the taming of the shrew

A detailed Summary of the taming of the shrew

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is probably one of Shakespeare's earliest comedies. Its plot is derived from the popular 'war of the sexes' theme in which males and females are pitted against one another for dominance in marriage. The play begins with an induction in which a drunkard is fooled into believing he is a king and has a play performed for him. The play he watches is what constitutes the main body of The Taming of the Shrew. In it, a wealthy landowner, Baptista Minola, attempts to have his two daughters married. One is very shrewish, Katherine, while the other is the beautiful and gentle Bianca. In order to ensure Katherine is married, Baptista disallows Bianca to be espoused until Katherine is wed, forcing the many suitors to Bianca to find a mate for Katherine in order for them to vie for Bianca's love. Many critics of the play condemn it for the blatant sexist attitude it has toward women but closer examination of the play and the intricacies of its structure reveal that it is not merely a story of how men should 'put women in their place'. The play is, in fact, a comedy about an assertive woman coping with how she is expected to act in the society of the late sixteenth century and of how one

The Taming Of The Shrew is a light-hearted comedy that is better seen than read. This is especially true since a lot of the humor in it is physical or 'slapstick' humor, which is possible only on stage. The complexity of the play is refreshing, as many of the modern plays of today are quite linear and do little to keep a reader's attention. Another favorable aspect of it is the subplot involving Lucentio and Bianca, which lends itself as the basis for many humourous moments, most notably between Lucentio, Hortensio and Bianca. The obvious sexist attitude of the play does not hinder it because of the reasons stated above. One must also take into account the attitudes of sixteenth century England and the fact that the play is a comedy and is not meant to be taken seriously.

Although most critics interpret the play as being that of a woman finally acting the way in which she is supposed to act, it is difficult to believe that a character as vibrant and strong-willed as Katherine is changed so easily. Following with the device of false realities that Shakespeare set in place so early in the play, it would seem more logical that Katherine would simply be acting the part of 'the obedient wife' in order to be accepted in the society in which she lives. Katherine can 'play a part' very well and can even enjoy doing it. This is shown on the road to Padua from Petruchio's house when Kate is forced to address Vincentio as a woman and says, "Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet" (Act IV, scene v, l. 37).

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1047
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English