THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
I. Exposition
A. Time - The Taming of the Shrew takes place in the Elizabethan time frame.
B. Place - This play takes place in Padua, a city in Italy.
C. Preliminary Situations - Baptista says that no one may marry Bianca until a husband is found for Katherine, and Lucentio is going to Padua to further his studies.
II. A. Initial Incident
Act 1, Scene 1
Lucentio arrives in Padua with Tranio, his servant, to study philosophy. He indicates excitement at furthering his studies, and is thankful to his father for helping him get to where he is. His servant warns him to not forget about the pleasures of life; not to get too engrossed in his studies as to become emotionless and boring. They are interrupted by the arrival of Baptista Minola with his two daughters, Katherine and Bianca, along with two of Bianca's suitors, Gremio and Hortensio. Baptista firmly tells the suitors that neither of them may marry Bianca until a husband is found for the eldest daughter, Katherine, who is the titled "shrew." Hortensio and Gremio both laugh at Katherine, telling her how rough and crude she is, while she asks her father to not make a fool out of herself in front of everyone. Katherine threatens Bianca's suitors. Lucentio and Tranio are watching from away, and Lucentio tells his servant how the mild sister has caught his eye. When Bianca speaks, Lucentio is awestruck by the voice of "Minerva." Gremio and Hortensio ask Baptista to not punish Bianca for Katherine's tongue, but Baptista refuses to budge. After he tells his younger daughter to leave, he tells Gremio and Hortensio that he will let only schoolmasters near his daughters, and if they knew of any, to bring them to him. Gremio leaves, telling Katherine to stay (because Gremio likes Bianca more and wants to talk to her), but Katherine adamantly refuses to listen, and leaves after her father. Hortensio and Gremio talk between themselves and Hortensio decides that the only way either of them will have a chance with Bianca is to find a suitor for Katherine. Gremio thinks this impossible, because no man would be foolish enough to be "married to hell." Hortensio is a bit more optimistic and tells him that though they would not be able to stand being married to Katherine, there must be some men patient enough somewhere out there. They leave after agreeing together to try to find Katherine a suitor.Lucentio raves to Tranio over Bianca and how he's immediately fallen in love with her. He wants to court her, but Tranio reminds him of her father's will to wed off the elder daughter first. Lucentio is temporarily set back until he remembers the mention of a schoolmaster. They devise a plan; Lucentio will pretend to be the schoolmaster, and Tranio will act as Lucentio, to continue Lucentio's duties. They exchange clothes, so Tranio is now Lucentio, and Lucentio is now endowed with servant's attire, fit for a schoolmaster. They worry a bit about Biondello, Lucentio's other servant, and whether he would be a leak in their plan. Biondello arrives, confused, asking if someone stole someone else's clothes (if Lucentio stole Tranio's, or vice versa). Lucentio fabricates a story about how he killed a man, and fearing recognition, exchanged clothes with his servant. Biondello agrees to play along, and they leave.
B. Rising Action
Act 1, Scene 2
Petruchio, and his servant, Grumio, have arrived in Padua. Petruchio endeavors to see his old friend, Hortensio. They arrive at the door, and Grumio mistakes Petruchio's orders to "know me here soundly" to hit his master, and he is rightfully hesitant in doing so, but Petruchio still gets frustrated. Hortensio hears the commotion and comes outside to greet them. He asks what Petruchio is doing in Padua, and Petruchio answers that his father died, wanting him to find a wife. Hortensio mentions an available shrew to wed, but he does not want to curse his friend. (Though he does want to find a suitor for Katherine.) Petruchio responds that he can deal with any shrewd wife, as long as she is wealthy. Hortensio gives him a name other than "shrew" to go by- "Katherina Minola." Petruchio knows who her father is, but not her. He demands Hortensio to lead him to her. Hortensio plans to pretend to be a schoolmaster named Litio so he can woo Bianca.Lucentio, disguised as a schoolmaster named Cambio, comes with Gremio. Gremio agrees to have Lucentio tutor Bianca. Gremio boasts to Hortensio how he has already found a schoolmaster for Bianca, and Hortensio has more good news; that Petruchio will woo Katherine. Gremio is shocked that he would want to court Katherine even after he knows that she is an "irksome, brawling scold."
Tranio arrives, disguised as Lucentio, with "his" servant, Biondello, asking the gentlemen where Baptista's house is. They guess that Tranio is interested in one of his daughters, and Gremio and Hortensio inform him that they don't want him invading their prospect and ruining their chances with Bianca. After all, now there will be three who are trying to vie for Bianca's love. Tranio says that it doesn't matter how many suitors there are, Bianca will only end up with one anyway. The other suitors start to get angry when Tranio offers to buy them drinks, and they can all become friends while trying to win Bianca. They agree to this, and leave.
Act 2, Scene 1
Katherine has Bianca's hands tied and is demanding to know which of her suitors she loves best. Bianca protests that it's none of them; she has not yet found Mr. Right. Katherine starts making assumptions about which one it could be, which Bianca takes as a jealous action, and says that if she desires them, she may have them. Baptista walks in after Katherine hits her sister, and immediately shows hostility toward Katherine and sympathy for Bianca. After Bianca leaves, Katherine expresses knowledge that her father has an obvious preference for her sister over her, and leaves to weep and wait until she can bring revenge against Bianca.Gremio, Lucentio as Cambio, Petruchio, Hortensio as Litio, Tranio as Lucentio, and Biondello arrive. Petruchio outright and bluntly asks Baptista about Katherine, and gushes over her supposed virtues. He presents Hortensio (as Litio) to instruct his daughters in exchange for meeting Katherine. Baptista accepts the tutor but is hesitant in letting him meet the shrew, because he doesn't want Petruchio to get in over his head. The competitive spirit gets the best of Gremio, who then presents Lucentio (as Cambio) as a master of classical languages to teach Baptista's daughters, which Baptista accepts. Baptista then asks Tranio (as Lucentio) what his business is here, and Tranio announces his desire to be a suitor to Bianca. Tranio himself has no real interest in Bianca, but by acting as Lucentio to be a suitor, and with Lucentio as a tutor trying to court Bianca from inside the system, Lucentio's chances of succeeding with Bianca are doubled. Tranio has Biondello present Baptista with gifts of a lute and Greek and Latin books. Baptista orders a servant to bring Hortensio and Lucentio to his daughters so they may begin their learning, and Hortensio leaves with the lute, and Lucentio with the books.
Baptista and Petruchio take a walk in the orchard. Petruchio asks Baptista what his dowry would be if he were to win Katherine's love, and Baptista tells Petruchio that he will get half of his lands after he (Baptista) dies and twenty thousand crowns. Petruchio tells Baptista that if Katherine were to outlive him, she would get his lands and leases. Petruchio suggests they should make a contract, and Baptista agrees, but only if Petruchio can win Katherine's love and consent to the marriage. Petruchio arrogantly replies that he is certain he will get Katherine. Hortensio interrupts their conversation after returning with the lute broken over his head. He claims that when he was trying to teach Katherine to play it, she took it and broke it over his head. This seems to spark some intrigue about Katherine to Petruchio, and he is eager to talk to this lively shrew. Baptista takes Hortensio to teach Bianca, and tells Petruchio that he'll send in Katherine to talk to him. Left alone, Petruchio plans to contradict everything Katherine says, to "woo her with some spirit" and show that he is a match for her.
The minute Katherine enters, Petruchio starts calling her "Kate." They become engrossed in a battle of wits, and every insult Katherine throws at Petruchio, he twists it around and throws it back. Katherine becomes so angry that she hits him, and Petruchio becomes more serious for a moment, saying that she'd better not do that again. Katherine, though, reminds him that if he hits a woman, he is no gentleman and has no honor. Katherine insults him some more, then asks him to let her depart. He tells her he can't, and proceeds to compliment and flatter her.
Baptista, Gremio, and Lucentio come, and Katherine's father asks how things are going. Katherine complains about her suitor, but Petruchio informs him that they have decided on Sunday as their wedding day. Katherine denies that, and Gremio and Tranio are slightly set back in that they think that there has been no success with Petruchio and Katherine, so they might as well kiss their chances with Bianca goodbye. Petruchio, however, claims that Katherine is just putting on an act around company, but when alone, she couldn't keep herself off of him. Baptista is pleased. Petruchio excuses himself to go to Venice to prepare for the wedding, and he and Kate leave through different doors. It is strange that Kate has nothing more to say, but the flattery may have stunned her.
Gremio, Tranio (as Lucentio), and Baptista talk about Bianca's availability after Sunday. Tranio claims to love Bianca more than Gremio, and Gremio does likewise. Baptista settles the dispute by saying whoever can offer Bianca more will win her. Gremio tells him what he has to offer, but Tranio outdoes him. Baptista tells them that Bianca is Tranio's, as long as Tranio's (Lucentio's) father can confirm his material claims; if not, then she is Gremio's. After Baptista leaves, Gremio tells Tranio alone that he is a fool to put so much weight on his father's generosity. Alone, Tranio says that he will have to find someone to play the father, Vincentio.
Act 3, Scene 1
Lucentio, as Cambio, and Hortensio, as Litio, are both vieing for Bianca's attention as her instructors. Lucentio tells Hortensio to go away, because it is necessary for Bianca to study before leisure. Hortensio says that the time he spends teaching Bianca will be the same amount of time that Lucentio gets. Bianca indignantly says that the choice is hers, and makes the decision to hear her lecture from Lucentio first while Hortensio tunes his lute. Lucentio gives Bianca a mock Latin lesson, and through it's "translation," tells her who he really is. Through another mock translation, Bianca tells him that she does not know or trust him. During this time, Hortensio interrupts sporadically to tell Bianca that he is tuned, and she continues to send him away because she says he is never really in tune. After she finishes with Lucentio, and he steps aside, Hortensio begins his tutoring of Bianca. He gives her a sheet with a musical scale on it, and has intertwined his message between the notes. For example, "B mi, Bianca" could have been interpreted as "Be my Bianca." Bianca responds that she does not like this new "gamut" (musical scale). Before Hortensio responds, a servant comes in and reminds Bianca that her sister's wedding day is tomorrow, so she bids goodbye to her schoolmasters to prepare. Lucentio has no reason to stay, so he departs as well, leaving only Hortensio to himself. Hortensio notices that Lucentio has taken a liking to Bianca, and decides that if Bianca likes Lucentio back, he will get even with her by finding someone else.Act 3, Scene 2
It is Katherine and Petruchio's wedding day, and Katherine is shamed because her groom is late. She is shamed by the fact that she is being forced to marry an impulsive, rude man, and she worries that he is the type to woo women then leave them at the altar. Katherine goes away, crying. Baptista shows sympathy for Katherine, and says he can't blame her for crying; after all, a saint would not be able to put up with such an insult, let alone a shrew such as Katherine. Biondello rushes in then and tells them that Petruchio is coming, but is arriving in embarrassing, vagabond clothes, and riding an old, diseased horse. He says Grumio is with him, dressed in the same manner. Baptista is simply glad to hear that Petruchio is coming, but is shocked when he actually does arrive and matches the description. He urges Petruchio to change, and Tranio (as Lucentio) even offers him to wear his clothes. Petruchio is stubborn, though, and says that Bianca is not marrying his clothes, so it should not matter. He leaves with Grumio to go to the church, and Baptista follows. Tranio and Lucentio remain. Tranio tells Lucentio that they need to find someone to pose as a father, and Lucentio wonders if eloping may be a better idea. Gremio soon enters, bearing news about the wedding. He says that Petruchio swore in the church, hit the priest, threw cake at a church officer, and kissed Katherine hard and loud. Gremio felt embarrassed and had to leave. Petruchio enters with his wife, alongside Bianca, Hortensio, Baptista, Grumio, and some attendants. Petruchio informs everyone that he has to leave this night, and they all entreat him to stay. Katherine even asks him to stay, but he refuses. He tells them that they may all party and feast, but he has to go and take Katherine with him. He pretends to guard Katherine, his property, from thieves, and they leave hastily with Grumio. Everyone else wonders how they are able to stand each other.Act 4, Scene 1
Grumio complains to Curtis, a fellow servant, about Petruchio and Katherine's journey home. Katherine's horse fell and knocked Katherine off, into the mud. She started crying, and Petruchio swore and beat Grumio because her horse fell. The horses then all ran away. Grumio then tells Curtis to call forth all the other servants to prepare for Petruchio and Katherine's arrival. They come in shortly after the servants, and Petruchio starts off immediately insulting the servants. He tells them they are not fulfilling their duties, and orders them away to make supper. He and Kate sit down at a table, and Petruchio shouts for food. He orders one servant to take off his boots, and he gets angry and hits him. When the food is brought to him, he claims the meat is burnt and throws the food and plates at the servants. Katherine tries to reason with him, and assures him that the food was fine, but Petruchio insists that it was not good enough for her. He then takes her to bed without food. Grumio asks Curtis what is happening, and Curtis informs him that Petruchio is depriving her of sleep; he is making a fuss about the bed, the same thing he did with the food. They hastily leave when they see Petruchio coming back. In solitude, Petruchio confesses his plan to tame Katherine by depriving her of the necessities of life: food and sleep. He will "kill her with kindness" to tame the shrew.Act 4, Scene 2
Hortensio (as Litio) and Tranio (as Lucentio) stand aside and watch Lucentio (as Cambio) and Bianca court each other. Tranio acts shocked and upset, and Hortensio admits his disguise to Tranio as a (hopeful) suitor to Bianca. Tranio convinces Hortensio to swear off Bianca, just as Tranio shall do. Hortensio decides to follow this advice, and remembers his previous oath; to marry a wealthy widow if he sees Bianca fall for Lucentio (Cambio). He leaves, and Lucentio and Bianca come forward. Tranio tells them that Hortensio is out of the picture, and has gone to marry a wealthy widow and attend Petruchio's taming school. Biondello rushes in, and tells them that he's found a merchant who will play Vincentio. Lucentio and Bianca leave. Tranio meets the merchant, and dutifully tells him that his life is in jeopardy because he is from Mantua. He fabricates a story that the Duke of Padua is fighting with the Duke of Mantua, so any citizens of Mantua are to be killed if they step foot in Padua. The merchant is upset, because he has business to do in Padua. Luckily for the merchant, Tranio needs someone to play his father (Lucentio's father), Vincentio, which the merchant readily and thankfully agrees to. However, Tranio tells him, he needs to act the part, and formally guarantee a dowry in marriage between himself (Lucentio) and Bianca.Act 4, Scene 3
Katherine is desperate for some food and sleep, and can only wonder if Petruchio married her to starve her. She earnestly requests Grumio to bring her some food, so he offers her a myriad of choices. Every time her mouth starts to water at the mention of the food, he decides that it's not good enough for her. She finally is frustrated enough to beat him, and is angry that he and her husband are feeding off of her misery. Petruchio and Hortensio then enter. Petruchio shows her a plate of meat, and offers it to her, but immediately pulls it back after acting indignant because she has not thanked him (even though he never gave her a chance to). She begs him to eat it, so he finally gives it to her and Hortensio. Almost immediately, he pulls her away from the food so the tailor can tend to her for the trip back to Baptista's house. Everything that Katherine likes, Petruchio hates and refuses to let her have. He blames the tailor, who tries to fruitlessly pass the blame to Grumio. Grumio defiantly denies the tailor's accusations that he gave him false instructions. Petruchio decides that he and Katherine shall go to Baptista's in the regular clothes, and he whispers to Hortensio to let the tailor know that he will be paid tomorrow before the tailor exits. Petruchio tells Katherine that they will make it to Padua by noon, which Katherine refutes. Petruchio insists that the time is whatever he says it is, and if Katherine disagrees, they will not attend Bianca's wedding.Act 4, Scene 4
Tranio (as Lucentio) prepares the merchant for his role of Vincentio, and they go over their stories together to make sure they are consistent. Biondello arrives and tells them that he's informed Baptista that Vincentio was looking for him in Padua, and Baptista then arrives with Lucentio (as Cambio). The merchant plays a convincing role as Lucentio's father, and Baptista is duped. They and Tranio agree to meet at Tranio's lodging in private to further discuss the marriage arrangements. All but Biondello leave, then Lucentio comes back. Biondello informs him that Baptista is safely separated from them, talking to the merchant, and there is a priest ready to marry Lucentio and Bianca. Lucentio is supposed to bring Bianca to dinner, and then they may elope.Act 4, Scene 5 (lines 1-13)
Petruchio observes how beautiful the moon is shining, and Katherine contemptuously reminds him that it is the sun that shines during the day. They debate over whether it is the sun or the moon shining, and Hortensio tells Katherine to comply with Petruchio, otherwise they will never budge.C. Climax
Act 4, Scene 5 (lines 14-25)
Katherine offers her total subservience to Petruchio, and after arguing a bit about whether the moon or the sun shines so brightly, Katherine defies her own logic to comply with her husband, and agrees with him that the moon is shining brightly. Petruchio convolutes his wife's mind some more, and tells her that she lies; it is the sun shining brightly. Katherine agrees to this, too. She says that whatever is true for Petruchio is true for her, too.D. Falling Action
Act 4, Scene 5 (lines 26-84)
Shortly after the sun/moon debate, Petruchio, Katherine, and Hortensio encounter Vincentio. Petruchio addresses him as a female, and tells his wife to embrace "her." Petruchio then acts shocked and tells Katherine he hopes that she is not mad; she just embraced an old man, and not a woman. Katherine apologizes to Vincentio, and Petruchio offers the old man to travel with them. Vincentio tells them who he is, and that he is bound to Padua to visit his son, Lucentio. Petruchio tells Vincentio that his son (in reality, Tranio disguised as Lucentio) is to marry Bianca.Act 5, Scene 1
Biondello takes Lucentio (as himself, no longer disguised) and Bianca to the church for the priest to quickly marry them. Petruchio shows up with Katherine, Vincentio, and Grumio, and they knock on the door of Lucentio's house. The merchant, disguised as Vincentio, answers. Petruchio and Vincentio tell him that Lucentio's father has come to visit, and the merchant claims that they are lying; he is, after all, Lucentio's father. Fearing death, the merchant dares not reveal his disguise, and is fervently acting out the role of Vincentio. He demands the real Vincentio be arrested for taking on and exploiting another's name. Biondello comes back and sees his old master, Vincentio, and pretends not to recognize him, though Vincentio remembers Biondello and refuses to believe that Biondello's forgotten him. Baptista arrives with Tranio (as Lucentio), and Tranio sees Vincentio beating Biondello out of frustration and demands to know what is going on. Vincentio recognizes Tranio, as well, and his frustration is furthered when Tranio pretends not to know him. Everyone is convinced that the old man is a fraud, and they call an officer to take Vincentio away to jail. Lucentio and Bianca return from the church, and Biondello and Tranio and the merchant all hastily leave, because they know Lucentio would undoubtedly recognize his own father. Lucentio does, and apologizes to his father. He explains the whole plot; exchanging roles with Tranio out of love for Bianca. Baptista and Vincentio are angry and hope for revenge; Baptista because Lucentio married his daughter without permission, and Vincentio because the plot almost got him sent to jail. The fathers leave, followed by Gremio. Petruchio and Katherine are alone (with Grumio standing on the side), and Katherine entreats Petruchio to follow them and watch the fuss, but Petruchio wants Katherine to kiss him before they go. Katherine is a bit defiant, because she is embarrassed to kiss him in the street, but she goes against her will and does it. Petruchio is content with Kate's submission to him, and the end of this scene actually seems to show a bit of true affection: Petruchio calls Katherine his "sweet Kate," and Katherine refers to Petruchio as "love."Act 5, Scene 2
Baptista has a wedding banquet (banquets) at his house, and everyone is present. Hortensio and the widow (his wife) tease Petruchio for being married to a shrew. Petruchio and the widow then have a battle of wits. Katherine jumps to defend her husband, and she and the widow start to argue. Petruchio and Hortensio cheer their respective wives on in the fight, but Bianca leads the other two women off to talk, thus alleviating the tension. Lucentio, Hortensio, Tranio, and even Baptista continue to chide Petruchio for being married to a shrew. Petruchio decides to take advantage of them, since they are so convinced that Katherine is a shrew, and wagers that they bid for their wives and see which arrives first, thus declaring the man with the most obedient wife. Lucentio wagers twenty crowns, but Petruchio scoffs at such a petty gamble, so they agree on a hundred crowns. Lucentio tells Biondello to bid Bianca to come, and Biondello comes back and says that Bianca is busy and can not. Petruchio confidently laughs. Hortensio tells Biondello to go and entreat the widow to come, and Biondello tells him that his wife will not come, but bids Hortensio to come to her. Petruchio then tells Hortensio to tell Katherine that he commands her to come to him, and she obeys. Petruchio asks her where Bianca and the widow are, and Katherine informs them that they are talking by the fire. Petruchio orders her to bring them forth, and when she leaves, the rest of the men are flabbergasted at this change in Katherine. Katherine comes back with Bianca and the widow. Petruchio tells his wife that he does not like her cap, and she throws it off her head at his request. Lucentio angrily tells Bianca that her disobedience has cost him a hundred crowns, but Bianca states that he had no business betting on her; it was his own fault. Petruchio tells Katherine to tell their other wives of their duties. Katherine gives a speech on women's subservience to their husbands, criticizing their actions, telling them that she used to be like them before she changed. Petruchio predicts grim marriages for Hortensio and Petruchio because of their disobedient wives ("We three are married, but you two are sped."). Petruchio and Katherine go to bed, and Hortensio and Lucentio are in disbelief over the actions and change of events they've just witnessed.E. Conclusion
Katherine offers complete submission to her husband, proving that she has been "tamed." Bianca is more defiant toward Lucentio, though, which foreshadows an unhappy marriage. Katherine and Bianca have both changed from the beginning of the play; Katherine gone from tempestuous to tamed, and Bianca from mild to stubborn.
III. Characters
Katherine - The "shrew" who starts off the play as a defiant woman, especially when it came to marriage, but eventually is subjugated to Petruchio.
Petruchio - Katherine's quick-witted suitor, who marries and tames her in hopes of receiving an enormous dowry.
Bianca - Katherine's younger sister, who becomes a competition for several suitors, but cannot marry any of them until Katherine is wed first.
Lucentio - The scholar that falls in love with Bianca at first sight, and disguises himself as a schoolteacher to win her affection; he and Bianca eventually elope.
IV. Theme
"Anything is possible with love."
V. Personal Reaction
I didn't really like this play. I thought all the characters and their disguises made it confusing. I was also disappointed at the lack of closure in the Christopher Sly "story." I found the main ending to be disappointing, too. It seemed unrealistic that someone as hostile as Katherine would have a complete turnaround like she did.
VI. Quotations
"Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue and this moral discipline,
Let's be no stoics nor no stocks...."
--Tranio
"Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples."
--Hortensio
"Ay, when the special thing is well obtained,
That is, her love, for that is all in all."
--Baptista
"I see a woman may be made a fool
If she had not a spirit to resist."
--Katherine
"I will be master of what is mine own.
She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house . . . my anything."
--Petruchio
"Better once than never, for never too late."
--Petruchio
"Thy husband is thy lord, they life, thy keeper . . .
But love, fair looks, and true obedience-
Too little payment for such great a debt."
--Katherine