SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER
Q.1.Critically justify the title She Stoops to Conquer.
The title of Goldsmith’s drama refers to the "stooping down" of Kate Hardcastle from her position in high society to the position as a barmaidand then of poor relation . 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.
.Q.2.Is it a Laughing Comedy in protest of Sentimental Comedy?
Ans:When the play was first produced, it was discussed as an example of the revival of laughing comedy over the sentimental comedy . Truly speaking it is a comic laughing comedy or ‘pure comedy’ (as Goldsmith calls it)in celebration of fun, frolic and humour .The affectation of sentimentalism, pathos and moralization is altogether omitted here. In the prologue Goldsmith has attacked sentimental comedy –“on the mawkish drab of spurious breed who deals in sentiments”.
Q.3..How is She Stoops to Conquer a Comedy of Manners?
Ans: The play can also be seen as a comedy of manners, where, set in a polite society, the comedy arises from the gap between the characters' attempts to preserve standards of polite behaviour that contrasts to their true behaviour. It satirizes the manners and affectations of social class( Especially upper class as pretentiously represented by Mrs. Hardcastle), duality in character( as seen in Marlow).
Q.4.How is She Stoops to Conquer A Romantic Comedy?
Ans:It also seen by some critics as a romantic comedy, which depicts how seriously young people take love, and how foolishly it makes them behave (similar to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream); in She Stoops to Conquer, Kate’s stooping and Marlow’s nervousness are good examples of romantic comedy....