The play, She Stoops to Conquer hinges on actual incident of Goldsmith’s life – that of his mistaking of a private house for an inn somewhere in his native country, Ireland. In the play, She Stoops to Conquer, the intriguing situation presented by Tony Lumpkin by misleading the young gentleman young Marlow and Hastings the old house of Mr. Hardcastle for an inn and Kate’s stooping herself as a barmaid. Here is the summary of the play She Stoops to Conquer.
The curtain rises over the living-room of Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle. Tony is the son of Mrs. Hardcastle by her former husband and Kate Hardcastle is Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle’s daughter. Whereas Tony Lumpkin is a wayward trouble-shooter, Mrs. Hardcastle is busy to find a suitable match for her pretty-looking daughter. She is however, a little obdurate. To please her, Mr. Hardcastle has conceded to one of her caprices, that of wearing ordinary clothes – to play the role of a simple village girl.
Hardcastle wants to get his daughter married to Marlow, son of his friend, Sir Charles Marlow. Marlow is due to come to the house of Hardcastle that day. Marlow as a young man is modest, handsome, and kind-hearted. But he suffers from a single defect – it is his shyness, especially in the presence of young ladies of high families. He is to be accompanied by his friend, Hastings. Mrs. Hardcastle’s desire is to make her son, Tony, marry Miss Constance Neville – a kind of ward with a hood treasure of jewels kept in her custody. But Tony is totally disinterested to the hands of Neville.
Marlow, accompanied by Hastings set out to reach Mr. Hardcastle’s house. They lose their way and drop into an ale-house. Tony is there making merry with his pals. He takes it into his head to play a trick with the two youngmen, Marlow and Hastings. He gives direction to an inn for them to take some rest. But the inn is actually the house of Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle.
Two friends step into the old house, taking it to be an inn and talk and behave with the Hardcastles as landlord and landlady. Mr. Hardcastle, who has been waiting expectantly for the arrival of Marlow and his friend, is in totally disgust with such behaviour. In the meantime, there appears Kate. Taking her to be the hotel-maid, Marlow talks freely with her. It is also to be noted that Kate is in ordinary clothes – according to one of her caprices. The scene becomes intriguing and is actually based on a real incident of Goldsmith’s own life.
In the meantime, Miss Neville has developed a great liking for Hastings. Tony steps in here as a kingpin and expresses his willingness to get the two married. The joly good-fellow meanwhile steals the jewel-box of Neville kept in Mrs. Hardcastle’s custody.
Constance Neville and Hastings now meet and come to know of the mischief done by Tony in misdirecting Hastings and Marlow to the house of Mr. Hardcastle as an inn. They, however, decide to keep the whole thing as a closely guarded secret. Jewellery of Constance comes to Hastings’ possession via Tony. She now asks for the jewels, but Mrs. Hardcastle puts her off with the words that they are missing. Soon, Mrs. Hardcastle discovers that they are actually lost, since they are not there in the closet.
Marlow is made to preserve in his misidentification of Kate as a servant-maid. So he takes to flirting with Kate. As he proceeds to kiss Kate there enters Mr. Hardcastle. Hardcastle thus finds that Marlow does not confirm the impression of being that young man – a modest and good-natured one he formed.
Kate now uncovers the secret and takes Marlow into confidence by telling him all about how he was taken in by the trick of Tony. But Marlow is still in the dark about the real identity of Kate, though he feels more intimately attracted to her. Kate now finds that Marlow is a truly honest person, who was shaken off his impudence and bashfulness. Mr. Hardcastle remains unreconciled.Hastings gives Marlow back the casket of Stolen jewels. Supposing Mrs. Hardcastle to be the wife of the inn-keeper, Marlow keeps the casket for safety.
Meanwhile, to her great dismay, Mrs. Hardcastle comes to know of the plan of Hastings to elope with Neville, though that is a matter of great relief to Tony. Enraged beyond measure, she now decides to send Neville to her aunt, Miss Pedigree. To make matters more confused, there now appears Sir Charles Marlow in the house of the Hardcastles.
Impish Tony offers yo play the coachman for taking Neville in company with Mrs. Hardcastle to her aunt’s house. But instead of proceeding straight way to the ladies’ destination, Tony drives in a confusing circular way. The merry-ho-round goes on for sometimes, till Mrs. Hardcastle is frightened to think that she along with Neville, is in grave danger and in the wilderness. She is now hidden in a bush and Constance is taken to Hastings. But the young lady would not run away without her jewels.
At long last, Mrs. Hardcastle discovers the entire trick of Tony. Tony has actually brought the two women in the garden beside the horse pond, at the back of the house. And now Sir Charles Marlow and Mr. Hardcastle hold an intimate conversation. They are amused at hearing of Marlow’s mistake of taking Mr. Hardcastle as an innkeeper. Kate also helps her father in changing his opinion about Marlow. Prior to that, junior Marlow talks Kate that he he very much appreciates her simplicity and amiable manners.
Kate also discloses her identity and tells Marlow that she is prepared to throw off the authority of her father in closing him as her life-partner. But as yet she is not totally free. Thus Kate stoops to conquer Marlow who is however upset to know that he behaved offensively only lately with her. But this only intensifies the enchantment. They become more intimate when Marlow holds hands of Kate and it was noticed by two would be in-laws, Mr. Hardcastle and Sir Charles Marlow.
Now Kate tells her father that Marlow is truly a fine young man and that she loves him. Kate wants to prove that Marlow is really a good guy and the rudeness on his part was due to mistaken identity. From the ordeal the pair comes out successfully. The stage is set for the wedding bells to ring – Marlow with Kate and Hastings with Constance. But there is still another snag to overcome. Mrs. Hardcastle insists on Tony marrying Constance when he comes of age as otherwise, she would not part with the jewels.
Now Mr. Hardcastle lets the cat out of the bag. He publicly discloses that Tony has already come of age and that Tony was uttered as a minor in view of his immaturity of conduct. Tony also modestly makes it know that he would not marry Neville under any circumstances. At this stage, Sir Charles testifies to the fine traits of Hastings’ character and so a qualified suitor for Neville. Thus, Neville re-earns her jewels and all ends well. Tony, however, is supremely pleased to keep intact his singly blessed freedom as a bachelor.
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