsmith to restore the essence of wit and humour that were
hugely missing in the sentimental drama of ۱۸th century England.
The Prologue

The prologue uttered by Woodward, (one of the leading actor of those

times), points out how “the Comic Muse, long sick, is now a-dying!” thereby
referring to the steady dissipation of true comedy by an overdose of morality
and sentiment that were in vogue in the sentimental plays. He asserts that “a
doctor,” (namely Goldsmith), “has come this night” with his “five draughts,”
meaning the five acts of the play, to make the audience laugh heartily.

First performed in London in ۱۷٥۳, this anti-sentimental comedy also

satirises the vain class consciousness of the upper-class people of his day,
employing the form of a comedy of manners.

Historical Context

She Stoops to Conquer was a huge success, and this was particularly
important to Goldsmith for his previous work, “The Good-Natured Man”
had been poorly received. Interestingly, Goldsmith flouted the very factor of
involving scenes of low behaviour that had led his earlier play to be
criticised, by deliberately depicting the alehouse scene where drunkards
stress that their kind of life is not at all low. The play is also referred to as a
Restoration Comedy for its similarities with the “laughing comedies” of the
Restoration period.
Act ۱

Plot Summary
Mr. and Mrs. Harcastle, a middle-aged couple reside in their “old fashioned”
mansion that reminds one of an inn. Along with them dwell, their daughter
Kate, Mrs. Hardcastle’s son from her previous marriage, Tony and their
cousin, Constance Neville. Kate is an obedient daughter, who wears as she
pleases in the morning, while dresses according to her father’s wishes in the
evening. Tony, on the other hand, is a habitual drunk and follower of “low
company.” Mrs. Hardcastle strongly wishes to get Tony and Neville married
since the latter possesses a small fortune, but both Tony and Neville despise
each other.

Analysis
Act ۱ introduces all the characters and prepares the basis on which the
complications are going to be established. Thus Mrs. Hardcastle’s
comparison of her house with an inn prepares the ground for Marlow’s and
Hastings’s misconception. Also, Kate’s unusual dressing routine is a hint to
the audience about the scheme of identity reversal that she’d undertake so as
to unveil Marlow’s true nature. The audience consequently receives ample
occasions to laugh, being aware of the expected follies of the characters. Act
۱ also highlights one of Goldsmith’s major themes; the subversion of
traditional beliefs and instead of going for a zestful life. A sentimental
comedy generally portrayed a virtuous character as its hero. Here, in Act ۱
itself, the audience come to know how Marlow is a complicated character,
who assumes modesty only to serve his means. It is only Kate who appears
admirable and rational. Another character who later seems to be the play’s
chief spokesman is Tony, and this is revealed through his alehouse song that
directly undermines traditional wisdom and praises base living.
Act ۲

Plot Summary
Marlow, accompanied by Hastings loses his way to Mr. Hardcastle’s house,
and when they go looking for lodging at the pub, the Three Pigeons, Tony
deliberately misguides them by insisting to stay at the old inn down the road,
which is, in reality, Mr. Hardcastle’s house. Consequently upon arrival, both
Marlow and Hastings behave rudely with Mr. Hrdcastle, believing him to be
the inn keeper. Mr. Hardcastle, on his part, is shocked by their impertinence.

In the meantime, Constance, on finding Hastings, attempts to shed light on

the matter by suggesting that the folly of mistaken identities is probably a
trick of Tony. They finally decide not to reveal it to Marlow to avoid
upsetting him and elope together, taking along the jewels. This plan is highly
approved of and given impetus by Tony, who solely to escape marriage with
Constance, volunteers to steal the jewels himself.

Marlow meets the formally dressed Kate and judging her standard from her
attire, indulges in an extremely grave conversation that is entirely boring and
meaningless. Kate, however, is attracted to him and as such resolves to
unveil his true character.

Analysis
In Act ۲, all the complications unfold, and the characters also can be judged.
Thus the folly of the primary character, Marlow, reveals his true
nature. Persistently believing in his misguided notion that noble manners
must be learned, he appears rude and insolent to Mr. Hardcastle, failing to
recognise that he is indeed his host. Constance, on the other hand, is
certainly not as vibrant as Kate, but she seems practical enough in valuing
money. She resolves to elope with Hastings, only after securing her jewels;
which again is a far cry from the heroines of sentimental drama. The act’s
pivotal scene is obviously the conversation ensuing between Marlow and
Kate. As Marlow engages in a lofty philosophical analysis of love and life,
one cannot help but discern how it is a poignant parody of sentimental
dialogue.

Act ۳

Plot Summary
Both Mr. Hardcastle and Kate seem confused with their experiences with
Marlow. Mr. Hardcastle proclaims him to be an impudent fellow, while Kate
voices her utter disappointment on his lack of liveliness. Kate eventually
requests her father to give her an opportunity of revealing the true nature of
Marlow. Accordingly, when she appears in a plain dress and is taken for a
barmaid by Marlow, the latter not only engages in a fun filled repertoire with
her but even tries to embrace her. And Mr. Hardcastle, having observed all
these, agrees to let Kate have the night to prove how he’s both respectful and
enjoying.

Meanwhile, Tony’s plan to steal the jewels is not known by Constance, who
in turn continually begs Mrs. Hardcastle for them. Tony tells his mother to
pretend that the fortune has been stolen so as to deter Constance and Mrs.
Hardcastle does so, till she realises that they are actually missing.

Analysis
The plot becomes more complicated in Act ۳, and it is solely Goldsmith’s
skilled craftsmanship, his use of dramatic irony, for which the happenings,
though perplexing, seem natural and acceptable. Thus the various events –
Tony’s stealing the jewels and pressing his mother to lie that they are lost
and later Mrs. Hardcastle’s mortifying discovery – serve in making the play
more amusing. Nonetheless, two important themes are also explored
dexterously; the unsettling dilemma faced by both Mr. Hardcastle and Kate
regarding Marlow’s ambiguous nature and Kate’s “stooping” to clear it.
Act ٤

Plot Summary
The expected arrival of Mr. Charles Marlow creates new problems for
Constance and Hastings, for their affair is to be exposed along with the
estimation of whether Marlow and Kate are to marry. Now, the jewels that
Hastings send through a servant to Marlow for safekeeping are erroneously
given by Marlow to Mrs. Hardcastle, thereby prompting Hastings to plan a
speedy elopement with Constance. Mr. Hardcastle meanwhile, being
thoroughly offended with Marlow’s rudeness, orders him to leave; an
attitude that finally makes Marlow wonder that perhaps something is wrong.
His misconceptions are corrected by Kate, who emerging again as a
barmaid, informs him that it is Mr. Hardcastle’s house and she is a poor
relation. Marlow, though claims of beginning to feel for her genuinely, takes
her leave for not wishing to get entwined in such a poor relation.

Mrs. Hardcastle, in the meantime, intercepts a letter that Hastings has

written to Neville, informing the latter to wait for him in the garden.
Infuriated with this new, unexpected development, she plans to take Neville
with her. The act finally ends with a heated confrontation involving Marlow,
Hastings, and Tony, in which Tony ultimately offers to solve all Hastings’s
problems.

Analysis
All unexpected things occur in Act ٤; Marlow is not at all interested in Kate
and Constance’s elopement with Hastings is also unsure. This act also
critically points at aristocratic hypocrisy through Marlow’s unwillingness in
accepting plainly attired Kate, though he unflinchingly declares that he is
ready to pay for her honour. Tony’s helping attitude is hinted as he offers to
assist Hastings in recovering the jewels.
Act ٥

Plot Summary
Sir Charles Marlow after arrival, shares a hearty laugh with Hastings over
Marlow’s confusion. Marlow, besides apologising, declares his reluctance in
forming any connection with Kate since there has been no purposeful
conversation. This surprises Mr. Hardcastle, who has been an active witness
of Marlow’s amorous advancements towards his daughter. As Marlow
leaves, Kate arrives and assures them of solving the mystery soon. It is from
an interview between Marlow and Kate that the two old men, stationed at a
place behind the screen, watch Marlow’s colourful character and get along
to arrange their wedding.

Now, the events revolving around Hastings and Constance develop at an

equally interesting manner. Tony informs Hastings, who is waiting in the
garden for Constance, how he has deliberately made his mother and
Constance drive all over in confounding circles to convince them they are
far off. Mrs. Hardcastle’s apprehension further intensifies as she mistakes
her husband for a “highway man.” Hastings and Constance decide not to
elope, but rather to seek Mr. Hardcastle’s permission to marry. In the end, all
problems end as Kate discloses her true identity to Marlow and Mr.
Hardcastle reveals that Tony is “of age” – an advantage that allows him to
reject Constance readily.

Analysis
Act ٥ seems to follow the general trend of sentimental comedy in uniting all
the estranged lovers and solving the reigning problems. But it is definitely
not so. For, Kate’s deliberate scheme in exposing Marlow’s hypocrisy and
Tony’s open declaration of refusing to marry Constance, aids in upholding
Goldsmith’s views of living life according to one’s wishes rather than the
way one observes, thereby making the conclusion of this romantic comedy
essentially exciting and enjoyable.
The Two Epilogues

In the first epilogue, Kate asserts how she has “stooped to conquer with
success” thereby referring to her winning of Marlow’s heart as well as the
success of the play. In the second epilogue, Tony declares how he would
gain prosperity in the world by “bringing his lively spirit to London, where
he will show the world what good taste is,” thus reminding the audience how
“good taste” is a product of liveliness and not morality.