She Stoops to Conquer

In the title and in the dialogue throughout She Stoops to Conquer, finding love is symbolically represented by the language of battle and warfare. The title itself uses the term “conquer,” which typically implies a military victory, but within the context of the play represents Kate's successful marriage to Marlow. By portraying courtship as a military conquest, Goldsmith draws attention to how tactical and strategic the process of finding love can be. Rather than a calm and casual endeavor, finding a romantic partner requires courage and devious planning in order to succeed.

Marlow refers to his courtship with Kate through the language of battle when he first arrives at the Hardcastle house. As he speaks to his friend Hastings, he decides on an outfit to wear and figuratively compares his decision to the opening gambit of a war: “the first blow is half the battle. I intend opening the campaign with the white and gold” (24, emphasis added). Mr. Hardcastle listens to Marlow and Hastings strategizing about clothing and emphasizes the similarity between their conversation and a commander preparing for a war, saying, “your generalship puts me in mind of Prince Eugene, when he fought the Turks at the battle of Belgrade” (27).