The+Conflicting+Perspectives+of+Mr.+Marlow

I found this passage from the beginning of the play, and it struck me because it is applicable throughout the work: "Hardcastle: On the contrary, modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues. It was the very feature in his character that first struck me. Miss Hardcastle: He must have more striking features to catch me, I promise you. However, if he be so young, so handsome, and so everything, as you mention, I believe he’ll do still" (4).

Miss Hardcastle's character, from the start, drastically differs from that of her father. Apparently, the two want opposite personality traits in Miss Hardcastle's future spouse. But, as we discussed at the beginning of the play, the two seem to know that it is ultimately //her// choice.

Hardcastle is so taken aback when his daughter's possible partner turns out to be haughtly and out-spoken because he wants something quite different for his own out-spoken, but well-loved, daughter. Miss Hardcastle, on the contrary, is vainer at least initially, and she also wants someone with a more forward approach in courtship. There are various instances of these constrasting perspectives throughout the play. Has anyone else noticed a particularly prominent / significant example??1202332592

Well, some things did happen that sort of contradict this. Mr. and Ms. Hardcastle, at one point, both agree that Marlow is not an entirely likeable person. They then agree that they need more time to make a conclusion about Marlow. And in the end, they both find that Marlow will be a suitable husband. Nevertheless, I think that your theory still holds validity. Ms. Hardcastle always seemed to be much more accepting of Marlow than her father, most likely because he saw the arrogant side of him and she saw the shy, quasi-loveable side. So, in conclusion, they are both different, but also the same.1202349815

Do remember what happens directly after that first quote. Mr. Hardcastle corrects his daughter's presumptions about how their relationship will be. She, at first, is under the impression that it will be up to her to determine the direction of the relationship. One could take this as vanity, as Sharon did, or could take it as her summing up all the experience she has had in the past with relationships. Her class would, after all, make her rather intimidating to someone not so high up. So her father makes her modest (both in dress in the evening, and now in her manner). Mr. Hardcastle does this by saying that he might not think she will do as a future wife. She knows this going into it. And once he shows moderate interest in her (and her poor counterpart), she is thrilled and takes it as modesty and kindness. Whereas Mr. Hardcastle thinks him modest and takes his manners as rude and overbearing. It is not that Miss Hardcastle is more accepting of Marlow than her father, it is just that they were expecting different things of his nature, and both saw different sides of him.

Throughout the play, however, Mr. Hardcastle provides a few moral comments, such as the one listed above about modesty, and thinks his daughter doesn't have the same insights as he does: Hardcastle: "Ay, when a girl finds a fellow's outside to her taste, she then sets about guessing the rest of his furniture. WIth her, a smooth face stands for good sense, and a genteel figure for every virtue." (29) Their understandings of eachother and of Marlow's nature when they first meet them set them apart. However, I don't find many more differences. 1202402631

I interpreted what was said after the quote entirely differently. I didn't think that Mr. Hardcastle was saying that Marlow was lower is social status that Miss Hardcastle, rather that Miss Hardcastle was lower. Mr. Hardcastle said that "he [Marlow,] may not have you." The power to make a decision like that come from having the upper hand. This implies that Marlow was higher up on the social ladder and had the upper hand. Miss Hardcastle goes on to say that, "Well, if he refuses...[I'll] look out for some less difficult admirer." If MIss Hardcastle was at the top of the social ladder she would not need to look for a "less difficult admirer," admirers would be easy to find. I don't know, maybe I interpreted this wrong. I don't think it really makes much difference in the grand scheme of the play, but if someone could set me straight that would be great!

Mr. Hardcastle favored a more reserved man for his daughter, but is that just Mr. Hardcastle being a protective father? I don't think any girl can say that her father told her to date a forward, outgoing guy. I think they have this difference in the beginning just because Mr. Hardcastle is the father and wants to protect his daughter. Obviously Mr. Hardcastle ends up liking Marlow even though there is a outgoing, forward side to him. 1202963581

ADi, I'm nearly positive that I recall Br. Tom saying before we began the play that the Marlow's were just a little bit higher in social status than the Hardcastle's. So indeed, Miss Hardcastle would technically be lower in social status. However, I think Miss Hardcastle's confidence level rises above Marlow's. When Hardcastle talks highly of Marlow on page 4, Kate will only settle for the best. "He must have more striking features to catch me, I promise you. However, if he be so young, so handsome, and so everything, as you mention, I believe he'll do still. I think I'll have him." This statements makes me agree with SFa--I think Miss Hardcastle is vain initially--perhaps a little too over-confident. If she actually is lower in social status than Marlow, she must see herself pretty highly to assume that she will have the say in whether or not she will have him. Mr. Hardcastle doesn't jump to assumptions like Kate, and I'm sure he's glad he didn't after he meets the misled Marlow. It's ironic that Kate ends up lowering her social status even further in order to capture the attention of Marlow. 1203049501

I think we can see that Miss Hardcastle has a higher level of confidence than Marlow because Marlow chokes when he gets around girls of his own social class. I think that if he had more self-confidence, it would not be that much of a problem. For example, I know a lot of people feel more confident around freshman or sophomores because they feel like they are, in a way, better then them. But how would they act around seniors who they don't know or college students...it all depends on their confidence level. So when we see the two different sides of Marlow, we are seeing his confidence and his shyness. As for the father's choice of his daughters fiance, of course he's going to want a modest, well-behaved young man to date his daughter, but for some girls, that just doesn't cut it. But in the end, everybody's happy. 1203116844

I like the analogy you brought up kkr. I do think that it is ultimately all about confidence level. If only Marlow could relaxe and just be himself (yes, I know, a lot easier said than done). When a person is exacly who they feel most comfortable being, than that is being him or herself. I think that the challenge is finding the person that you are most comfortable being. From my own experience, I think that I often act differently around different people. It is not something that I consciously do, but I think that different people bring out different aspects of my complex personality. I don't think that Marlow has only two different sides to his personality, but the groups that his is with only let him show those sides. If only we could always be exactly the person we want to be? Do other people have an impact in who we are, or is it all our state of mind? 1203134104

I laughed when I read the part when Miss Hardcastle was basically saying, "Well if he's good looking I think that will be good enough." Her father knew to mention that which I also found funny. But about Marlow, I think Marlow enticed Miss Hardcastle because she got to see that the is not timid and shy all of the time. I completely understand what kkr is saying when she relates the situation to high school. Many people feel like they can act like they are better than everyone else when they are outside of their own group. It seems to be the only time they can get away with it. For Marlow, he jumps at those opportunities because he feels awkward and out of place almost when he is outranked or evenly matched. Miss Hardcastle does not want the weak Marlow but the confident, cocky one. I think she needed to see that so look would not be the only thing she liked him for.1203145509

While the differing preferences of Mr. Hardcastle and Kate have already been mentioned (Mr. Hardcastle desiring the naturally timid, good-mannered gentleman, and Kate desiring the reckless, blunt, "impudent", man that treats her like a "barmaid"), one perspective that was also reached jointly by Mr. Hardcastle and Kate was their perspective of realistic compromise. In the following quote, Kate begins to bring her dad around to try to look past the first impressions. Though Mr. Hardcastle still continues to insist on the accuracy of first impressions, perhaps the following quote is when he starts to reconsider to accompany his daughter's happiness.1203147678

It is a parody of the stereotypical father-daughter relationship issues. The dad wants a man who will treat his daughter like a princess, while the daughter wants a bad boy who she can reform. In a way Marlow satisfies both of these prerequisites, because although he is by no stretch a bad boy, he does need to be reformed in regards to his timidity; however, at the same time, he also treats Kate very well and respectfully. I think this is the ultimate reason why he and Kate end up together: he just fits the mold that satisfies everyone. 1203154170

code MISS HARDCASTLE. Yes: but upon conditions. For if you should find him less impudent, and I more presuming--if you find him more respectful, and I more importunate--I don't know--the fellow is well enough for a man--Certainly, we don't meet many such at a horse-race in the country.1203147646

code