How to Check Morality in Oliver Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer"?

"She Stoops to Conquer" is an anti-sentimental romantic comedy written by Oliver Goldsmith in 1773. The play is set in the English countryside and revolves around the theme of mistaken identities, love, intrigues and the clash between town and country values. These are all done through moral understanding of dramatic personae. The play's humor is derived from the characters' comical misunderstandings and the ridiculous situations they find themselves in. But it is to be remembered that "She Stoops to Conquer" is an admixture of hypocrisy, vanity, love-affairs of restoration age and humanity, parental love of sentimental dramas. Now are the hypocrisy, vanity, love-affairs  seen through truest moral standards without being sentimental?

At the Prologue to the play, it boldly affirms:

If Comedy forsake us,

     They’ll turn us out, and no one else will take us.

     But why can’t I be moral?—Let me try—

     My heart thus pressing—fixed my face and eye—

     With a sententious look, that nothing means,

     (Faces are blocks in sentimental scenes)

     Thus I begin: “All is not gold that glitters,

     “Pleasure seems sweet, but proves a glass of bitters.

     “When Ignorance enters, Folly is at hand:

     “Learning is better far than house and land.

     “Let not your virtue trip; who trips may stumble,

     “And virtue is not virtue, if she tumble.”

Oliver Goldsmith

But at the heart of the play is a morality check or the measuring or harnessing morality in practical life, where the characters must examine their own values and behavior to determine what is truly important in life. The play explores various themes related to morality, such as the importance of honesty, loyalty, and respect. All this but without being sentimental. In this regard ‘prologue to "She Stoops to Conquer"’ makes an important critical point by commending sentimental drama, much agog on the contemporary stage, which might seize hold of the stage if pure comedy were banished. ‘Sentimental is labeled mongrel’ because it is neither comedy nor tragedy. The ‘prologue’ brands it as a 'mawkish drab of spurious breed’

The play's protagonist, Kate Hardcastle, is a strong-willed young woman who is determined to marry for love rather than for social status or wealth. She takes on the role of a barmaid to win the heart of her suitor, Charles Marlow, who is a wealthy young man from London. Charles, however, is initially put off by Kate's apparent low social status and is much more comfortable with the idea of marrying a wealthy woman.

Through Kate's actions, the play highlights the importance of honesty and staying true to oneself. Despite the social expectations placed upon her, Kate refuses to compromise her values and beliefs. She is not afraid to challenge societal norms and expectations, which ultimately allows her to win the heart of Charles.

Another important theme in the play is the clash between town and country values. The play portrays the country as a place of authenticity, honesty, and simplicity, while the city is portrayed as a place of artifice, deception, and vanity. We can divide the entire character list in these two groups. Notables are Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle. Again,  if Oliver Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer" is a comedy of intrigue, it is so mainly for Tony Lumpkin , who seemingly a booby, turns out to be a ready-wit, a master of pranks. Through the character of Tony so called moral standards are put into questions. The play's humor is derived from the characters' attempts to navigate these different value systems and the resulting misunderstandings.

Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer" is a timeless play that explores various themes related to morality. “ "She Stoops to Conquer" is founded on a plot exceedingly probable and fertile; each act contains a great deal of natural business and incident; the characters are , for the most part, entirely original; they are well drawn, highly finished and admirably supported from the 1st to the last scene of the play” ( Goldsmith: 1966) The play highlights the importance of honesty, loyalty, and respect, and challenges societal sentimental idealizations. Through its humor and satire, the play provides a critical overview of society's values and beliefs, encouraging its audience to question their own beliefs and behaviors. 

Ardhendu De

1. Abubakar, Multazam & Muthi'ah, Muthi'Ah & Tsuraya, Annisa. (2022). Social criticism in Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer. Rainbow : Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies. 11. 27-33. 10.15294/rainbow.v11i1.52804. 

2. Goldsmith, Oliver.“ The Collected Works: Oliver Goldsmith”.5 vols. Arthur Friedman ( Ed.). Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1966 ,pp.91

3. The Project Gutenberg eBook of She Stoops to Conquer, by Oliver Goldsmith. (n.d.). The Project Gutenberg eBook of She Stoops to Conquer, by Oliver Goldsmith. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/383/383-h/383-h.htm