The Taming of the Shrew - Hackettstown School · PDF fileTaming of the Shrew (induction) FRAME STORY The frame story of the Taming of the Shrew includes a drunkard named Christopher

The Taming of the Shrew

William Shakespeare

What is a shrew ?Shrew: a small mouselike mammal with a long snout; related to

moles.

Known for its ugly temper.

Also, a woman with a bad temper.

Background InformationWritten by: William

Shakespeare around the late

1580’s or early 1590’s.

Shakespeare’s audience was particularly

interested in the topic of

RELATIONSHIPS since most marriages

during this time period were arranged and

a DOWRY was the reason why most men

got married.

Types of Shakespearean Plays1. Histories: Shakespeare's Histories focus on English monarchs. They usually play upon Elizabethan

propaganda, showing the dangers of civil war and glorifying the queen's Tudor ancestors. (Example- Julius Caesar)

2. Tragedies: Tragedies may involve comedic moments, but tend to be more serious and have more dramatic plots with an ending that involves the death of main characters. The main features of a Shakespearean Tragedy are that:* Characters become isolated or there is a social breakdown* Ends in death* There is a sense that events are inevitable or inescapable* There is usually a central figure who is noble but with a character flaw which leads them towards their eventual downfall(Example: Romeo & Juliet)

Types of Shakespearean Plays3. Comedies: Comedy is not necessarily what a modern audience would expect comedy to be. While there may be some funny moments, a Shakespearean comedy may involve some very dramatic storylines. Usually what defines a Shakespearean play as a comedy is that it has a happy ending, often involving a marriage. The main features in a Shakespearean Comedy are:

● A struggle of young lovers to overcome problems, often the result of the interference of their elders

● There is some element of separation and reunification● Mistaken identities, often involving disguise● A clever servant● Family tensions that are usually resolved in the end● Complex, interwoven plot-lines● Frequent use of puns and other styles of comedy

(Example: Taming of the Shrew)

About Taming of the ShrewInduction: The English countryside outside an alehouse at the Lord’s home.

Scenes I-V: Padua, Italy--- 1593-1594. Time span is about one week to ten days.

Synopsis- Baptista, a gentleman from Padua has two daughters: the youngest daughter,

Bianca is quiet and beautiful and has no problem attracting many suitors while the

older daughter Katherina is too loud, violent, and “too rough” to get the attention of

any men.

Baptista pledges that the younger daughter (Bianca) may not get married until the

older daughter (Katherina) is married.

About Taming of the ShrewThe play is set in Padua, Italy

About Taming of the ShrewThe play begins with a frame story: a story within a story.

Think of the Russian Matryoshka dolls-

That is exactly what a frame story does in terms of narrative structure. It is the big overarching story that

contains all of the little stories within it. It provides the background story.

Taming of the Shrew (induction) FRAME STORYThe frame story of the Taming of the Shrew includes a drunkard

named Christopher Sly who is found by a Lord returning home

from a hunt.

Sly has a joke played on him by the Lord. The lord dresses him

up in finery and when he awakes from his drunken sleep the

Lord’s servants convince him that he is a rich man who has been

ill for a while and has just now regained his memory.

Taming of the Shrew (induction) FRAME STORYThey dress up a young man as his wife and convince Sly that he

is married to a beautiful wife.

Sly says he wants to be alone with his wife, but they tell him that

he must first watch a play performed by a troupe of actors who

recently came to the castle.

So he sits down and watches the play-- which is what we end up

reading-- The Taming of the Shrew.

Terms to knowDramatic conventions- Techniques that give the audience information that could not be given from the action of the play

Concealment: Allows a character to be seen by the audience while remaining hidden from the other actors.

Soliloquy- character talks to himself, revealing thoughts and feelings that would otherwise go unvoiced

Aside- character speaks directly to the audience without being overheard by the other characters on stage

Dramatic irony- when the audience knows something that the characters do not

CharactersBaptista Minola- rich gentleman of Padua; father of Katherine and Bianca

Katherine Minola- the shrew

Bianca Minola- younger daughter; acts innocent and sweet

Gremio- foolish old man; suitor to Bianca

Hortensio- suitor to Bianca; disguises himself as a music teacher

Lucentio- gentleman from Pisa; falls in love with Bianca at first sight; disguises himself

as a Latin teacher

Characters continued...Tranio: Lucentio’s servant; disguises himself as Lucentio.

Biondello- Lucentio’s other servant.

Vincentio- Lucentio’s father from Pisa

Petruchio- gentleman from Verona; agrees to woo Katherine the shrew

Grumio- Petruchio’s servant; often acts as comic relief in the play