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Wayne Godden
Final Essay Introduction
The 16th century in Italy's cities of Padua and Verona is the time for William Shakespeare's
play. Although the play contains many characters, Petruchio and Katharine are its two central figures. Other notable characters in the play include Bianca, Baptista, Lucentio, Christoper Sly, Grumio, Biondello, Tranio, Gremio, and Hortensio. The play is divided into five acts, with numerous scenes in between the acts. Notably, the play has an induction and framing device at the beginning. Further, numerous critics and commentators have expressed displeasure and strong criticism about the play's ending and the objectification and treatment of the female character. Precisely, William has written about current issues such as materialism, patriarchy, gender roles, and female submissiveness. The play has also given birth to significant themes such as marriage, gender, language and communication, society, and class.
Therefore, this paper gives original analytical arguments based on the play "Taming the Shrew." Consequently, it provides a plot summary of the play's five acts. Additionally, the paper will discuss the play's central themes involving marriage, gender, Education, Society, and class and
how they are brought up basing arguments in the play. Plot Summary
The play starts with the induction of the happenings. Here we meet Christopher Sly, a tinker by trade and a drunkard by amusement. The Lord immediately comes up with a plan to
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convince Sly that he is a nobleman after spotting the beggar upon his return from hunting. Sly is to be brought inside, given a bath, and then placed in the estate's most opulent bed, per the Lord's
instructions. Additionally, he commands his staff to treat Sly as the Lord of the manor. Christopher Sly is understandably perplexed when he wakes up. Three servants meet the Lord and immediately request a drink. Sly soon falls victim to the Lord's deception and believes he has complete control over everything. On the other hand, when Sly Shakespeare performs, the Lord and his servants chuckle. When Sly asks his wife to join him in bed, he is warned that having sex could cause him to relapse. Sly chooses to wait and see the play performed by the acting company rather than risk relapsing.
Act 1
In this act, a young man named Luciano and his butler Tranio oversee an exciting event after traveling from Florence to Padua. Arriving first are Baptista Minola, his daughters Katherine and Bianca, and two men, Gremio and Hortensio, both interested in dating Bianca. Nevertheless, according to Minola, Bianca cannot be pursued until her older sister marries happily. As the two men note, the issue is that because of Kate's boldness and disobedience, no one they can think of would want to marry her. Baptista says that while tutors are welcome in his
home, suitors are not until Kate has found a husband. Lucentio declares his eternal love for Bianca after Minola and his friends depart. He decides to assume the identity of a schoolmaster and covertly court Bianca because he is aware that her father will reject any suitors. Lucentio instructs his servant Tranio to pose just like him because he is anticipated in Padua, and his absence would be noted.
Soon, Petruchio arrives in company with Grumio and his servant purposely to search for riches with the aid of a rich wife. His friend Hortensio claims to know the woman in question in
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great detail but also describes her as a shrew. Petruchio does not seem to care as long as her dowry is sufficient; he is confident that he can control even the most rebellious woman. Hortensio asks Petruchio to introduce him to old Baptista as a schoolmaster before the two men visit Minola's house to meet Kate and her father so he can covertly court Bianca. On their way to Minola's, they run into Gremio, who decides to give Baptista Lucentio after agreeing to do so. At
some point, Tranio comes to the gathering and declares his desire to be one of Bianca's suitors.
Act 2
When Kate enters dragging her sister, the audience sees what makes her angry and spiteful: Kate resents Bianca being the more popular daughter. The girls leave as soon as Baptista
arrives. As potential suitors come, they all begin by introducing themselves to Minola. As a gift, he accepts tutors and invites them inside to get to work. He concludes by saying that he might get married to Kate after he has won her love after talking with Petruchio about Kate's dowry.
Petruchio and Kate engage in an angry and passionate exchange of epithets and slurs in response to the other person's linguistic challenges during their first encounter. Kate vehemently rejects Petruchio's advances, but he persists and says they will wed on Sunday regardless. While Kate is kind and gentle in private, they have decided that she will be sly and rude in public, so Petruchio explains this to save face in front of his peers. Following the marriage of his eldest daughter, Baptista turns his attention to his younger daughter's wedding, choosing Tranio (Lucentio) if he can provide proof of the wealth he claims to possess. While pretending to be Bianca's teachers, Lucentio and Hortensio continue to pursue her. Despite her cautious nature, she prefers Lucentio.
Act 3
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Everything is in place as Kate's wedding day approaches. However, the groom is not present. As the wedding party waits outside the church, Kate looks disappointed. When Petruchio
does show up, he is dressed inappropriately and purposefully causes a commotion to mirror his future wife's irrational lousy behavior subtly. When Petruchio demands they return home immediately after the wedding ceremony, Katherine is forced to miss her wedding reception. We learn that the newlyweds fought at Petruchio's house. When Kate arrives, she is denied food and sleep under the pretense that Petruchio is providing for her exceptionally well.
Hortensio suspects Bianca is siding with his rival, Cambio, back at Baptista's house (the real Lucentio). In a rage, he swears to marry a wealthy widow and abandons his pursuit of Bianca. Tranio enters and informs a couple of the new development as he leaves. To prove Lucentio's wealth and hasten Lucentio and Bianca's marriage, Tranio must find someone to pretend to be Lucentio's father, Vincentio. He quickly decides to pose as Vincentio as soon as Pedant approaches. He will later meet with Baptista to persuade Baptista that Lucentio (Tranio) is his son and that he has the wealth he claims. When Baptista consents to the union, Biondello informs Cambio, and a covert nuptial ceremony is set up between Bianca and the real Lucentio.
Act 4
Kate is becoming impatient with her husband's allegedly erratic behavior at Petruchio's house. Petruchio finally gives Kate food after his friend Hortensio arrives and threatens to take it away if she does not express proper gratitude. Later, he promises that they will return to Padua looking their best, but he rejects the clothing made for them by the haberdasher and tailor. Reversing roles with Kate, Petruchio states that they will arrive at noon as the group prepares to leave. He corrects her and cancels the trip until she follows his instructions. When they do begin to move, Petruchio maintains his position of authority. He insists that Kate agrees that the sun
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and moon are identical. Kate starts to comprehend the operation of Petruchio's system: if she concurs with him, she receives what she desires. Petruchio puts her to the test when he refers to an older man (the real Vincentio) as a young woman. Hortensio and Vincentio are taken aback, but Kate agrees, and her true transformation begins.
Act 5 The disguises unravel when Vincentio discovers a man impersonating him in Padua. Notably, this play concludes with honoring all newlyweds, including the main characters, following the exposure of all the impersonators. The men start placing bets on who has the most submissive wife as the feast comes to a close, and the women scatter. Each man bet 100 crowns that his wife would show up when he called. When Lucentio summons Bianca, she does not respond. Hortensio requests the Widow, but she also rejects him. When Kate is summoned, everyone is taken aback. Everyone is surprised when, after carefully adhering to Petruchio's instructions, she gives a lengthy and essential speech on a woman's duty to her husband. The banquet guests are in awe of what they have just seen as Kate and Petruchio leave the party together after becoming tamed.
Main Themes
i). Gender A point to note, gender plays a vital role in teaching us about power. This play describes the nature of two-gender relationships and recounts gender ideas in the 16th century. Additionally, the play addresses the rigidity and certainty of male-female relationship
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hierarchies. The play also addresses the socially prescribed behavior of men and women. The play attempts to establish the traditional view that men are superior to women; therefore, women should submit themselves to men
(Ursa, 8-25).
Women must recognize that men have authority over them. The play challenges chauvinist ideas about how women should be treated in society. "Until well into the nineteenth century, audiences and critics alike seem to have accepted at face value what appears to be the play's central assumption about gender roles: that male dominance and female submission constitute the right and natural relationship between the sexes" (The Taming of the Shrew, para.1).
The way Petruchio treats Katherine demonstrates how dominant men are. In the 16th century, men were worried about rebellious women. Katherine was initially disobedient and rash.
Not everyone agreed with her actions. She did, however, drastically alter her behavior after marrying Petruchio. He never beats her to make a point. However, he employs a variety of other strategies to assert his authority. Petruchio was successful in making his wife submissive and devoted to him. Nobody, however, dislikes Petruchio. He treated Katherine in a way that exemplifies how men want to control women. It also demonstrates how 16th-century Society treated women as mere objects. Petruchio's actions are justified because they were all intended to change Katherine's rebellious personality and restore her to normalcy. Petruchio's character aided Katherine's reformation, where she is considered Petruchio's property, and he only ends up marrying her for financial gain. The men who wanted to marry Bianca offered him a large dowry and money. He also intended to assess her physically. All of this demonstrates Petruchio's objectification of Katherine. Additionally, Tranio, Lucentio's servant, refers to Katherine as a commodity. The play
also addresses men's perceptions of women. The play depicts the Lord's attitude toward women.
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He believes women should be courteous, modest, dependable, and submissive. He also believes that women have strong emotions.
ii). marriage
The play discusses marriage while also mocking arguments that arise in marital relationships. The humorous play promotes marriage and positive relationships between couples in the sixteenth century. Additionally, it criticizes wedding planning in which men make all the decisions and women play no part. "In the context of contemporary discussions of domestic relations, it supports the idea of marriage based on mutual love within the framework of mutual authority" (Shakespeare and Heilman, 175).
“The Taming of the Shrew” also delves into the competition for status men and women face after marriage. Men are portrayed as viewing marriage as a business transaction and women as nothing more than a commodity. Consequently, this is best illustrated by Katherine and Petruchio's relationship. Petruchio is always attempting to be in a better position than his wife, Katherine. Marriage is the expression of one's love for another. People frequently take various actions to demonstrate their love for someone, hoping that doing so will lead to marriage. Lucentio, Hortensio, and Gremio are the three characters in this play who want to marry Bianca. Bianca's older sister was a key barrier for them because she could only marry after her sister's marriage ended. The three choose Petruchio to marry her. The play, as is customary, does not end
in marriage but instead contrasts life before and after marriage. Shakespeare contrasts the lives of
two couples: Bianca and Lucentio and Katherine and Petruchio.
iii). society and class
"The Taming of the Shrew" emphasizes the social class differences between the upper and lower classes. In addition, men and women face significant discrimination in society. There
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is no power or right for women, and they must live under the control of men, and they do not have the same opportunities as men in any field. This play is primarily about dissatisfaction with married life. During this time, people married for money. While Petruchio was tampering with Katherine, he used cruel treatments to make her a wife of his pleasant character, and she obeyed all of his orders and lived according to his wishes. Notably, in the play, those "shrews" means those brash and irritable women in society. Katherine was considered a shrew before her marriage. During this time, the lords have complete control, and everyone else, especially the lower classes, is expected to submit to them.
iv). Language and Communication
The communication styles of various characters serve as the primary determinants of their actions, demeanor, and attitudes. Only a strong language and communication foundation can effectively convey the play's various emotions. Sly is to be brought inside, given a bath, and then placed in the estate's most opulent bed, per the Lord's instructions. The audience is made to identify with and feel like the characters. Consequently, characters can communicate with the audience effectively. "Even more specifically, it would be possible to relate the many proverbial ways in which the "wor(l)d" "slides" in the Taming of the Shrew" (McDonald, 406). It is beyond dispute that communication and language are linked to power and influence. Notably, the metaphorical usages in the play make it more attractive and exciting, which also plays a crucial role in conveying the current attitudes and emotions of various characters. The ability to effectively communicate the play's true meaning and the message is key to its success. Shakespeare accomplished that by using figurative language in the comedy "The Taming of the Shrew."
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Through research, words have a more significant overall influence than deeds. Katherine's words have a completely different attitude and tone before and after her marriage. Furthermore, the comics created due to the play have a strong foundation in linguistic communication. Shakespeare used linguistic and communicative devices to present the comedy "The Taming of the Shrew." Precisely, strong language is used to portray various current social conditions, diverse cultures, and art. The play is vital in terms of language, compelling character, and audience communication.
v). The Family "The Taming of the Shrew" strongly emphasizes family relationships between husband and wife, father and daughters, and father and sons. Everyone despises Katherine's bold, intransigent, and hot-tempered personality, and no one wants to marry her because she never follows orders. Notably, Lucentio, Gremio, and Hortensio show their love for Bianca because she is very calm and beautiful. Three wanted to marry Bianca, but her father, Baptista Minola, refused to marry her until her older sister Katherine did. Bianca arrived at the same conclusion. “Until the elder sister first be wed; The younger then is free and not before” (Shakespeare, 52).
Even though Katherine's character is terrible, the emphasis here is on the family. Even though she insulted him when he proposed marriage, Katherine's husband, Petruchio, insisted on marrying her despite her wealth. He stated that he would do this regardless of whether or not she accepted. Following their marriage, "Petruchio continues “taming" Katherine by keeping her from eating or sleeping for several days. He pretends that he loves her so much he cannot allow her to eat his inferior food or to sleep in his poorly made bed" (Shakespeare, para.4). Notably, Katherine believes every wife should obey her husband because they can only have a happy marriage. Petruchio transformed his wife into the obedient and devoted wife of his imagination.
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Even the husband and wife are entirely different in personality and culture. Katherine compromised to follow her husband's wishes for her family's well-being.
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Works Cited
McDonald, Russ. Shakespeare: An Anthology of Criticism and Theory, 1945-2000. Wiley-
Blackwell. 2003. 406.
The article is published in the mid-twentieth century. It introduces various theoretical positions, themes, methodologies, and modes of argument in the books of Shakespeare in the past 50 years.
It represents critical reviews from various authors and is organized into categories of critical thinking. The article similarly uses clear language that various readers can understand.
Shakespeare, William and Heilman, Robert Bechtold. The Taming of the Shrew. 2
nd
ed. Signet Classic. 1998. 175.
The article is a survey that shows the primary tendencies in classical studies. The author has combined quantity and quality to illustrate various themes in the field. He has also inspired a good edition and various books to regain a contribution to the works of Shakespeare in literature.
Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Kay Dreams. 1969. 52.
The article shows an analysis of the scenic design process for William Shakespeare. The function
of the scenic designer in the article is to help support the script analysis of the article and show a review of the designer’s visual research process as an integral component of the theatrical design process. There was a collaboration with the stage director and costume and lighting designer when writing this article. The article similarly shows an execution of the scenic design.
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Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew: Plot Overview. Spark Notes. November 3, 2022. Web.
The article shows various recognizable people in love, marriage, death, and guilt situations. It also shows how they do with humanity, tolerance, and wisdom, helping others understand what it
means to be human and various ways of coping with the problems of being human. The article shows that teaching the performances by Shakespeare is accompanied by a long history and that there are active methods that can be used to teach and learn logical complements to the teaching of performance. It also shows the significance of using technology, such as virtual reality, to teach the plays by Shakespeare.
The Taming of the Shrew: Gender Roles in Taming of the Shrew. Enotes.com. November 3, 2022. Web.
The article investigates the effects of introducing the abridged play of Shakespeare “Romeo and Juliet” with the primary purpose of enhancing the linguistic competence of high school students. It also investigates the misconception among English teachers when teaching Shakespeare’s plays. The article uses a descriptive method and similarly employs a questionnaire to collect data. The collected data is analyzed using statistical packages of social sciences. The results illustrate that high school teachers are reluctant to teach the play, and the reluctance can be changed if more materials are provided to encourage the teachers to teach the play.
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Ursa, Mihaela. "Lovers And Tamers: Transmediations Of Shakespeare's Taming Of The Shrew To Visual Culture."
Metacritic Journal for Comparative Studies and Theory
2.2 (2016): 8-25.
The article critically examines an interpretive history as a barometer of the cultural coding of domestic love. The article similarly shows various cultural contexts where and how they become visible in selecting interpretive arguments from a virtually endless line of possibilities. The article also examines the Romanian Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare.