Taming of the Shrew
Induction: The opening scenes of the play begin with a drunkard, Christopher Sly being tricked by the lord of the land who wishes to trick Sly into believing he is a noble man. In tricking Sly the lord gathers a group of players who perform The Taming of the Shrew. Most performances exclude the induction, since it is never referred to or concluded at the end of the play.
The play begins with Baptista, a wealthy man in Padua who has two daughters, Katherina and Bianca. Katherina is a physically and verbally abusive young lady who torments her family members. Baptista has sworn that Bianca may not wed a suitor until Katherina has wed. Bianca, who has many suitors such as Lucentio, hopes for Katherina to marry so she may wed.
Eventually, Petruchio comes to Padua to visit a friend. Attracted by Katherina’s large dowry, Petruchio vows to tame the shrewish woman. Petruchio arranges a marriage to Katherina, and at the ceremony he makes an ass of himself by insulting the clergy and by wearing inappropriate wedding attire. Petruchio then sets out to domesticate Katherina. Using physical abuse and animal training tactics such as starvation and sleep depravation, Petruchio eventually conquers Katherina. Lucentio, one of Bianca’s many suitors, eventually wins the heart of Bianca. At Bianca and Lucentio’s feast, Katherina proves she has been tamed by providing a lecture on how to be a dutiful wife.
Gender Roles
In the Elizabethan household it was the role of the male to lead the family; however, in Taming of the Shrew, Katherina takes on many of the male roles and Petruchio many female gender roles (Perret 228). Katherina is disobedient to both her father and husband, something that is not the norm in Elizabethan times (Perret 203). Katherina breaks out of the typical feminine role of being seen not heard and is extremely outspoken doing what she wills.
When Petruchio and Katherina wed, many of the gender role reversals are apparent. Katherina is prominent in the male roles and Petruchio is seen in the more feminine gender roles. Katherina leads the family in prayer, while Petruchio is tending to the burnt food. Petruchio deals with the tailor describing what Katherina should wear and describing how the clothes fit on his wife. It is Petruchio who refuses to consummate the marriage, not Katherina who is forced into the marriage, and it is Petruchio who frets about the way a hat looks on Katherina’s head. In public it is Katherina who publicly defends and stands up for her spouse as she publicly upholds his reputation by speaking out for his ability to tame her (Perret 234). Speaking out in public in Elizabethan times is a role that a man would partake in, not a woman (Perret 234).
Attire in Taming of the Shrew
Shakespeare uses clothes in his play as a means of controlling and taming Katherina (Jaster 95). In Elizabethan times and still today a person’s attire shows his or her respective place in society. Those who wish to show off their wealth in today’s society, as not much has changed since the 17th century, seek name brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Chanel. In Elizabethan times the husband would give his bride the gift of apparel that provided the bride a new social identity (Jaster 97). Petruchio uses clothes as a means of controlling Katherina and thus removing her form the ranks of high society. At their wedding Petruchio shows up in inappropriate wedding attire, wearing mismatched clothes fit for a fool, “an eyesore to our solemn festival” (3.2.91). When giving his bride a new wardrobe, Petruchio hires a tailor to design Katherina a new dress. Petruchio refers to the dress as a “loose bodied gown” a term for dresses that prostitutes wear (Jaster 104). Finally, Petruchio denies Katherina a new dress and he forces her to return to her father’s house in her old clothes, thus stripping her on her social status and proving he is in control (Jaster 104).
Characters in Taming of the Shrew
Katherina/Kate
At the beginning of the play most of what we learn about Katherina is hearsay from male suitors. She is referred to as a “devil” (1.1.60) and a “fiend of hell” (1.1.88). Even though the audience has no interaction with Katherina, her unbelievable reputation has already been established. When Katherina makes her grand entrance, she has bound her sibling and is physically striking her and verbally abusing her. Katherina is jealous of all the attention that her father bestows on her younger sister Bianca; therefore, Katherina is determined not to allow Bianca happiness by finding a suitor (thus ultimately denying Bianca marriage to a suitor). As the play progresses, the audience see Katherina transform from a strong-willed individual to a tamer version of herself. She shows compassion to the servants that her husband Petruchio abuses, and she conforms to his abusive antics, such as dressing poorly and speaking on how to be a perfect wife, thus ensuring her role as a women in society.
Petruchio
Petruchio is an arrogant, selfish, and materialistic individual who only wishes to marry Katherina for her large dowry. Petruchio also wishes to tame Katherina to win a bet that he can change the shrew into a passive woman, therefore, ensuring increased finances. Petruchio treats Katherina unfavorably, like an animal. He robs her of her family, sleep, food, and adequate clothing. He insults her and debases her in front of family and friends and actually tricks her into believing that she has married a fool. Petruchio does not stop there; he subjects her to physical and verbal abuse, trying to scare her into becoming the model wife. However, Petruchio puts a lot of trust in Katherina since her actions do reflect his reputation. If he is unable to tame the shrewish woman, then he has ultimately failed as a man.
Bianca
Bianca is the younger sister of Kate and is at the mercy of her sister. Bianca is pursued by many male suitors; however, Bianca may not choose a suitor for marriage until her shrewish sister Kate has found a man to marry. Bianca is constantly being abused by her sister both physically and verbally and wishes for Kate to find a mate to marry. Bianca receives their father’s attention and respect, as well as the interest of many other male characters in the play, creating a division between Kate and herself. Bianca’s character represents the ideal sixteenth century woman, beautiful, sweet, generous, and tame.
Stockel, Jessica. "Not So Tame: The Taming of the Shrew ." Units/2005. HTI: Houston Teaching Institute, n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2012.
<http://hti.math.uh.edu/curriculum/units/2005/09/05.09.13.php>.
Induction: The opening scenes of the play begin with a drunkard, Christopher Sly being tricked by the lord of the land who wishes to trick Sly into believing he is a noble man. In tricking Sly the lord gathers a group of players who perform The Taming of the Shrew. Most performances exclude the induction, since it is never referred to or concluded at the end of the play.
The play begins with Baptista, a wealthy man in Padua who has two daughters, Katherina and Bianca. Katherina is a physically and verbally abusive young lady who torments her family members. Baptista has sworn that Bianca may not wed a suitor until Katherina has wed. Bianca, who has many suitors such as Lucentio, hopes for Katherina to marry so she may wed.
Eventually, Petruchio comes to Padua to visit a friend. Attracted by Katherina’s large dowry, Petruchio vows to tame the shrewish woman. Petruchio arranges a marriage to Katherina, and at the ceremony he makes an ass of himself by insulting the clergy and by wearing inappropriate wedding attire. Petruchio then sets out to domesticate Katherina. Using physical abuse and animal training tactics such as starvation and sleep depravation, Petruchio eventually conquers Katherina. Lucentio, one of Bianca’s many suitors, eventually wins the heart of Bianca. At Bianca and Lucentio’s feast, Katherina proves she has been tamed by providing a lecture on how to be a dutiful wife.
Gender Roles
In the Elizabethan household it was the role of the male to lead the family; however, in Taming of the Shrew, Katherina takes on many of the male roles and Petruchio many female gender roles (Perret 228). Katherina is disobedient to both her father and husband, something that is not the norm in Elizabethan times (Perret 203). Katherina breaks out of the typical feminine role of being seen not heard and is extremely outspoken doing what she wills.
When Petruchio and Katherina wed, many of the gender role reversals are apparent. Katherina is prominent in the male roles and Petruchio is seen in the more feminine gender roles. Katherina leads the family in prayer, while Petruchio is tending to the burnt food. Petruchio deals with the tailor describing what Katherina should wear and describing how the clothes fit on his wife. It is Petruchio who refuses to consummate the marriage, not Katherina who is forced into the marriage, and it is Petruchio who frets about the way a hat looks on Katherina’s head. In public it is Katherina who publicly defends and stands up for her spouse as she publicly upholds his reputation by speaking out for his ability to tame her (Perret 234). Speaking out in public in Elizabethan times is a role that a man would partake in, not a woman (Perret 234).
Attire in Taming of the Shrew
Shakespeare uses clothes in his play as a means of controlling and taming Katherina (Jaster 95). In Elizabethan times and still today a person’s attire shows his or her respective place in society. Those who wish to show off their wealth in today’s society, as not much has changed since the 17th century, seek name brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Chanel. In Elizabethan times the husband would give his bride the gift of apparel that provided the bride a new social identity (Jaster 97). Petruchio uses clothes as a means of controlling Katherina and thus removing her form the ranks of high society. At their wedding Petruchio shows up in inappropriate wedding attire, wearing mismatched clothes fit for a fool, “an eyesore to our solemn festival” (3.2.91). When giving his bride a new wardrobe, Petruchio hires a tailor to design Katherina a new dress. Petruchio refers to the dress as a “loose bodied gown” a term for dresses that prostitutes wear (Jaster 104). Finally, Petruchio denies Katherina a new dress and he forces her to return to her father’s house in her old clothes, thus stripping her on her social status and proving he is in control (Jaster 104).
Characters in Taming of the Shrew
Katherina/Kate
At the beginning of the play most of what we learn about Katherina is hearsay from male suitors. She is referred to as a “devil” (1.1.60) and a “fiend of hell” (1.1.88). Even though the audience has no interaction with Katherina, her unbelievable reputation has already been established. When Katherina makes her grand entrance, she has bound her sibling and is physically striking her and verbally abusing her. Katherina is jealous of all the attention that her father bestows on her younger sister Bianca; therefore, Katherina is determined not to allow Bianca happiness by finding a suitor (thus ultimately denying Bianca marriage to a suitor). As the play progresses, the audience see Katherina transform from a strong-willed individual to a tamer version of herself. She shows compassion to the servants that her husband Petruchio abuses, and she conforms to his abusive antics, such as dressing poorly and speaking on how to be a perfect wife, thus ensuring her role as a women in society.
Petruchio
Petruchio is an arrogant, selfish, and materialistic individual who only wishes to marry Katherina for her large dowry. Petruchio also wishes to tame Katherina to win a bet that he can change the shrew into a passive woman, therefore, ensuring increased finances. Petruchio treats Katherina unfavorably, like an animal. He robs her of her family, sleep, food, and adequate clothing. He insults her and debases her in front of family and friends and actually tricks her into believing that she has married a fool. Petruchio does not stop there; he subjects her to physical and verbal abuse, trying to scare her into becoming the model wife. However, Petruchio puts a lot of trust in Katherina since her actions do reflect his reputation. If he is unable to tame the shrewish woman, then he has ultimately failed as a man.
Bianca
Bianca is the younger sister of Kate and is at the mercy of her sister. Bianca is pursued by many male suitors; however, Bianca may not choose a suitor for marriage until her shrewish sister Kate has found a man to marry. Bianca is constantly being abused by her sister both physically and verbally and wishes for Kate to find a mate to marry. Bianca receives their father’s attention and respect, as well as the interest of many other male characters in the play, creating a division between Kate and herself. Bianca’s character represents the ideal sixteenth century woman, beautiful, sweet, generous, and tame.
Stockel, Jessica. "Not So Tame: The Taming of the Shrew ." Units/2005. HTI: Houston Teaching Institute, n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2012.
<http://hti.math.uh.edu/curriculum/units/2005/09/05.09.13.php>.
