Have you ever been hit in the groin and had someone there laughing at you? This essay is not about that. It is about how Shakespeare uses many different indications to develop appearance versus reality. Three of them are characters, symbolism, and plot. I will explain how he uses these things to introduce and maintain the appearance versus reality theme.

One way Shakespeare does this is with the characters. He does this by having them constantly deceiving one another. Everyone switches places or disguises themselves to achieve a goal. In act one, scene one, Lucentio is going to disguise himself as a school teacher in order to win the love of Bianca while his servant Tranio takes his place. "I am content to be Lucentio, because I love so well Lucentio"(1.1.222-223). Tranio replied to Lucentio when told to go along with the scheme. Shakespeare then uses Tranio (as Lucentio), to pull a fast one on an innocent merchant. He then uses him for the real Lucentio's personal gain. He concocts a false tale of how the merchant will surely be put to d

Tranio later argues how he can save the man's life:

You might have heard it else proclaimed about

(And think it not the worst of all your fortunes

I think that Shakespeare did the same thing. He wrote plays in ways that the average person would understand, although written in old English. I have great respect for a man, that despite his fame, still writes for everyone and not just the intellectual.

Shakespeare somewhat changes Katherine's character a little after she marries Petruchio. She seems to have lost whatever it was she had that made her such a curse. Her attitude greatly changes towards Petruchio when she falls in love with him. After Petruchio invites her to a kiss she questions him. Afterward, she has this to say. "Nay, I will give thee a kiss. Now pray thee, love, stay (5.2.153-154)." When she realizes what a true gentleman Petruchio is, she falls in love with the idea that he asked her for the kiss, as they live in a society where men do as they wish and the woman does not matter.

For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him.

wife and he, in turn, will become

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Approximate Word count = 749
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)