Significance+of+title

In every novel, play or story the title has some significance and I believe //She Stoops to Conquer// is no exception. I think that the title relates to Kate having stoop down and pretend to be a barmaid to get him to even notice her. I assume that she will eventually conquer him and they will live happily ever after, but the title is significant because it is the opposite of the usual love story. Usually, the man or the woman must pretend to be more royal than he or she really is whereas, in this case, the woman must pretend to me a maid to impress the man that she likes. She must stoop down in society to conquer him.1201967844

This is what I thought as well (and still think, I suppose), but the Epilogue by Dr. Goldsmith kept my mind mulling over the topic: "Well, having stooped to conquer with success, and gained a husband without aid from dress, Still as a Barmaid, I could wish it too, As I have conquered him to conquer you..." (61) In the second Epilogue by J. Cradock, it is introduced by "To be spoken in the character of Tony Lumpkin," but the first has no such note. We assume that it it Kate talking, but talking to the reader? Is it Goldsmith's voice through Kate, perhaps Goldsmith stooping in his form of comedy to entertain us?

He likes, as Brother Tom spoke of in class, the funny comedy without the morals attatched. Sometimes characters would slip moral sayings in, and the trickster turned good in the end and everyone lived happily ever after. I don't know about you all, but this was not a knee-slapper for me. Maybe if it had been performed or I lived in the 18th century. It was smirkable, but not hilarious. Is this because Goldsmith stooped in his standards of a comedy to try to entertain us? Did he satirize the moral comedy to entertain us? I'm not quite sure. 1201984831

That is how I see it: as Goldsmith satirizing moral comedy. He is going against the conformist, expected comedy. He wants something that is real, that is not slyly dramatic and romantic, just under the title "comedy." Of course, readers can still find meaning and purpose in Goldsmith's own style, but hopefully (I have not finished the play yet) they will also discover laughs and downright entertaining satire. Goldsmith is witty, and I believe that is why people appreciated his play -- because it is different and actually comical.

Nevertheless, the question I have is what the meaning of some of what Goldsmith's characters say. (Because, as I mentioned, I am sure the writer still had //something// to say.) It must be mocking society of some sort or a simple comment on how people perceive the world. Take the following quote, for instance: "Miss Neville: But what will repair beauty at forty, will certainly improve it at twenty, madam. Mrs. Hardcastle: Yours, my dear, can admit of none. That natural blush is beyond a thousand ornaments. Besides, child, jewels are quite out at present. Don't you see half the ladies of our acquaintance . . . ?" (30) Here, it seems as if Goldsmith is purposefully placing hypocricy into the conversation between the two women. With whom are we asked to agree? It is necessary to point out that Mrs. Hardcastle first talks of natural beauty, similar to that which Woolf discussed in __Jacob's Room__, but immediately following talks of the mainstream city fashion. She tells Miss Neville to compare herself to the other women, rather than to accept her own beauty.

This is hypocritical, satirical -- thus comical.1201986661

First of all, Matt, your argument about the title is ironclad and thus I agree with it. Furthermore, I also agree that Goldsmith is satirizing moral themes of plays. The most obvious way he does this giving us no moral message whatsoever. Furthermore, he injects a few relatively immoral characters in the plot, such as Tony. In reply to what KLe said, I had no trouble finding this play outrageously funny. While I'm not nearly as big a fan of British humor as the illustrious Nick Vallorano, I found this play highly entertaining. I could just see in my head Hardcastle in all his stately garb bustling about the house like a lowly servant. I found the ignorance of young Marlow particularly funny, as well as the numerous instances of deception. My personal favorite example of this is when Mrs. Hardcastle was driven around the countryside through all sorts of torments and thought she was forty miles away being attacked by highwaymen. I guess you just need to keep a movie in your head going while you read, and you will start to laugh.1202058518

What I find especially interesting about the title is that it reverses the typical gender roles. Normally the male is expected to do the "conquering," so to speak. I would think that it would be unusual for the times to have such a situation portrayed, though I maybe wrong. For all its nonconformity, which everyone else has so aptly noted, I too found it extremely funny. While the situation could clearly have become serious had the other character's not been so forgiving of Tony's antics, everything worked out well in the end, allowing all the former hilarity and deception to be simply hilarity. The beginning and ending epilogues reminded me vaguely of the way Shakespeare began Romeo and Juliet with a sonnet that gave the audience background information or the way that Sophocles included the chorus that gave the same sort of information. Though Goldsmith's prologue and epilogue served more as a direct address to the audience to prepare them for Goldsmith's work, his use of a poem was what especially reminded me of those other playwrights. Did anyone else get that impression? 1202187543

This title was one of interest to me as well. I am always looking for hidden meanings in titles; i am always interested in finding out why certain works, whether it be a novel, a poem, a song, are titled the way they are. For this play, once I had finished reading, I immediately thought that it referred to Kate and her disguise as the barmaid to fool Marlow. And for a while, I had myself convinced. However, one thing didn't sit right with me. Why the "conquer"? I dont like the idea of falling in love being conquering the heart. I dont know, maybe that is just crazy hopeless romantic me but that is how I felt. if anyone can offer a reason as to why "conquer" was the word of choice, it would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, I just had a thought. Maybe it was Kate's conquering of Marlow's different personalities, his different sides, depending on the group of people he was around? 1202257934

"I never knew half his merit till now. He shall not go, if I have power or art to detain him. I'll still preserve the character in which I stooped to conquer, but will undeceive my papa, who, perhaps, may laugh him out of his resolution" (43).

MFi, Miss Hardcastle also uses the word "detain" to refer to capturing the interest of Marlow. I think the word "conquer" was used because this play was like a game. It was kind of like a game with no rules, and Kate was willing to use whatever means necessary to win--or conquer. However, I think the title refers not just to the relationship between Kate and Marlow, but to the overall theme of multiple identities and deception. All the characters are vying for their own interests. They are willing to cheat, lie, steal, and STOOP to conquer. Morality is ignored when searching for their own selfish interests. Mrs. Hardcastle wants Tony to be with Miss Neville, Miss Neville wants to be with Hastings, Miss Hardcastle wants to deceive Marlow. The characters stoop both morally and socially to get what they want. 1202501703

I agree with KGa in that the word conquers implies that perhaps to Kate and even the fathers in play that to them this was a game meant to be played. They were willing to use whatever tricks and methods they could to unite Mr. Marlow and Kate. I also think it is important to point out the word "stoops" because it implies more than Kate simply having to lower her social status to become a barmaid to trick Marlow; it can also have a negative connotation with stoops meaning self-debasement. She's willing to do whatever it takes to get whatever she wants even if it means lying or sacrificing her dignity for a man. Perhaps a commentary on the current society in which Goldsmith lived in where marriages or courtships were arranged with aid from the families.user:MSu-c

I, too, was interested in the title of this play because, at the first look, it reminded me about female power. In all honesty, I thought that this play was going to be about a older woman who had control over everything (defining the real reason people should not judge a book by it's cover.) AHa, I was really interested when you mentioned the reversal of role play. In many books, novels, and plays, it is the male character that does the "conquering" which made me think more about Kate's role as the barmaid, and why she placed herself at a lower level. I was also thinking about the word "conquer." To me, the word doesn't directly mean "succeed in tricking a man to love you." It just seems wrong to think that Kate "conquered" Marlow, but rather that she just got her way. Any thoughts?1202853618

I think that the title of the play can have a meeting for the story that is told by the play itself and for what the author was trying to get across to the readers. I agree that Kate does stoop and lower her dignity in order to be noticed. When I thought of the gender roles being reversed I thought of it in a very literal way. Usually a man must stoop down on one knee in order to ask a woman to marry him, but in this case Kate must stoop down. I also thought that the title was interesting because it gave me the impression of a very serious play. It does not have a very comical tone to it. This brings in the idea that the author, Goldsmith, wanted to poke fun at many of the comedies of the time. The tone of the title implies that this would be a very serious and moral play, but instead is very witty. His play stoops down from the moral expectations in order to conquer the meaning of comedy. He is able to fool his readers with the title of his play by giving it a very common appearance, but can be taken very literally for what happens in the play. Kate must stoop and lower herself in order to obtain by force what she desires. She must take matters into her own hands.1202873200

I think that the meaning of the title, She Stoops to Conquer, is significant in that it can go for either Kate or young Marlow. Although it is "She", they both stoop from their positions to end up with love in the end. Kate does it consciously, lowering herself to make Marlow fall in love with her, and Marlow does it against his will; he is incapable of being himself around women of his own standing, and therefore has to lower himself to show his true nature. I think the name signifies the satire of the play, in its parody of sentimental comedies of the time--it would not be normal or likely moraly right for a woman to lower herself and deceive a man to reach her goal, and in the play, she goes against tradition and morals to achieve her goal. 1203022301

First of all, I was rather surprised to see my name while I was scrolling through these responses. Thank you for speading my love of British Humour with the world, John. For your loyalty, I will give you a shrubbery. Now, on to the post. I'd like to comment on the use of conquering in the Epilogue ("As I have conquered him to conquer you). When I read this, I thought back to the prologue when Garrick says, "But desperate the Doctor, and her case is, if you reject the dose, and make wry faces!..." I think that the intent of the line in the epilogue is to say that Goldsmith wrote this play, or "conquered him," to make us laugh, or "conquer" us. That makes the title of the play doubly significant in my mind. She's stooping to conquer her man in the play, and is stooping down from the plays with morals in the past to conquer her audience with laughter.1203038977

I think that DRu is onto something, and I share that given opinion. Miss Hardcastle was a sneak and used trickery to have her way. I personally did not find the play to be all that humorous, but I found comic relief in seeing its relation to occurrences of our day. Scheming to catch the interest of or to find out more about a boy is no rarity these days. When some girls become excited about a guy, there is no telling what they will do to have their fun. It mostly is not nearly as serious as the happenings in the play, but it is very similar. To get what she wants, a girl can be no stranger to doing unusual things to try and "conquer" a boy. 1203119218

I agree with KGa in that the characters definitely stoop both morally and socially to get what they want, but I don't agree with the physical interpretation of stooping to the extent that BGa expressed. I actually believe that reversing gender roles is empowering to Kate. She takes matters into her own hands, and I guess she does literally stoop to be noticed, but that is much more positive than I believe the word "stoop" to mean on the cover of the book. She takes on other negative roles that better explain the use of the word stoop. But, as for taking matters into her own hands, and not waiting around for her prince charming--well I think that is very empowering. 1203132755

CDu, I'm not sure if I quite agree with you. I think her literally stooping and pretending to be of lower class in order to get her man is actually want the title is about. I'm not sure if this is empowering either. Yes, she had to alter herself in appearance and personality to win the love of her man, but its this not only sort of degrading because she had to change herself to be accepted by him, but also she had to lower her standards so that he could be technically "better" than her. I do give her lots of kudos though on taking matters into her own hands, and it obviously paid off. That takes a great amount of courage. 1203144742

Kva, she is stooping to a lower social level to get what she wants--her man--but she is by no means literally stooping, only figuratively. Also, as for the empowering aspect, put it in the context of the times. During the 18th century, men chased women, and women had virtually no say in their destiny in marriage. This novel has a strong, female protagonist who actually chases what she wants, not what her parents or suitors want--although her parents do eventually agree. Many female characters in 18th century plays are whiny damsel in distress types or tragic Josta types: Kate is a strong, go-getting woman at a time that this type of character was a rare breed. She may not be empowering by today's standards, but in the context of the times, she was a strong female character. 1203154890

Bga, the idea of Kate literally stooping is very interesting. It was not the first thought that came to my mind, to be sure. I understood the figurative idea of her stooping socially and morally etc., and at first I thought that her stooping literally was a stretch. Maybe it IS a stretch, but it is a very intriguing idea that deserves some thought. Kate does indeed reverse gender roles in a way with Marlow. I'm not sure if way back then the guys got down on a knee to propose, though. Maybe in Goldsmith's time, "stoop" wasn't meant literally. But today, at least, it is possible. 1203208941