What makes the Taming of the Shrew a comedy?

Question 1

Comic Structure- stage 1

Answer 1

1. Exposition- induction; intro of Lucentio + Tranio

Question 2

Comic Structure- stage 2

Answer 2

2. Complication- B can’t marry until K does;

Question 3

Comic Structure- stage 3

Answer 3

3. Climax- P + K’s wedding & when P drags K away from banquet? Entrance of real V.

Question 4

Comic Structure- stage 4

Answer 4

4. Resolution begins when K accepts the sun is the moon, concluded when she is proved obedient at end

Question 5

Comic Structure- stage 5

Answer 5

5. Happy ending

Question 6

Comic Structure- stage 6

Answer 6

6. Involves transformation as protagonists come to a state of knowledge- Kate, Bianca (?- reveals her inner nature)

Question 7

Comic characters- Commedia d’Ell Arte- Lovers

Answer 7

• Bianca and Lucentio

- Katherina and Petruchio

Question 8

Comic characters- Commedia d’Ell Arte

Answer 8

• The Doctor- Hortensio

- The Captain- Petruchio

Question 9

Comic characters- Tricksters

Answer 9

• Tranio

- Petruchio

Question 10

Buffoons, clowns, fools

Answer 10

• Grumio- natural fool?- elements of satirical truths, but subverts convention by being smart
• Biondello- natural fool
• Hortensio (as Litio)- irritating buffoon, laughable for his lack of self-awareness

Question 11

Comic characters- Servants and Masters

Answer 11

• Petruchio and Grumio
• Lucentio, Biondello, and Tranio
• Bianca, Litio, and Cambio (employer/worker?)

Question 12

What is a comic antagonist?

Answer 12

Character who seems to act against the protagonist, or who are adversaries or rivals of them. They may also resort to disguise, deceit, or trickery to get their way.

Question 13

Who is the comic antagonist in the main plot?

Answer 13

Lack of a clear antagonist- only Kate stands in the way of their ‘love’- creates sympathy for K as she is alone

Question 14

Who are the comic antagonists in the sub plot?

Answer 14

• Baptista
• Hortensio
• Gremio

Question 15

What is a comic protagonist?

Answer 15

One whose progress/plight we feel most concerned about following & whose perspective we are most keenly aware of. Happy ending is likely to bring sense of redemption or success to them, which audience can celebrate.

Question 16

Who is the comic protagonist in the main plot?

Answer 16

Petruchio- we follow him through his quest to tame Kate, which is the point of the play.

Question 17

Who is the comic protagonist in the sub plot?

Answer 17

Lucentio- his heroic nature, we root for him to woo Bianca, and it is clear that he is Bianca’s favourite throughout.

Question 18

How does Shakespeare follow comic conventions with his protagonists?

Answer 18

• In love
• We feel sympathetic to Lucentio when he struggles to woo Bianca due to the other suitors
• Lucentio and Bianca get married at the end

Question 19

How does Shakespeare subvert comic conventions with his protagonists?

Answer 19

• Petruchio and Kate get married in the Act 2

- We aren’t sympathetic to Petruchio’s ‘plight’; we are more concerned for Kate as a victim

Question 20

How is disorder important to comedy?

Answer 20

Makes central element as entertaining & often as complex as possible, finds ways of making it multiply, keeps audience guessing how confusion will eventually resolve itself & order will return.

Question 21

When do we see disorder multiply in the play?

Answer 21

• Pedant + Vincentio encounter almost leads to V. getting arrested
• V. sees Tranio dressed as Lucentio + thinks he’s killed L.
• Biondello tells Baptista that P. is coming to the wedding, confuses Baptista by saying that it’s just his horse

Question 22

Do we see any comic coincidence?

Answer 22

• Hortensio and Gremio make a deal to find a suitor for Kate b4 Petruchio comes to H’s house
• The real Vincentio meets K + P on the way to Padua- the pair know his son, whom he has come to meet

Question 23

Who goes on a journey in Taming of the Shrew?

Answer 23

• K’s journey to becoming an obedient wife
• V’s journey from Pisa to Padua
• Pedant’s journey from Mantua to Rome and Tripoli is interrupted by Tranio as Lucentio

Question 24

Where are the two locations in the Taming of the Shrew?

Answer 24

• Baptista’s House

- Petruchio’s House

Question 25

What purpose does the second location serve?

Answer 25

Isolates Katherina from her family, shows Petruchio’s power, wealth, and status

Question 26

Do the two plots ever merge? Are there any scenes where the two plots intertwine?

Answer 26

At end, plots parallel each other w/K appearing to be ‘tamed’ + B seemingly revealing her true ‘shrewish’ nature

Question 27

What is the purpose of the framing device of the induction?

Answer 27

• Sets up main plot as performance put on for induction’s protagonist
• Sets up themes of patriarchy, power, class, etc

Question 28

Will a more orderly future follow, as is often expected in comedy?

Answer 28

• Main plot: K seems tamed, seemingly will follow P’s orders from now on; but is it happy if K abandoned her true nature?
• Subplot: B reveals shrewish side, disorder in her and L#s marriage

Question 29

Will a more orderly future follow, as is often expected in comedy?

Answer 29

• Main plot: K seems tamed, seemingly will follow P’s orders from now on; but is it happy if K abandoned her true nature?
• Subplot: B reveals shrewish side, disorder in marriage; seems like he will have to go to taming school for her.

Question 30

Has someone overcome their failings and learnt from their mistakes, as is often expected in comedy?

Answer 30

• Main plot: K learned being obedient allows for security; no longer can she be a shrew.
• Sub plot: No one- Tranio and Lucentio face no consequences for their actions.

Question 31

Which characters’ stories end happily?

Answer 31

• Main plot: P gets what he wants
• Sub plot: Hard to tell- Hortensio lacks too much presence to be able to tame Widow like P tamed K; B’s reveals of shrew side promises trouble for her marriage