# She Stoops to Conquer; Or, The Mistakes of a Night: A Comedy

**Author:** Oliver Goldsmith
**Tags:** Comedies
**Price:** Free
**Formats:** DOCX, EPUB, FB2, PDF, TXT
**Downloads:** 35
**Added:** 10.07.2026
**URL:** https://samolit.com/books/96133

## Description

Oliver Goldsmith's classic eighteenth-century comedy, She Stoops to Conquer, unfolds a hilarious tale of mistaken identity and romantic entanglements. Young Charles Marlow, notoriously shy around ladies of his own social standing but bold with women he perceives as lower class, embarks on a journey to meet his intended fiancée, Kate Hardcastle. A mischievous prank by Kate's stepbrother, Tony Lumpkin, leads Marlow and his friend Hastings to believe the Hardcastle family home is a rural inn. This central misunderstanding sets the stage for a series of comical blunders. Kate, discerning Marlow's peculiar social anxieties, decides to "stoop to conquer" by disguising herself as a common barmaid. This allows her to observe Marlow's true personality and determine if he is a worthy suitor, all while he unwittingly treats his future father-in-law, Mr. Hardcastle, as a mere innkeeper. Full of witty dialogue and satirical commentary on social class and appearances, the play expertly unravels the confusions of a single eventful night, ultimately leading to revelations, true love, and widespread laughter.