Critical analysis of She stoops to conquer with reference to anti-sentimental comedy

           Name: Vaishali Hareshbhai Jasoliya

           Roll No. : 29

Enrollment no.: PG14101019

Topic: Critical analysis of She Stoops to Conquer with reference to anti-

Sentimental comedy

Paper No.: 2

Email-Id: jasoliyavaishali@gmail.com

Submitted to: MAHARAJA KRISHNAKUMARSINHJI            

                                     BHAVNAGAR UNIVERSITY

                                     DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Introduction:

                        When we discuss about the Anti-Sentimental comedy. First we clear the idea about, what is sentimental comedy? The sentimental comedy of 18^th century was, in fact, Reaction against the comedy of manners which had been vogue during the Restoration period. It appeals especially to our feelings of sorrow, pity; compassionate sympathy Anti-sentimental comedy is reaction against sentimental comedy.

 Anti-Sentimental comedy:

                        Anti-Sentimental comedy is reaction against sentimental comedy. The comedy of humor which Goldsmith and Sheridan cultivate in the 18^th century was the reaction against the sentimental comedy of Cibber, Steele, Kelly and Cumberland. Goldsmith opposed sentimental comedy because in place of: serious heroines and honest servants.

                        Anti-sentimental comedy is a kind of comedy representing complex and sophisticated code of behavior current in fashion circles of society. Passing of time the result of the Reaction of Goldsmith and Sheridan, the comedy of sentiment was driven out; their place was taken by humor and mirth, pleasant dialogues and Wit.

                        So, this way there is new and success output in anti-sentimental comedy, it takes old forms of comedy, comedy of manners, which is also called, generally for anti-sentimental comedy deals with the, and it’s always focus on major character as lover.

●Anti-Sentimental comedy:

(1).The Rivals

(2).The School for Scandal

(3).She stoops to Conquer

                        So, let’s discuss the Anti-sentimental comedy with critical analysis of She stoops to conquer…

●She stoops to conquer:

                        This wonderful comedy by a genius playwright, Oliver Goldsmith, in its time ran to a full playhouse for a long time; healding the era of laughing comedies and being contemporary to other plays. A well-Crafted play, Oliver Goldsmith’s she stoops to conquer weaves several strands of action. Although the story transpires in not much more than one night, the play is densely packed with activity. This of course accounts for the play’s subtitle, “Mistakes of a Night.”

                        Two of the play’s strands are of particular importance, both about bringing lovers together. These are two sets of lovers: one couple, Hastings and Constance Neville, have been in love for some time, but their hopes are thwarted by Mrs. Hardcastle’ insistence that Constance marry her son, Tony Lumpkin. The only recourse appears to be eloping, a scheme that Tony happily aids and abets. The other couple, Marlow and Kat Hardcastle, as a way of confirming their friendship. Here, the problem is the awkward shyness of the young Marlow upon meeting ladies. Knowing that the shyness evaporates when he confronts a woman of lower station, Kate literally “she stoops to conquer.” Both strands of the play are thus deftly resolved: the elopement becomes unnecessary once Tony is revealed to be of age and free to reject Constance, and the marriage of Kate and Marlow can take place, now that Marlow’s eyes are open to the truth.

                        All this might seem contrived were it not for the comic ironies and misunderstandings among the characters and the grace and wit with which Goldsmith portrays them. She stoops to conquer is very much a group play, as there is no protagonist in the usual sense. Tony provides most of the machinations that propel the plot. Kate brings Marlow to a crucial realization, and he suffers more than anyone from the mistaken identities and false assumptions.

                        Goldsmith died in 1774, one year after she stoops to conquer was first performed, thus leaving no other plays. Despite his position against sentimental comedy, she stoops to conquer has a gentle and amiable tone. It promotes the idea of honest humility and dose so with humane good humor        these values, too, are typical of the eighteenth century, which exalted feeling and intuition and grace in opposition to the serve rationalism of the previous century.

                        Goldsmith was haunted by poverty and was irritable and envious he also had a great wit, was generous and had an essentially lovable nature all of these contradictory characteristics are reflected in his writings. He did editorial work for booksellers, wrote essays and criticism, and gradually gained a modest reputation. The public ledger, 1760-1761, The Citizen of the world (1762 , a collection of fictional letters, brought him even more recognition  for their charm, grace ,humour,and good sense.

                        Johnson saw this first performance and remarked,“I know of no comedy for many years that has answered so much the great and of comedy making an audience merry.”One may well agree and say that one or two comedies of the time might be considered superior, but none is merrier. Certainly, it reflects Goldsmith’s own rich and genial personality.

●Summary:

                        The prologue is attributed to David Garrick,Sq.,and a popular actor of his day. The basic premise of the prologue is that the comic arts are passing away, and that Dr.Goldsmith might prove the doctor, andshe stoops to conquer the medicine that will cease its death.  All the play’s opining Mr. Wood ward enters and speaks apologue. Woodward, a celebrated actor of his day one more who had turned down the role of tony Lumpkin in the play’s initialproduction, is drying his eyes as though he has been crying. In verse , Woodward laments to the audience that “ the comic muse , long sick , is now a dying !” as an actor  trained in comedy , he intuits that his own career will  pass away  along with comedy itself , since he “ can as soon speak Greek as sentiments!” unable to tell moralistic , sentimental stories , he fears for the fate of himself and his brethren. He attempts to tell a moral poem beginning with “all is gold that glitters”, but performs poorly and stops himself. He offers one final hope for his problem – “a doctor this might ofmedium. Heurges the audience to accept the doctor’s comic medicine willingly, to laugh heartly, and stresses that should the doctor’s goal not be achieved, and then they can hold it against him and deny him his fee.

● Analysis:

                        Though not written by Goldsmith, the play’s prologue is useful in the way it provides insight into Goldsmith’s purpose in the play. Obviously, the most elicit purpose is to make the audience laugh. The speaker- Mr. Woodward, who would have been portrayed by a different actor-comes out in mourning, already having been crying, which in a way poses a challenge to the play. If we, as actors and audience, are in a state of sadness, can the play lift out spirits? However, most relevant is the state of affairs sculpted here. The prologue mirrors the trends in theater that writers like Goldsmith were desperately trying to change. At the time of she stoops to conquer, popular theater comedy termed “sentimental comedy” and “laughing comedy”. The former was concerned with bourgeois (middle-class) morality and with praising virtue. The latter, which dated back to the Greeks and Romans and through Shakespeare, was more willing to engage in “low” humor for the sake of mocking vice.

                        It’s worth reviewing the “about ‘An Essay on the theater “section this classic note that explains in more detail the context of the theater of the time, since it will provide an even more in-depth understanding of the purpose suggested in this prologue. But even without such extensive historical research, the prologue brings the audience in with a particular question: can this play remind us that true comedy, which is willing to be silly and unpretentious; is the most entertaining of all?

● Conclusion:

                        Anti-sentimental comedy this forms is becomes popular with the comedies that were presented by Oliver Goldsmith’s ‘she stoops to conquer’ it’s a kind of comedy representing complex and sophisticated code of behavior correct in fashionable circle of the society. The title of this novel refers to the “stooping down” of Kate Hardcastle from her position in high society to the position as a barmaid. She does this in order to test the feelings of Marlow, to make sure that he loves her for herself and not for her money. In the end, she gets what she wants, and proves a point. She learns that Marlow’s feelings are genuine and demonstrates that love is not controlled by social position. By “stooping down”, she conquered society.