Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy written in 1773 but gained massive recognition in the 18th century. It combines elements of the "comedy of manners" genre in neoclassical drama that uses satire to expose us to the discord between the country and the city, poor and rich, that lived in that century. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay First, one of the major themes that runs throughout the play is the effect of child rearing and the role it plays on the child's life. This is illustrated in the novel where Tony Lumpkin is seen as a rebellious character. His attitude is a result of the way he was raised by his mother, Mrs. Hardcastle. She denies him an education and he is not capable of doing anything meaningful in society as expected of a classmate. So, he grows up and has no respect for his mother and rebels against her at the slightest opportunity. Kate and Mr. Hardcastle, on the other hand, have a healthy parent-child relationship. Kate has so much respect for her father and even though they disagree on certain issues like fashion, they both understand each other and an agreement is reached on how she should dress. Kate can make responsible choices even when it comes to choosing a life partner (young Marlow). In our society today, the issue of raising children is very relevant. The type of training that parents give to their children greatly influences the child's life, even as he grows up. Irresponsible parenting leads to raising irresponsible children. Second, another thematic theme of the play is that people interact with each other based on class differences. The play examines the relationships between people from the upper classes and people from the lower classes. For example, in the novel, Marlow and Hastings made fun of and disrespected Mr. Hardcastle. In Act I, Marlow says, “I never met with such impudence in all my life.” They disrespected him because they took him for an innkeeper. Marlow's relationship with Kate illustrates this theme. He speaks to Kate confidently when she is dressed as a barmaid and is nervous around her when she dresses as a high-class person. This indicates how people from the upper class relate to those from the lower class, they have little respect for them. The question of class differences is less significant today than in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although there is some form of class difference in society, it is gradually fading. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Essay Finally, disguise and deception can pay off. This is illustrated in the play where Miss Hardcastle discovers that young Marlow is comfortable around lower class women and is nervous around upper class women. She continues to disguise herself to trick Marlow into thinking she is a barmaid to win his love. In Act I, Kate says that "If he refuses to break my heart over his indifference, I will break my glass for his flattery." She realizes that the only way to win his love is to disguise herself as a barmaid. At the end of the play, she wins his love. In our society today people disguise themselves to get what they want, some rich people disguise themselves to find their life partner.