How does the opening scene of She Stoops to Conquer establish town and country in opposition?
How does the opening scene of She Stoops to Conquer establish town and country opposition? (40)
Traditionally the pastoral genre celebrates the virtues of simple, unsophisticated life far from the city or court. The rural countryside hosts a nostalgic population longing for a bucolic paradise similar to the Garden of Eden before the fall. This depiction of rural life is presented throughout Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer. Goldsmith endows particular personalities onto each character which allows them to become symbolic for certain settings. Tony is characterised as jovial and carefree through language and form. He is uninhibited and is interested in ‘fun going forward’ and isn’t diverted by any sense of commitment ‘mother, I cannot stay’, which mirrors the unpredictability of nature and country. Through characterisation, Goldsmith uses Tony’s character as a symbol for the simple, idyllic country life where drinking, enjoyment and singing are paramount. On the other hand, Marlow and Hastings are apathetic and impudent, representative of the nefarious urban landscape which is often presented as stifling, juxtaposing the Arcadian country and thus creating a dichotomy between the town and country.
Goldsmith introduces the audience to Mr Hardcastle in the opening scene of She Stoops to Conquer, along with other influential characters. Goldsmith’s utilisation of nominalisation immediately reveals to the reader the key traits of his character and differences between the town and country. Mr Hardcastle’s name highlights his sullen disposition towards the ‘follies of the town’ and preference of traditional ‘hard’, unyielding ‘old-fashioned’ rural life. ‘Hard’ symbolises the consistent, reliable nature of the countryside, which subsequently presents rural life positively in comparison to the evolving, unstable nature of the town which moves ‘faster than a stage-coach.’ The latter part of Hardcastle’s name has connotations of power and authority, considering ‘castles’
Traditionally the pastoral genre celebrates the virtues of simple, unsophisticated life far from the city or court. The rural countryside hosts a nostalgic population longing for a bucolic paradise similar to the Garden of Eden before the fall. This depiction of rural life is presented throughout Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer. Goldsmith endows particular personalities onto each character which allows them to become symbolic for certain settings. Tony is characterised as jovial and carefree through language and form. He is uninhibited and is interested in ‘fun going forward’ and isn’t diverted by any sense of commitment ‘mother, I cannot stay’, which mirrors the unpredictability of nature and country. Through characterisation, Goldsmith uses Tony’s character as a symbol for the simple, idyllic country life where drinking, enjoyment and singing are paramount. On the other hand, Marlow and Hastings are apathetic and impudent, representative of the nefarious urban landscape which is often presented as stifling, juxtaposing the Arcadian country and thus creating a dichotomy between the town and country.
Goldsmith introduces the audience to Mr Hardcastle in the opening scene of She Stoops to Conquer, along with other influential characters. Goldsmith’s utilisation of nominalisation immediately reveals to the reader the key traits of his character and differences between the town and country. Mr Hardcastle’s name highlights his sullen disposition towards the ‘follies of the town’ and preference of traditional ‘hard’, unyielding ‘old-fashioned’ rural life. ‘Hard’ symbolises the consistent, reliable nature of the countryside, which subsequently presents rural life positively in comparison to the evolving, unstable nature of the town which moves ‘faster than a stage-coach.’ The latter part of Hardcastle’s name has connotations of power and authority, considering ‘castles’