She Stoops to ConquerOutline of Main PointsIntroduction to Theatre – 270I. Goldsmith BioII.Cultural Context of PlayA. Reaction against “Sentimentalism”B. Sentimentalism was reaction against Restoration ComedyC. Characteristics of Restoration Comedy (Last Quarter 17 Century)1. Aggressive Sexuality: Seductions, Adultery, Denigration of Women.2. Aggressive “Wit:” Verbal mockery of other menII. Cultural Context (Cont.)D.Characteristics of Sentimentalism (First 3 Quarters of 18th Century.)1. Plays set in working class environments, dealing with working class concerns2. Dramatic focus on moral virtue, problems of innocent victimsa. “weeping comedy”3. Excessive moralizing in dialogue4. Plays dramatically weakIII. Play an attack on sentimentalismA.Play’s PrologueB.Support of Samuel JohnsonC.Essay on “Laughing Comedy”IV. Strengths of playA.LanguageB.Comic Structure1. New Comedy2. Double Plot3. Triple Comic MotifV. CharacterizationA. Characters derivative of earlier “types”VI.Theme of PlayThe