The Taming of The Shrew (AO3)

Question 1

Restoration Comedy
introduction

Answer 1

Restoration Comedy is English comedy written and performed in the Restoration period of 1660-1710. It is also known as Comedy of Manners.
- After public stage performances were banned for 18 years by the Puritan regime, reopening of the theatres in 1660 marked a renaissance of English drama.

Question 2

Restoration Comedy
characteristics (linked to TTOTS)

Answer 2

Restoration Comedy is characterised by its witty dialogue, comedic situations and exploration of themes such as love, marriage, social dynamics. Restoration comedies often feature mistaken identities, clever wordplay and satirical portrayals of the upper-class.

Comedic Tone: They typically had a light and comedic tone. Restoration comedies were designed to make audiences laugh and give them a sense of enjoyment.

Witty Dialogue: Witty and Incisive dialogue is also key to Restoration comedies. This added to the mocking tone that many Restoration comedies had.
- Petruchio and Katherina’s dynamic and a likeness is characterised by their use of witty repartee.
- Witty dialogue between Grumio (Petruchio’s servant) and Petruchio.

Satire: The majority of Restoration comedies were satirical. Playwrights used the humour of the genre to mock different aspects of society. There was a level of absurdity in Restoration comedies that allowed them to poke fun at different societal conditions and social classes.

Sexual Content: Sexual innuendos and promiscuity featured prominently in Restoration comedies. This marked a sharp break with the norms of Puritan society that Oliver Cromwell had enforced upon England in previous years.
- Petruchio and Katherina in ACT 2, SCENE 1 demonstrate sexual and bawdy humour through their exchanges.

Complex Plots: Many Restoration comedies had quite complicated stories. They often had many characters with intertwined relationships and overlapping interests. This added to the purposeful ridiculousness and absurdity of the genre.
- The Taming of The Shrew is catalysed as comedic through the absurd and ridiculous nature of the situations and complications that arise within the text. The act of disguise, duplicity and mistaken identities subverts societal conventions (sumptuary laws) and gives rise to confusion and complicated situations. Ultimately, this develops the plot and crafts a deep layer of complexity where comedy arises for comedy’s sake, simply to be resolved.

Social Commentary:Despite their humorous tone, Restoration comedies frequently contained a great deal of social commentary hidden beneath their jokes. This mockery of social norms and classes was inspired by a want for change.
- The Taming of The Shrew constantly subverts and mocks social norms for instance, through the subversion of social classes via sumptuary laws (e.g. Induction). This is humorous to a contemporary audience and ridiculous yet it subtly hints at Shakespeare’s social commentary towards the Upper Class.

Question 3

Restoration Comedy
themes

Answer 3

1) MARRIAGE
the majority of Restoration comedies centred around themes of love and marriage. Many plays showed complicated marriages breaking down with lots of characters having affairs. Restoration comedies also includes characters marrying for financial means instead of for genuine love and affection. These characters were typically mocked and satirised, not coming to a happy ending at the play’s conclusions.

• Petruchio and Katherina’s marriage serves as an economic exchange where arguably, her soliloquy may point towards her putting on an act and being unhappy in her marriage. However, ultimately their witty exchanges and similar intellect infers that they are a perfect match for one another as Petruchio is the only one who achieves ‘taming’ over her.

2) CLASS
class was also central to Restoration comedies, despite the fact that many of the comedies were written by upper-class playwrights, audiences were much more varied. As part of the satire aspect, plays often depicted an exaggerated version of a particular class to mock them or their perceived characteristics. many restoration comedies parodied the aristocracy, presenting them as frivolous, detached from reality and unable to behave seriously.

• Induction presents the Lord and his men as detached from reality and unable to maintain solemnity as they mock Sly and decide to play a trick on him. Subversion of social class and mocking the lower-class delights them, which hints at Shakespeare’s wider social commentary on upper-class Elizabethan society.