The Taming of the Shrew

Katherine has a reputation for being naturally “shrewish,” but she reveals a lot about the reasons for her anger and unhappiness. With reference to Katherine’s speeches, write about how Katherine fits into the world around her. Why is she displeased with her family and with her society? What are the origins of her “choleric” temper?

Write on the comparable roles of Christopher Sly and Tranio, both lower-class men disguised as gentlemen (though only one of them is in on the joke). What do these parallel characters reveal about class in Shakespeare’s England?

What do you learn about Elizabethan-era marriages from this play? What does marriage seem to mean in The Taming of the Shrew? What are the different conventions and expectations about marriage for men and for women? How does marriage relate to money?

What role does clothing play in The Taming of the Shrew? Consider Petruchio’s madcap wedding clothes, Katherine’s new gown, or Lucentio switching coats with Tranio. What do clothes seem to mean to the people of this play’s world, and what different things can clothes signify? Why are clothes important here?

Write a script for the fireside conversation between Bianca and the widow that their husbands’ bet interrupts. What do you think the women in this play might talk about when the men aren’t around? Draw on what you’ve learned about this play’s world to construct this conversation—and have the women comment on the events of the rest of the play.

While fathers play active roles in this story—Baptista and Vincentio both have important parts—mothers are nowhere to be found. That seems a little peculiar, considering that marriage is a central theme here. How does the absence of mothers fit into this world? Why might Shakespeare not have written a part for Baptista’s wife, for instance? How might the play be different if the younger generation’s mothers were involved?

After a few exclamations, Christopher Sly goes quiet for the rest of the play. Write the end of Christopher Sly’s story. Considering what happens in the play proper, what do you think would be a fitting ending for the frame story?

Compare and contrast Katherine and Petruchio with Beatrice and Benedick, Shakespeare’s later pair of quick-witted lovers from Much Ado About Nothing. How does the way Shakespeare writes these similar couples change?