Short Questions from Oliver Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer"

1. 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 in celebration of fun, frolic and humour .The affectation of sentimentalism and moralization is altogether omitted here. 

                                     

 2.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.

3.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.      

                  

 4. Write a short note on humour as used in She Stoops to Conquer.                                        

Ans: Oliver Goldsmith‘s She Stoops to Conquer   is one of the most hilarious comedies produced on the English stage. Here is profusion of pure fun and humour. Humour in the play is mainly derived from three sources- comic situations, comic characters and comic dialogues. If there are mistaken identities or situation, there are incompatible comic personae with the sting of verbal wit.

  

5. How is She Stoops to Conquer A Satire?

Ans: She Stoops to Conquer can also be seen as a soft satire, where characters are presented as either ludicrous or eccentric. Such a comedy might leave the impression that the characters are either too foolish or corrupt to ever reform. Through farcical humour, Goldsmith ridicules the craze for fashion in Mrs Hardcastle, spoiled child in Tony Lumpkin, duel personality in Marlow, the class-consciousness of the English society in several stooping etc.

6. critically comments on the Title of the play and its source.

Ans:The title refers to Kate's ruse of pretending to be a barmaid to reach her goal. It originates in the poetry of Dryden, which Goldsmith may have seen misquoted by Lord Chesterfield. In Chesterfield's version, the lines in question read: "The prostrate lover, when he lowest lies, But stoops to conquer, and but kneels to rise."                                                 

 7. what kind of stooping do you find in She Stoops to Conquer?           

                                                      

Ans: As the title indicates the play revolves around several stooping made by the various characters. Marlow stoops physically to win the heart of Kate .While Kate stoops socially to win the heart of Marlow. Both Hastings and Neville, on the other hand, have moral stooping en route their love and marriage.                                                                                                                                       

8. critically comment on the subtitle of the play?                                                                           

  Ans: The alternative title of the play Mistakes of the Night refers to the several mistakes that Marlow committed during a single night. It also illustrates that the unity of time is carefully observed in the play. With all of the events occurring in a single night, the plot becomes far more stimulating too.    

                                                                                                                   

9. Comment on the improbability in She Stoops to Conquer.                                                   

  Ans: In the play She Stoops to Conquer all the mistakes and all funny things including three hours delusory journey of Mrs. Hardcastle round and round the garden take place in a single night which violates probability of time. Even the misconception identities of different characters are also seemingly impractical.                                                                           

 10. what are the different views on fashion of Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle?                              

Ans: Mrs. Hardcastle hates whatever old she finds and often shows madness of London trips. She wishes to shun off old fashioned trumpery, while her husband is passionate after olds. Old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines, military metaphors and his old wife are indeed the fashionable world for Mr. Hardcastle.                               

11. Write a character sketch of Mr. Hardcastle. 

                                                                           

Ans: Mr. Hardcastle is a replica of Dr. Primrose of The Vicar of The Wakefield. He is an old fashioned patriarch who rules over his family with a nice deal of leniency who always inculcates on his family the lessons of simplicity and the solid virtue of good old times. He is a loving friend and a patient host too. He is indeed a pen portrait of the English gentleman.          

 

12.Give acquaintance with the following characters in She Stoops to Conquer: Bridget, Bet Bouncer                                                                                                                               

    Ans: these are the minor characters in the play .Bridget is the maid servant in Mr. Hardcastle’s house. While Bet Bouncer is the country girl with whom Tony has a love affair. Tony loves her dearly and for this he dislikes Miss Neville, the lady of his mother’s choice for his marriage.                                                                                     

   13. Describe the reception of Marlow and Hastings by Mr. Hardcastle.                                

  Ans: when the two guests, Marlow and Hastings finally appear, Mr. Hardcastle pays a grand cordial reception. He acts friendly and frankly manner. He tells them his house a liberty hall and always he is on behest of them. He talks too much to meet every attention.  

 14. “One hope remains….”  Mr Woodward speaks of in the prologue to She Stoops to Conquer. Which of the hope remained according to him?                                                                                                 

Ans: according to Mr. Woodward the comic muse Thalia is in death-bed and is awaiting death in the hands of sentimental comedy. Yet, there is one hope because one doctor named goldsmith has produce a true comedy with the essence of laughter. Mr. Woodward thinks that goldsmith’s five act drama She Stoops to Conquer must be a successful antidote.                                                                                                                                   

15. How is Mr. Colman, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Woodward and David Garrick associated with Goldsmith’s play?                                                                                                             

Ans: Mr. Colman, whose full name is George Colman, was the manager of the Convent Garden Theater where She Stoops to Conquer was staged for the first time.                          

  Dr. Johnson, renowned critic and a common friend of goldsmith and David Garrick, is a man  of Goldsmith’s earnest admiration to whom Goldsmith dedicates his play, She Stoops to Conquer .                                                                             

 Mr. Woodward, another friend of Dr. Johnson and Goldsmith and a popular stage actor, reads the prologue to She Stoops to Conquer written by David Garrick.                            

16. Why Tony Lumpkin is so important a character in She Stoops to Conquer  ?

Ans: Tony is the pivotal point, the main spring of action in the play. Vivid and vibrant as well as well individualized and dramatized such a character cuts jokes, plays pranks, pokes fun and evokes loud laughter. So to cut Tony from the play what remains is anything but not Oliver Goldsmith‘s She Stoops to Conquer.                                                    

   

17. “zounds, man! We could as soon find out the longitude”…who says this’ to whom, and, when does he say so?                                                                                                        

  Ans: Here Marlow says this to Tony Lumpkin when the latter gives a confusing road direction to Marlow and Hastings to the house of Mr. Hardcastle like Lorenzo to his father in Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of the Venice. Such a confusing location and windy way is difficult to locate and is as difficult as finding out the middle of the earth, the longitude. 

18.Who is the main protagonist of the play?

Ans: The main protagonist of "She Stoops to Conquer" is Marlow.

19.What is the central misunderstanding that drives the plot? 

Ans: The central misunderstanding is that Marlow believes that Mrs. Hardcastle's house is an inn, leading him to behave inappropriately and disrespectfully towards her and her daughter. 

20. How does the play satirize the social conventions of the time? 

Ans: The play satirizes the artificiality and hypocrisy of social conventions, particularly those related to class, manners, and courtship. Goldsmith uses humor and irony to critique the superficiality of these norms.

21. What is the theme of mistaken identity in the play? 

Ans: The theme of mistaken identity is a central element of the play, as Marlow's misunderstanding of Mr. Hardcastle's house leads to a series of comedic situations.

22. How does Goldsmith portray the relationship between love and money?

Ans: Goldsmith portrays a complex relationship between love and money, suggesting that while financial considerations can influence romantic choices, true love can transcend material concerns.

23. What is the significance of the play's title? 

Ans: The title "She Stoops to Conquer" refers to the heroine, Kate Hardcastle, who deliberately lowers herself in social status to win over Marlow. This act of humility and self-sacrifice ultimately leads to her triumph.

24. How does the play critique the artificiality of social manners?

Ans: The play critiques the artificiality of social manners by highlighting the absurdity and hypocrisy of the conventions of the time. Goldsmith uses humor and satire to expose the superficiality of these norms.

25. What is the significance of the character of Tony Lumpkin?

Ans: Tony Lumpkin is a significant character who serves as a comic foil to the more refined characters in the play. His wild and impulsive behavior provides a contrast to the artificiality and restraint of the other characters.

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