Taming of the Shrew: AO2- Act 1

Question 1

How are the key themes set out for the play?

Answer 1

Sly and his ‘wife’ are watching the ‘real play’ which begins in Act 1 following the Induction (which has set out the key themes for the play).

Question 2

How are the audience related to characters from the induction?

Answer 2

Lucentio and Tranio watch Baptista, his daughters and the suitors. (Audience are put into the same position as we meet them for the first time.)

Question 3

How is dramatic methods used to distinguish lower and upper classes?

Answer 3

Use of prose and verse to distinguish between upper and lower class characters. (Sly in Induction)

Question 4

How is differences between men and women shown?

Answer 4

Speech is dominated by male characters, often talking about (bargaining over) female characters which introduces the patriarchal themes of the play.

Question 5

How are Katherina and Bianca presented differently?

Answer 5

Katherina only has 13 lines but is talked about - “shrew” and “scold” - to focus on what she says and how she says it. This contrasts the presentation of Bianca’s ‘;silence’ which is seen as the ‘appropriate’ way for a woman to behave.

Question 6

Give examples of the difference in which Katherina and Bianca are spoken about.

Answer 6

Bianca - “modest”, “pretty”, “Minerva”, “sweet”, “fair”. Katherina - “curst”, “rough”, “famous for a scolding tongue”.

Question 7

How is Petruchio presented?

Answer 7

Petruchio is presented as confident - even cocky - with the use of hyperbole “Have I not in my time heard lions roar?”