Teacher Valderez- English Activities EENAV- 2017
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.
W. Shakespeare
The play starts with a tinker, Christopher Sly, who is drunk enough for a group of hunting noblemen to persuade him that he is a Lord.
Sly is given a disguised page as his lady and he is entertained at the noblemen's house with a comedy presented by a group of travelling actors.
The play that Sly watches opens as Lucentio, a student, arrives in Padua. He overhears the merchant Baptista saying that his pretty younger daughter, Bianca, may not be married before her shrewish sister, Katherina. When Lucentio sees Bianca he decides straightaway to woo her and changes roles with his servant Tranio.
Bianca already has two suitors, but cares for neither. The first, Gremio, engages Lucentio, disguised as a Latin tutor, to woo Bianca on his behalf, while the second, Hortensio, disguises himself as a musician to obtain access to her.
Meanwhile Hortensio’s friend, Petruchio, arrives from Verona. He learns about Katherina and resolves to court her, aided enthusiastically by both Gremio and Hortensio.
The Katherine problem is solved for Bianca’s suitors when Hortensio’s friend Petruchio, a brash young man from Verona, arrives in Padua to find a wife. He intends to marry a rich woman, and does not care what she is like as long as she will bring him a fortune. He agrees to marry Katherine sight unseen. The next day, he goes to Baptista’s house to meet her, and they have a tremendous duel of words. As Katherine insults Petruchio repeatedly, Petruchio tells her that he will marry her whether she agrees or not. He tells Baptista, falsely, that Katherine has consented to marry him on Sunday. Hearing this claim, Katherine is strangely silent, and the wedding is set.
On Sunday, Petruchio is late to his own wedding, leaving Katherine to fear she will become an old maid. When Petruchio arrives, he is dressed in a ridiculous outfit and rides on a broken-down horse. After the wedding, Petruchio forces Katherine to leave for his country house before the feast, telling all in earshot that she is now his property and that he may do with her as he pleases. Once they reach his country house, Petruchio continues the process of “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.
On reaching home Petruchio, with the help of his servants, denies Kate all food and rest. In a campaign to teach her to obey him Petruchio will not allow Kate any new clothes.
Kate submits and they leave to visit her father in Padua.
On the way, Petruchio forces Katherine to say that the sun is the moon and that an old man is really a beautiful young maiden.
Since Katherine’s willfulness is dissipating, she agrees that all is as her husband says.
On the road, the couple meets Lucentio’s father, Vincentio, who is on his way to Padua to see his son. In Padua, Vincentio is shocked to find Tranio masquerading as Lucentio. At last, Bianca and Lucentio arrive to spread the news of their marriage. Both Vincentio and Baptista finally agree to the marriage.
Baptista holds a wedding feast for both his daughters.
After the meal Petruchio devises a scheme to prove whose wife is the most obedient.
Everyone expects Lucentio to win. Bianca, however, sends a message back refusing to obey, while Katherine comes
comes immediately. The other characters are shocked to see that Katherine seems to have been “tamed”—she obeys everything that Petruchio says and gives a long speech advocating the loyalty of wives to their husbands.
As the play closes, Sly is abandoned to sleep off his drunken dream.
Questions on the Synopsis and Reading guide
1.Why has Lucentio come to Padua?
2. Of what is Baptista resolved concerning the marriage of his two daughters?
3. What is Katherine's reputation? Bianca's? Try to make a description of their personality.
4.What is Petruchio's motive in coming to Padua? Describe his and Lucentio personalities.What is his challenge?
5.. When Katherine and Petruchio meet how do they get along?
6. How is Petruchio dressed for his wedding?
7. How does Petruchio deal with Kathyerine. How does she react?.
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