Other editions of book She Stoops to Conquer

A beautiful daughter of a wealthy man, Kate Hardcastle, is told that a suitor, Charles Marlowe is coming from London to the country to meet her. Her jealous step brother, Richard meets Marlowe in a pub in the village and directs Marlowe to his step-father’s home for accommodations, telling him that it is a run down inn, about to go out of business. Kate goes along with the rouse and pretends to be a barmaid. And the comedic case of mistaken identity begins.

This charming comedy has delighted audiences for over two centuries. First performed in 1773, it concerns Kate Hardcastle, a young lady who poses as a serving girl to win the heart of a young gentleman too shy to court ladies of his own class. A number of delightful deceits and hilarious turns of plot must be played out before the mating strategies of both Kate Hardcastle and her friend Constance Neville conclude happily. Along the way, there is an abundance of merry mix-ups, racy dialogue and sly satire of the sentimental comedies of Goldsmith's day.The extraordinary humor and humanity with which Goldsmith invested this play have made it one of the most read, performed, and studied of all English comedies.

A beautiful daughter of a wealthy man, Kate Hardcastle, is told that a suitor, Charles Marlowe is coming from London to the country to meet her. Her jealous step brother, Richard meets Marlowe in a pub in the village and directs Marlowe to his step-father’s home for accommodations, telling him that it is a run down inn, about to go out of business. Kate goes along with the rouse and pretends to be a barmaid. And the comedic case of mistaken identity begins.

Lud, this news of papa's puts me all in a flutter. Young, handsome: these he put last; but I put them foremost. Sensible, good-natured; I like all that. But then reserved and sheepish; that's much against him. Yet can't he be cured of his timidity, by being taught to be proud of his wife? Yes, and can't I-But I vow I'm disposing of the husband before I have secured the lover

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Oliver Goldsmith was a prominent Irish novelist and playwright in the 18th century. Goldsmith is best remembered for having written the plays She Stoops to Conquer, and The Good-Natured Man, as well as the novel The Vicar of Wakefield. She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy that was first performed in 1773. The action centers around Kate, the daughter of a wealthy countryman, who tries to win the heart of Charles Marlow by pretending to be an ordinary hard-working woman. The play is still widely performed and has been adapted into movies on many occasions.