T h e - T a m i n g - o f - t h e - S h r e w

By Justin Todd

Contents

The Induction
Money, Society and Status
Who's Who?
Soliloquies and Asides
The Wicker Basket
Puns
Imagery
Map of Italy
Variations

The Induction

I believe that after Christopher Sly and the rest disappear, they are replaced by characters from the play. For example. Christopher Sly becomes Katherina and the Page becomes Bianca. I don't miss Christopher Sly, because I feel that Katherina takes his place quite nicely.

Although the induction parallels with the rest of the story, I don't really feel it is necessary. I believe that the story of Kate and Petruchio is the most important. If I was about to put on the play, I don't think that I would include the induction because it would require more props and actors and I don't believe that the audience would fully understand its significance.

Many links, echoes and parallels can be found between the induction of the play and the rest of the story:

Christopher Sly is very similar to Katherine in the ways that:
a) They are both forced to be somebody that they really aren't. They have to adapt to their new enviroments.
b) They are both brainwashed.

I believe that Christopher Sly and Katherine have similarities. I believe that the purpose of the induction is to show how people's minds can be manipulated.

Money, Society and Status

I completely agree with Bogdanov on his view of the play. I don't believe that Shakespeare would have been as shallow as to make a sexist, woman-bashing play. I think that this play can really be interpreted in two different ways:
a) It was a sexist farce
b) It was written just to show how unfair woman were treated in the mid-twentieth century.

Padua
Padua is a posh, upper-class city in Italy. The people of Padua are very traditional, acquisitive, greedy and materialistic. Males force females to abide by rules which define a proper woman. Any woman that fights to keep her personal integrity is considered defiant, rebellious and shrewish. The status of people in Padua depends on their level of education, wealth and family name.

Who's Who?

Soliloquies and Asides

One thing I noticed is that Shakespeare never allows Katherina a soliloquy. I believe he doesn't allow this because he doesn't want the audience to know exactly what she is thinking. He leaves it up to us to decide what she is really feeling.

During the tailor scene, Hortensio in aside, commentates to the audience what's going on.

Petruchio's soliloquy rewritten:

Thus have I politicly begun my reign,
And 'tis my hope to end successfully.
My falcon now is sharp and passing empty.
And till she stoop she must not be full-gorg'd,
For then she never looks upon her lure.
Another way I have to man my haggard,
To make her come, and know her keeper's call,
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites
That bate and beat, and will not be obedient.
She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat;
Last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not;
As with the meat, some undeserved fault
I'll find about the making of the bed;
And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets;
Ay, and amid this hurly I intend
That all is done in reverend care of her-
And, in conclusion, she shall watch all night;
And if she chance to nod I'll rail and brawl
And with the clamour keep her still awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness,
And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong humour.
He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak; 'tis charity to show.

The Wicker Basket

Here are some possible props that the strolling players in the induction may have carried around with them:

Puns

The Lord (I.I.17) – Brach
Hortensio/Katherine (I.I.58) - Mates
Biondello/Baptista (III.I.30) – Old news
Tranio (I.I.31) – Stoics and stocks
Grumio (I.II.6) – The knock knock scene
Petruchio (II.I.209-237) – Many puns. (Tail/Tale,cox-comb,combless cock,crab)
Lucentio (III.I.47) – Base
Widow/Katherina (V.II.31/32) - Mean
Bianca (V.II.39) – Butt/horn

Puns are sometimes used for serious purposes (ex. dead serious), but more often for comic effect.

Imagery

Animals mentioned:
Lord - dogs (I.I.16)
Petruchio – Many animal-related puns (II.I.209-239)
Petruchio – Dogs (IV.I.166)
Petruchio – Rascal (IV.I.143)
Petruchio – Falcon (IV.I.194)

Food
Petruchio – The choleric meat (IV.I.173-179)
Grumio – "fat tripe, finely broil'd" (IV.III.20)

Clothes
Petruchio – The cap (IV.III.64-68)
Petruchio – The gown (IV.III.87-91)
Biondello – Describing Petruchio's wedding costume (III.II.42-64)

Map of Italy

Variations

Farce – Kiss Me Petruchio
I felt that this version of the play was much more successful than The Moonlighting Version. This version presented the play as being non-sexist. One point raised by the actress of Katherina offstage was: Is it so wrong to completely submit to your husband or call him lord? I don't think it is wrong if you really love the person. I believe that the characters stepping out of character in this production helped the progression of the story being told. I also liked how the actress of Katherina talked off stage, because in the play, Shakespeare never allows Katherine to reveal to the audience her true feelings in a soliloquy.

Farcical parody – The Moonlighting Version
I think that this version was done quite poorly. It seemed to be directed at a much younger age although there were some puns of sexual nature. The characters stepped out of character more than they should have. For example, at the end of the play during the final banquet scene, Petruchio is the one that gives the final speech implying that he was the one that was tamed and not Katherina. I don't believe that The Taming of the Shrew is a sexist play so I found this one a little hard to swallow.