TTOTS: summaries of acts & scenes Flashcards
INDUCTION, SCENE 1
The induction in “The Taming of the Shrew” serves as a framing device for the main play. In the first scene of the induction, Christopher Sly, a drunken tinker, is discovered by a Lord in a drunken stupor. The Lord decides to play a prank on Sly and takes him to his house, where he orders his servants to treat Sly as if he were a nobleman. Sly is then dressed in fine clothes, given a luxurious room, and treated as a lord. To further deceive him, the Lord arranges for a troupe of actors to perform a play for Sly’s entertainment.
This introduction sets the stage for the play within a play. The trick played on Sly establishes a humorous and farcical tone, and Sly’s transformation from a tinker to a nobleman becomes a comedic subplot. This framing device also allows Shakespeare to explore themes of illusion, reality, and the transformative power of theater. The induction is later revisited at the end of the play, creating a connection between the main story and Sly’s comedic subplot.
INDUCTION, SCENE 2
In the second scene of the induction in “The Taming of the Shrew,” Christopher Sly, who has been tricked into believing he is a nobleman, eagerly awaits the performance of a play by the traveling troupe of actors. The Lord, along with his servants, continues the deception by encouraging Sly to enjoy the entertainment. The play performed for Sly is a humorous and exaggerated portrayal of a courtship and marriage, with disguised identities and comedic misunderstandings.
As Sly watches the play, he becomes emotionally invested and even questions the outcome of the story. The scene establishes a parallel between Sly’s experience and the main plot of “The Taming of the Shrew,” where issues of courtship, identity, and relationships are central themes. The play within a play provides both entertainment for Sly and a meta-theatrical commentary on the nature of storytelling and theatrical conventions. This subplot adds a layer of complexity to the overall structure of the play and contributes to its comedic and self-aware tone.
ACT 1, SCENE 1
The main plot of the play begins in Padua, where the young scholar Lucentio arrives with his servant Tranio. They soon catch sight of Baptista and his two daughters: Bianca and Katherine. Bianca is followed by male suitors, while Katherine appears to be harsh and ill-mannered. Baptista tells Bianca’s suitors, that because Bianca is his younger daughter, she will not be married until his older daughter, Katherine, finds a husband. Upon seeing Bianca, Lucentio falls madly in love. Tranio suggests that Lucentio should disguise himself as a teacher to tutor Bianca, so that he can get close to her and spend time with her. Tranio, then, will dress up as Lucentio. Lucentio agrees to the plan.
This scene introduces the significance of marriage and Shakespeare upholds this societal convention. It also introduces the comic journey and pursuit of love that Lucentio and the other suitors must embark on in order to obtain Bianca. The competition between each of the suitors furthers the farcical nature of the play as it foreshadows the journey and chaos yet to come.
