She Stoops to Conquer Characters – Flashcards

P: Witty, resourceful, willing to "stoop to conquer." Willing to dissemble to win Marlow's love. She is obedient as a daughter.

G: To obey her father. To win Young Marlow for her husband through dissimulation/pretense, subterfuge & role playing.

F: Protagonist, example of healthy view of relationship. She is the primary example of one who willingly "Stoops to Conquer" for the sake of healthy (marriage) relationship.

P: Shy, reserved among "virtuous" women, but loud, impudent, and puts on airs when in "other" company - women of a lower class than himself. With those he is quite shameless.

G: To please his father by visiting Kate Hardcastle - To please himself by wooing Kate Hardcastle for himself (in her "stooped" character).

F: Goal of Kate's love. He embodies a split vision of women, which needs to be rectified/transformed /corrected through laughter. He is the "subject" to be conquered, including his distorted views of women.

P: "Constant." Determined to keep her inheritance. Prudent in the end. To Hastings she seems "good-tempered, sensible, and quiet." To Tony she appears to be a "bitter cantankerous toad" and "has as many tricks as a hare in a thicket, or a colt the first day's breaking." Some where in between: She certainly is tricky and inventive in the scene with Tony's letter.

G: "To dissemble to conquer" and therefore win her love - Mr. Hastings.

F: Sub-plot reinforcement of primary meaning and action of the play.

P: Too "hasty." He too is devious, resorting to trickery in several ways to win Constance in marriage.

G: To marry his love, Constance Neville.

F: He reinforces the primary plot's movement and meaning. Contrast to Marlow.

P: Loud, boisterous, "Dumb like a fox," trickster, mischievous, uneducated. "A mere composition of tricks and mischief," but also "a good-natured creature at bottom."

G: To NOT marry Constance, to enjoy life through drinking, playing tricks, and singing. To marry Bet Bouncer.

F: He drives the plot, and instigates most of the "Mistakes of the night."

P: Over-bearing, over-protective. pretentious to fashion, greedy" covetous, controlling,

G: Over-bearing, over-protective. pretentious to fashion, greedy" covetous, controlling,

F: The "Agelast." She is the blocking character, the example of a society that needs to be laughed into correction. The comic villain.

P: "Old-fashioned." "Antiquarian." "Grumbletonian." He is a doting father in relationship to his daughter.

F: He is a positive example of a father in the setting up of his daughter's marriage, in that he will not "force" her into a relationship that she does not approve.

G: To marry his daughter to Sir Charles Marlow's son, but only if she approves of the boy.

Plot A. To find happiness & mutual relationship in marriage. She Stoops To Conquer. (Kate drives this plot line.) Plot B. To find happiness in drink, trickery, and love. Or The Mistakes of a Night. (Tony drives this plot line.)

Scene 1. The primary plot is initiated with Mr. Hardcastle's announcement to Kate, and her response. (She Stoops to Conquer.) Scene 2. The secondary plot is initiated by Tony (The Mistakes of the Night) Marlow & Hastings sent to Hardcastle's as an Inn.

"Mistakes" of initial "trick" are explored. Servants scene Marlow & Hastings arrive & treat Mr. H. as an Inn-keeper. Marlow establishes his "dual nature." Further mistreating Mr. H. Hastings & Constance meet, and continue the ruse that they are at an Inn. The "Interview" between Marlow and Miss Hardcastle. Tony & Constance -- & Mrs. Hardcastle & Hastings. Tony & Hastings. Tony willing to help Hastings escape with Constance.

Kate in her plain dress of the evening Kate convinces Mr. Hardcastle to give her time with Marlow. The jewels are stolen by Tony. Tony, Constance, & Mrs. H. talk of jewels. Tony tricks his mother. Mrs. H. discovers the jewels are gone. Kate is mistaken as barmaid, and wooed by Marlow. Kate gains an hour to convince her father about Marlow.

Mr. Hardcastle's command to "leave this house." K/M move to a new level of "love." Recovery of jewels. Letter scene & Tony is caught. Tony's new plot/trick is initiated.

Sir Charles arrives. Marlow denies his involvement with Miss. Hardcastle. Kate sets up the fathers to observe Marlow's love of her. Tony assists Hastings Mrs. Hardcastle is "punished" by her being dumped into the horse-pond, and frightened into submission. Hastings & Constance decide to "return." Marlow is "conquered" by Kate. The fathers observe. Kate forces Marlow to merge his two views of women into one. Hastings & Constance return. Tony learns his age, rejects Constance, Mr. & Mrs. H. are re-united in mutuality. Tony goes off to marry Big Bet Bouncer.