The Taming of the Shrew

In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare constructs a play within a play where he sets a humorous mood through light-hearted tone at the “Induction,” but slowly shifts to a more whimsical tone and romantic mood in Act I in order to keep the audience at the edge of their seats. With the intention of making the audience wonder about the original play known as the “Induction” as well as the play within the “Induction,” Shakespeare incorporates the slightest changes of tone and mood. For instance, he…

They are expected to care for the children and household. Often when a gender tries to step out of their given box they are criticized for this. These gender roles are commonly referred to today. The Taming of the Shrew speaks of these gender roles that are…

Katherina Minola, also known as Kate, is the first-born daughter of Baptista in Taming of the Shrew. “Shrew” is an expression used to label an aggressively assertive woman. From the beginning, Kate is frequently referred to as “a shrew whom cannot be tamed”. However, as the composition progresses, Kate’s personality drastically transforms when she comprehends the effects of her actions on other people. Kate becomes conscious of this after her husband, Petruchio, starts imitating her. His mission…

In Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare explores the themes of dominance and power through Petruchio and Katherine’s relationship. Katherine’s fiery personality and lack of patience causes many conflicts to occur between her and other characters; when Petruchio and Kate first meet, Katherine’s insults don’t faze him and he actually accepts the verbal duel. The wordplay of this passage contains a hidden sense of power and control which establishes Petruchio with the upper hand by his…

Although Kate is one of Shakespeare's most enigmatic heroines, she is not the only complicated character in The Taming of the Shrew. Her groom, Petruchio, has nearly as much mystery surrounding him as does Kate herself. Yet exploring Petruchio forces us to ask questions that can become difficult largely because, frankly, we want to like him. In a sense, it's initially hard to explore a side of him which may, in fact, make him less likable. Is he a man of honor or a mercenary seeking only to…

In the play “Marie Antoinette,” written by David Adjmi and directed by Le’Mil Eiland, Alexis Primus takes on the role of Marie, the pompous, spoiled, and ignorant queen of France. I wasn’t originally going to discuss the lead character, however as I analyze Alexis’s character with greater thought, the more impressed I became. This play encourages people to view Marie from a new perspective, not only exposing Marie’s superfluous and greedy nature but also the misunderstanding and internal…

The damp concrete met his bare feet when he landed. Dark barrels lined the walls as far as the light would allow him to see, though he knew what many of them were; along with the taste of dirt and wet stone, the smell and taste of beer tickled his tongue and filled his nose. Besides the pattering of a dark rat that crossed in front of him, Macduff heard nothing. He looked back at the hatch, knowing that it was the only exit. He walked calmly further into the cellar. He had not been in the cellar…

Hello. Baptista Minola is my name. My daughter Bianca is the sweetest girl you’ll ever meet, though, my daughter Katherina is another story. Bianca is to not marry until Katherina has, but she never will. A couple of men came to me interested in my daughter Bianca, none in Katherina. “Gentlemen, importune me no farther, for how I firmly am resolved you know— that is, not to bestow my youngest daughter before I have a husband for the elder.If either of you both love Katherina, because I know you…

Since the Induction of The Taming of the Shrew, the contrast between internal and external is set up when the drunk Christopher Sly believes he has been transformed into a lord by a mere change in his garments and surroundings. This first transformation initiates the theme that clothes do not determine the person. Strip away the costumes, and we are all equal. Later at the wedding, the late and disheveled Petruchio diminishes the importance of clothing declaring “To me she’s married, not unto…

The saying, do not judge a book by its’ cover, is used to explain the need to look within a person to see who they really are. In the play The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare, the main characters -Bianca, Katherina, Lucentio, and Petruchio- choose whether they will love based on what they see or what is on the inside; their decisions affects the outcome of their marriages. Bianca’s marriage serves as a foil to Katherina’s marriage, revealing what creates a strong marriage, ironically in the…