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In the play She Stoops To Conquer Tony Lumpkin is the son of Mrs. Hardcastle by her former husband Squire Lumpkin and he has inherited some of the wild traits of his father. Tony is extremely fond of too much eating and drinking, of horses and of girls Bet Bouncer. He has been spoiled by the over indulgence of his mother, Tony is all given to tricks. He loves to play pranks on or mystify others. As a character Tony is a mere composition of tricks and mischiefs. He burns the footman's shoes, frightens the maids and worries the kittens.
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| Tony Lumpkin |
His prankish nature is seen in the false and wrong description he given to Marlow and Hastings, of himself, his step sister, the country roads and his own house. As a extremely naughty fellow, Tony plays tricks on his mother. He removes the casket of Miss Neville's jewels from her mother's, tell her to who pretend that they are missing and when his mother discovers the loss of the jewels, he pretends that she is merely acting, they are gone.
With all his fondness for tricks Tony is good nature and generous. He is not mean minded or wicked, greedy as his mother is. He does not hanker after fortune or fashions. He does not seek to add to his wealth by rich marriage. Tony is not a fool as many take him to be. He is very intelligent and clever everything he does bears the stamp of his intelligent and cleverness. Tony is not only intelligent but a sensitive and mentally strong man. He remains calm and quiet under adverse circumstances, and does not break down under provocations. Like a man of iron, he never despairs of success. When Hastings plan of elopement is exposed by Neville's over cleverness, and everybody rounds on him, Tony does never lose his temper.
Tony Lumpkin is a great comic character. It is his very witty pranks that make most of the fun for us and what the other characters in the play. He is full of vivacity helps those who need help. Indeed Tony Lumpkin represents the eternal youth which braves the dangers and difficulties that come its way. He those becomes the central figure in the play She Stoops To Conquer and the role he performed is mere important than any of the characters of the play.