She Stoops to Conquer - NU -

NU Theater's website

The setting -
The play takes place during the 18th century in the Hardcastle mansion in the English countryside, about sixty miles from London.

The characters -

-Mr. Hardcastle
-Mrs. Dorothy Hardcastle
-Charles Marlow
-Kate Hardcastle
-Tony Lumpkin
-George Hastings
-Constance Neville
-Sir Charles Marlow
-Servants in the Hardcastle Household
-Maid in the Hardcastle Household
-Landlord of the Three Pigeons Alehouse
-First Fellow, Second Fellow, Third Fellow, Fourth Fellow

The plot -

In a downstairs room of their old mansion, Dorothy Hardcastle tells her husband that they need a little diversion–namely, a trip to London, a city she has never visited. Their neighbors, the Hoggs sisters and Mrs. Grigsby, spend a month in London every winter. It is the place to see and be seen. But old Hardcastle, content with his humdrum rural existence, says people who visit the great city only bring back its silly fashions and vanities. Once upon a time, he says, London’s affectations and fopperies took a long time to reach the country; now they come swiftly and regularly by the coach-load.
Mrs. Hardcastle, eager for fresh faces and conversations, says their only visitors are Mrs. Oddfish, the wife of the local minister, and Mr. Cripplegate, the lame dancing teacher. What’s more, their only entertainment is Mr. Hardcastle’s old stories about sieges and battles. But Hardcastle says he likes everything old–friends, times, manners, books, wine, and, of course, his wife.
Living in their home with them is their daughter, Kate, a pretty miss of marriageable age, and Tony, Mrs. Hardcastle’s son by her first husband, Mr. Lumpkin. As a boy, Tony bedeviled his stepfather, Mr. Hardcastle, with every variety of mischief, burning a servant’s shoes, scaring the maids, and vexing the kittens. And, Hardcastle says, “It was but yesterday he fastened my wig to the back of my chair, and when I went to make a bow, I popt my bald head in Mrs. Frizzle’s face.”
Now as a young man, Tony has become a fat slob who spends most of his time at the local alehouse. Soon he will come of age, making him eligible for an inheritance of 1500 pounds a year with which to feed his fancies. Mrs. Hardcastle wants to match Tony with her niece and ward, Constance Neville, who has inherited a casket of jewels from her uncle. As Miss Neville’s guardian, Mrs. Hardcastle holds the jewels under lock and key against the day when Constance can take legal possession of them.
While Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle discuss the London trip that is not to take place, Tony passes between them and sets off for the alehouse, The Three Pigeons. Mrs. Hardcastle chases out the door after him, saying he should find something better to do than associate with riffraff.
Alone, Mr. Hardcastle laments the follies of the age. Even his darling Kate is becoming infected, for now she has become fond of “French frippery.” When she enters the room, he tells her he has arranged for her to meet an eligible young man, Mr. Charles Marlow, a scholar with many good qualities who “is designed for employment in the service of the country.” Marlow is to arrive for a visit that very evening with a friend, Mr. George Hastings. Young Marlow is the son of Hardcastle’s friend, Sir Charles Marlow. Kate welcomes the opportunity to meet the young man, although she is wary about her father’s description of him as extremely shy around young ladies.
By and by, Constance Neville comes in for a visit. When Kate tells her about young Mr. Marlow, Constance tells her that her own admirer, Mr. Hastings, a friend of the Marlow family. Miss Neville welcomes the attentions of Hastings but laments Mrs. Hardcastle’s attempts to pair her with her “pretty monster,” Tony, in an effort to keep Miss Neville’s jewels in the family. Tony and Constance despise each other. (Taken From )

Student Guide Idea

Having a play that is set in the 18th century usually causes a language barrier that is hard to get over. But with a a brief history behind the 18th century language would help overcome this barrier. Also, if there are words that will cause issues with understanding the text, the teacher should write up any words she will believe to cause trouble with the definition.
Also, after having the students read a scene during class. The students should have the opportunity to write up their own version of the scene in present day terms. This could be in a play format or a short story. After doing so, the students should go home and read the scene again. Once doing this, the students should write up a short paragraph with why they believe the part they wrote is like the one in the scene in the book.