Taming of the Shrew- AO2: Act 2

Question 1

[Katherina striking her (Bianca)]

Answer 1

Physical comedy? Seems comedic in play but is it really?

Question 2

‘Her silence flouts me, and I’ll be revenged’- Katherina

Answer 2

Sibling rivalry between Bianca and Katherina, they are treated unequally, because Katherina is ‘shrewish’ and ‘beautiful Bianca’.

Question 3

‘Enter Gremio, Lucentio as Cambio… etc.’

Answer 3

Adds to the complex plotting of the play, also shows the disguises of Lucentio, Tranio, Hortensio etc.

Question 4

‘That hearing of her beauty and her wit,/her affability and bashful modesty,/Her wondrous qualities and mild behaviour’- Petruchio

Answer 4

irony/sarcasm, he is trying to present Katherina as a good match, the perfect match even, like Bianca.

Question 5

‘His name is Cambio, pray accept his service.’

Answer 5

Scheming in Act 2, from Gremio, however there is a clear lack of intelligence from Gremio, reinforcing his comic presence as a foolish old man.

Question 6

‘That is, her love; for that is all in all’- Baptista

Answer 6

Complicating the plot, does he really have good intentions for Katherina, or does he just want to marry her off? Perhaps this leads to Petruchio being the comic villain?

Question 7

‘Enter Hortensio (as Litio) with his head broke’

Answer 7

Clear physical comedy, shows Kate being ‘shrewish’, perhaps even ‘farce’.

Question 8

Petruchio’s soliquoly

Answer 8

Shows him scheming, his plans to ‘tame’ Kate, also implies this is a premeditated idea, which adds to the darker side of Petruchio which is much less comedic.

Question 9

‘You are called plain Kate’- Petruchio

Answer 9

He is clearly trying to play her down and annoy her, he belittles her, beginning his plan to ‘tame’ her.

Question 10

The back and forth argument between Kate and Petruchio

Answer 10

‘women are made to bear, and so are you’: indicates the patriarchal ideas at the time that women are to bear children and that is their duty.

Question 11

‘What my tongue in your tail?Nay come again/Good Kate, I am a gentleman-’ Petruchio

Answer 11

Slapstick comedy, innuendo. Followed by Katherina striking him- physical comedy.

Question 12

‘Thou must be married to no man but me’- Petruchio

Answer 12

Towards the end of this interaction between Katherina and Petruchio, we see the more sinister side to Petruchio.

Question 13

‘Youngling’- Gremio, ‘Greybeard’- Tranio.

Answer 13

Comic rivalry between Gremio and Tranio (as Lucentio) as they fight over Bianca.

Question 14

‘If you like me, she shall have me and mine’- Gremio

Answer 14

shows how it’s her father’s decision- she has no say in who she likes.

Question 15

‘And let your father make her the assurance’- Baptista

Answer 15

Complications -> not Tranio’s father, makes the plan more difficult.

Question 16

‘I see no reason but supposed Lucentio/Must get a father, called supposed Vincentio’- Tranio

Answer 16

More complex plotting.