What Makes She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith a Comedy of Manners?

She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith is a comedy of manners with its plot, witty dialogue, characters, and other elements of comedy like mistaken identities. In the 18th century, a kind of comedy called sentimental comedy was popular among playwrights and audiences. Oliver Goldsmith was opposed to sentimental comedy because it aimed for emotion and sympathy rather than laughter. He argued that true comedy is supposed to elicit genuine laughter from the audience, so he became a pioneer in the revival of "pure comedy," that is, comedy of manners, which primarily mocks and satirizes high society and their obsession with manners, which causes hypocrisy through witty dialogues and complicated plots that are resolved with a happy ending. She Stoops to Conquer stands as a good example of this type of comedy. Its plot is about Marlow and Kate’s love that springs because of a misunderstanding caused by Kate’s stepbrother, Tony. Marlow, being misled by Tony, thinks that Mr. Hardcastle’s house is an inn and he is the innkeeper. Since Kate wants to know Marlow, whom her father wants her to marry, thoroughly, she pretends to be a barmaid. All these misconceptions are one of the main elements that make the play a comedy of manners. Another thing is the politeness of the characters despite the frustrating situations they are in. Like when in Act IV, even though Mr. Hardcastle started to lose his patience, he was trying to be kind to Marlow: 

HARDCASTLE. I no longer know my own house. It’s turned all topsy-turvy. His servants have got drunk already. I’ll bear it no longer, and yet, from my respect for his father, I’ll be calm. [To him.] Mr Marlow, your servant. I’m your very humble servant. [Bowing low.] (Goldsmith 75)

Since satirizing high society’s obsession with manners is one of the aspects of the comedy of manners, this quote shows that this play is a comedy of manners. When it comes to the matter of wit and cunning behavior which are the main elements that cause comical situations and laughter, Tony takes his role as the mischief maker and plot mover with his cunning pranks and schemes. Also, his and Kate’s words in several situations are full of wit and intelligence. For example, at the end of the play, when everything is revealed, as a reference to their conversation about hypocrisy, Kate says:

MISS HARDCASTLE. In which of your characters, sir, will you give us leave to address you? As the faltering gentleman, with looks on the ground, that speaks just to be heard, and hates hypocrisy: or the loud confident creature, that keeps it up with Mrs Mantrap, and old Miss Biddy Buckskin, till three in the morning; ha, ha, ha! (Goldsmith 101)

All these examples, and the plot that ends up with a foreshadowing of a wedding between Kate and Charles, and Hastings and Miss Neville, are enough proof to state that She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy of manners written by Oliver Goldsmith, who was a supporter of comedy that makes one laugh and not cry.