The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and
actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and
the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England'snational poet,
and the "Bard of Avon".His extant works, including collaborations,
consist of approximately 38 plays,154 sonnets, two long narrative
poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have
been translated into every major living language and are performed
more often than those of any other playwright.
The Taming of the Shrew is in fact a play within a play. The larger
framework involves a drunkard named Christopher Sly, who stumbles out of
an inn and falls into a deep sleep. A Lord passing by notices Sly and
decides to play a trick on him. Sly is carried to the Lord's bedchamber and
decked in lavish attire. When he awakes, the Lord's attendants refer to him as
to a nobleman. The Lord's Page plays the part of the wife, overjoyed to see
that her husband has finally recovered from a dire fifteen-year illness due to
which he had been under the impression he was a beggar. A troupe of actors have
stopped at the Lord's house to put on a performance, and they unwittingly
become part of the ruse as well. Sly, after some protest, decides he must
indeed be a lord, and watches the show as if it were performed in his honor.
So begins the play proper. Lucentio, son of a wealthy Pisan named Vincentio,
has arrived in the university town of Padua to pursue his education. His dreams
of virtuous enlightenment fall by the wayside, however, when he lays eyes on Bianca,
the younger daughter of the well-off Baptista. Bianca has two suitors -
the young Hortensio and an old fool named Gremio. Baptista has
ordained that he will not give his child away to marriage until her elder
sister is wed. The problem is, that sister is Katharina, an ill-tempered,
feisty, and quarrelsome "shrew." All hope seems lost for Hortensio
and Gremio until Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, arrives on the scene. When
Hortensio mentions Katharina - and adds that her father is quite wealthy -
Petruchio immediately declares his interest in making her his wife.
Lucentio, in the meantime, has devised a plan with his servant,Tranio.
Since Baptista is looking for schoolmasters to instruct Bianca, Lucentio
disguises himself as Cambio, a Latin teacher, while Tranio plays the role of
the master. Hortensio gets the same idea and dresses himself up as a music
teacher named Litio in order to access Bianca. Thus the wooers descend on the
Baptista household. Tranio, in his noble guise, becomes another official suitor
for Bianca's hand, while "Cambio" and "Litio" embed
themselves inside. Petruchio, for his part, eagerly awaits the arrival of
Katharina; the stories of her shrewishness only further his excitement.
When she does finally appear, the two would-be lovers engage in a
furious battle of wits. When Baptista, Tranio, and Gremio enter, Petruchio
delightedly informs them that he and Katharina are to be wed on Sunday, despite
her protestations. As soon as it appears that Katharina will be married,
Baptista turns to Bianca's suitors, asking which of them could provide the
richest dowry. Tranio guarantees more than Gremio is able, but Baptista insists
upon receiving Vincentio's assurance that the money will be paid. Tranio
hatches a plan to feign the assurance by dressing someone up as Vincentio. In
the meantime, Lucentio, while playing the part of a Latin instructor, is able
to declare his passion for Bianca. She is more partial to him than to
"Litio," whose advances she dismisses.
Katharina and Petruchio's wedding proceeds hastily and wildly. Petruchio
behaves like a tyrant during the service and then refuses even to let Katharina
stay for the wedding feast, instead sweeping her away to his home in the
country. There, Petruchio plays the part of an odious master. He refuses to
help Katharina when she falls from her horse, beats and berates his servants,
and denies his wife food and sleep. He reveals his plan to starve Katharina
into submission - to out-shrew her as it were - all under the guise of kindness
and love.
Back at Baptista's, Tranio, witnessing the flirtation between Lucentio
and Bianca, persuades Hortensio to call off his wooing of her. The two men vow
never to court her again, and Hortensio declares that he will wed a wealthy
widow instead. Tranio communicates the good news to the lovers, and then
proceeds to solve the problem of Vincentio's assurance. Finding a traveling
Pedant from Mantua, he convinces the old man that all Mantuans in Padua are to
be put to death, and suggests that the Pedant disguise himself as the Pisan
Vincentio. The Pedant readily agrees and assures Baptista that Bianca will
receive a sufficient dower. Baptista is satisfied and allows the wedding.
Meanwhile, at Petruchio's house, Katharina emerges as polite and
gracious in comparison to her husband. After insulting a Haberdasher and Tailor
who have come to present their wears, Petruchio sets off with his wife to
Padua. They come across the real Vincentio, who is shocked to hear that his son
Lucentio has married Bianca. The party arrives in Padua just after Lucentio and
Bianca have stolen away to the church. In Padua, Vincentio confronts the Pedant
who is impersonating him. Finally, Lucentio, returning from the church, pleads
for his father's forgiveness. Vincentio, still fuming, grants his assurance to
Baptista and the marriage between Lucentio and Bianca is settled.
In the final scene of the play, the newlyweds all gather at Lucentio's
house. The men propose a wager to see which of their three wives - Kate, Bianca
or the Widow - is most obedient to her husband. Both Lucentio and Hortensio
summon their wives only to be snubbed. Katharina, however, comes at Petruchio's
beckoning. The "veriest shrew," in Baptista's words (5.2: 64), thus
emerges as the most obedient wife of all. Katharina delivers a speech detailing
a wife's duty to her husband, and so the play ends.
