She Stoops to Conquer: Act 3 Summary & Analysis

Alone on stage, Hardcastle wonders aloud why his friend Sir Charles described Marlow as a modest man. He has been shocked by Marlow’s presumptuousness: Marlow has sat in his chair by the fire and asked him to have his boots cleaned.

Kate enters. She is now wearing the plain clothing her father prefers. He says that there was no reason for her to change because he was mistaken in thinking she might marry the modest Marlow. Both Kate and Hardcastle express astonishment at Marlow’s behavior, but Hardcastle mistakenly thinks that Kate also experienced his behavior as impudent (when in fact she experienced his extreme shyness). Hardcastle says that Marlow learned it all from a French dancing master, but Kate says then he wouldn’t be so timid and awkward. They compare their experiences with Marlow and discover that they are entirely different.

Hardcastle says that at least they are agreed on the matter of rejecting Marlow, but Kate urges that they give him another chance. She says that he is the kind of man you seldom meet in the countryside and he might have a better character than first impressions suggest. Hardcastle scoffs, saying that Kate, like most women, thinks she can shape Marlow into a good husband because she finds him physically attractive. Kate reminds her father that he thinks more highly of her intelligence than this, and he apologizes for the insult. They agree to give Marlow another chance and see who is right, whether he is the impudent man who offended Hardcastle or the shy one who was too modest to speak to Kate. Then they both exit.

Tony enters, holding a box of Constance’s jewels. Hastings enters and asks Tony if he has been pretending to love Constance so that Mrs. Hardcastle will not suspect the planned elopement. Tony does not answer this question, instead telling Hastings that he has taken Constance’s jewels for them. He hands Hastings the box of jewels. Hastings asks how Tony got the jewels, and Tony says that he has keys to his mother’s drawers, from which he often takes money to go to the alehouse. He rationalizes that this is not stealing because the money is meant for him eventually. Hastings points out that Constance is currently trying to convince Mrs. Hardcastle to give them the jewels and that that would be a more appropriate way to procure them, but Tony predicts that his mother will not relinquish the jewels and tells Hastings to hold onto the box for now. Hastings worries about how Mrs. Hardcastle will react when she sees the jewels are gone.

Tony sees Mrs. Hardcastle and Constance approaching and tells Hastings to run off. Hastings exits, and Constance and Mrs. Hardcastle enter, discussing the jewels. Mrs. Hardcastle argues that Constance needs no jewels to enhance her beauty and that jewels are out of fashion. She explains that when her acquaintances go to town with their jewels, they return without them. When Constance continues to press her aunt, saying that the jewels may make Tony like her better, Mrs. Hardcastle says she is not sure that she still has the jewels. 

Tony draws his mother aside and tells her that the only way to shut Constance up is to tell her the jewels are lost. Mrs. Hardcastle thinks this is a funny idea and agrees, asking Tony to back up her story. Mrs. Hardcastle tells Constance that the jewels are gone, and Tony says he can confirm this. Constance says that Mrs. Hardcastle could not possibly be so calm about such a loss, since she would have to make up for it. Mrs. Hardcastle says she hopes Constance’s jewels will be found soon, but she will lend her niece garnets to wear in the meantime. Constance says she hates garnets and is very angry when Mrs. Hardcastle goes to get them for her. Tony reassures her, saying she can take the garnets on top of her jewels, which he has already given to Hastings. He tells Constance to run to Hastings. Constance is overjoyed.

Mrs. Hardcastle rushes back in, shouting that the jewels have been stolen. Tony commends his mother’s ability to act upset and promises he will bear witness that the jewels have been misplaced. No matter how many times she tells him he is not joking, Tony continues to assure her that he will bear witness to her false story. Eventually she asks if he is laughing at her, and he says he can bear witness to that, too. The mother and son exit, yelling at one another.

Kate and her maid, Pimple, enter. Kate has learned about Tony’s prank and laughs with Pimple at Marlow’s mistaking their house for an inn. Pimple tells Kate that Marlow is getting even more confused. When Kate walked past Marlow in her simple clothing, Marlow asked Pimple if Kate was the inn’s barmaid. Kate asks Pimple if she is certain that Marlow doesn’t remember her face from their conversation. Pimple affirms this, and Kate says that he was too shy to try to look at her, and her bonnet also covered her face. Kate says she will not correct Marlow’s mistake. Since he only speaks to lower-class women, Kate will make an impression on him by pretending to be a lower-class woman, while also judging her own interest in him as a potential husband. Kate does an impression of a lower-class woman for Pimple, who tells her it will work to trick Marlow.

Pimple exits, and Marlow enters, complaining to himself that there is nowhere in the house to find privacy away from the innkeeper and his wife. Pretending to be a servant, Kate asks him if he called, but he ignores her. He says to himself that Miss Hardcastle seemed much too serious for him, and he thinks she wasn’t very attractive. Kate stands in front of him again, asking if he called for a servant. Still ignoring Kate, Marlow says to himself that he has met Kate as his father asked him to and can now return home. Kate asks him again, and then again, if he called for a servant. He says no over and over.

Finally, Marlow looks at the “servant” standing in front of him. Immediately interested, he tells her she is beautiful and begins to flirt with her, asking her age and coming close to look at her face. Kate keeps up a steady banter with him, playing the role of a quick-witted, self-respecting, and spirited young woman of the servant class. Marlow tries to kiss her, and she quips that he is trying to learn her age from her mouth as people do when examining horses. Kate remarks that Marlow had been shy and not quite so excitable when he met Miss Hardcastle. Marlow admits to himself that she is right but says to her that Miss Hardcastle was such an awkward, squinting thing that he was not at all intimidated by her, he just didn’t want to hurt her feelings by rejecting her.

Kate, still playing the role of barmaid, says that it sounds like he is a real ladies’ man. He says he is; the women in town call him a Rattle, and he spends time at a club with a bunch of jolly, older women. Kate laughs at this, and Marlow worries that she is laughing at him, but she explains that she can’t imagine how the women have time to take care of their families when they spend time drinking with him. Marlow is reassured that Kate is not laughing at him. He asks if she works, and she says she embroidered everything in the house. He says he wants her to show him her work, and grabs her. She struggles to escape his grasp.

Hardcastle walks into the room and is shocked to see Marlow groping Kate. Marlow curses his bad luck at being caught by the innkeeper and leaves the room. Agitated, Hardcastle asks Kate if this is the modest, shy man she described. Kate says that her father should trust her, and that she will prove Marlow to be as he was described. Hardcastle is difficult to convince, saying he wants to throw Marlow out of his house. Kate says she needs an hour to persuade her father, and he grants this, but says that Kate must promise to be transparent with him. Kate agrees, saying she has always been proud to do as he tells her, because he is so kind.