The Taming of the Shrew

The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare. It was one of his earlier plays, probably penned in 1594.

Plot summary

Prior to the first act, an Induction (sometimes omitted) frames the play as a "kind of history" played in front of a drunkard named Christopher Sly. Sly has been kicked out of an alehouse for refusing to pay for his alcohol, and a Lord, come newly from hunting, finds him lying asleep outside and decides to fool Sly into thinking that he himself is a lord. Sly is lumbered up to a classy apartment, and slipped into bed. When he awakes, he is told that he is a great lord who has lost his memory of his real identity, and that his ale-house rambles were no more than a dream. A young man, dressed in woman's attire, is brought him and presented to him as his wife. Though offered a choice of entertainments, Sly prefers that this wife immediately join him for some play in bed (a perilous situation for the young man playing the role of Lady Sly!) However, Sly is convinced to divert his attention to a comedy which some players have ready for him (he mistakenly identifies it as a 'comonty'), and this comedy is that story of Kate the Shrew that follows.

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The "Shrew" is Katherina Minola, the eldest daughter of Baptista Minola, a merchant in Padua. Her temper is extremely volatile and no man can control her. She ties her sister to a chair in one scene, and in another attacks a music tutor with his own instrument. Her younger sister, Bianca Minola, is docile, beautiful, and much sought after by the noble men of the town. Baptista has sworn not to allow his younger daughter to marry before Katherina is wed. Bianca has several suitors, and two of them agree that they will work together to marry off Katherina so that they will be free to compete for Bianca. One suitor, Gremio, is old and grey, and the other, Hortensio, is feisty and young.

Related Topics:
Katherina Minola - Padua

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The plot becomes considerably more complex when two strangers, Petruccio and Lucentio, arrive in town. Lucentio, the son of the wealthy merchant Vincentio of Pisa, falls in love with Bianca, while Petruchio seems interested only in money.

Related Topics:
Petruccio - Pisa

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When Baptista mentions that Bianca needs a tutor, both suitors compete to find one for her in order to curry Baptista's favour. Gremio comes across Lucentio, who pretends to be a man of letters in order to woo Bianca. Hortensio disguises himself as a musician and convinces Petruchio to present him to Baptista as a music tutor. Thus, Lucentio and Hortensio, pretending to be teachers, woo Bianca behind her father's back.

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Meanwhile, Petruccio is told by the suitors about the large dowry that would come with marrying Katherina. He attempts to woo the violent Katherina, calling her "Kate", quickly settles on the dowry, marries her and takes her home against her will. Once there, he begins his "taming" of his new wife - he keeps her from sleeping, invents reasons why she cannot eat, and buys her beautiful clothes only to rip them up. When Kate, profoundly shaken by her experiences, is told that they are to return to Padua for Bianca's wedding, she is only too happy to comply. By the time they arrive, Kate's taming is complete and she no longer resists Petruchio. She demonstrates her complete subordination to his will by agreeing that she will regard the moon as the sun, or the sun as the moon, if he demands her to do so.

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Bianca is to be married to Lucentio (following a complex subplot involving Lucentio's servant masquerading as his master during his stint as a tutor). Hortensio has married a rich widow. During the banquet, Petruccio brags that his wife, formerly untameable, is now completely obedient. Baptista, Hortensio, and Lucentio are incredulous and the latter two believe that their wives are more obedient. Petruchio proposes a wager in which each will send a servant to call for their wives, and whichever wife comes most obediently will have won the wager for her husband. Baptista, not believing that his shrewish Katharina has been tamed, offers an enormous second dowry in addition to the wager.

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Kate is the only one who responds, winning for Petruccio a second dowry. At the end of the play, after the other two wives have been summoned also, Kate gives them a speech to the point that wives should always obey their husbands.

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