Taming of the Shrew Kiss Me Kate

Physical Play

The Taming of the Shrew By William Shakespeare Key Facts Written around 1592 in London It’s known as Shakespeare’s first comedy and even his first play. date of first publication  · 1623 Romantic comedy The overall tone of the play is light and comic, though the exploration of larger social questions, such as the proper relation of the sexes in marriage, lends much of the comedy a more serious tone. Tone  Padua, a city-state in Italy prominent during the Renaissance settings (place)  

Taming of the Shrew appears to have been staged several times during Shakespeare's lifetime at both the Globe and the Blackfriars theaters. More Info: It was so popular, a sequel was written by John Fletcher between 1604 and 1617 attesting to its popularity. Very Popular It was also produced in 1633 at the court of Charles Ist. A play fit for a KING!

The character of the "shrew"—a word used to indicate an opinionated, domineering, and sharp-tongued woman—is found in the folklore and literature of many cultures. What is a Shrew? In the sixteenth century shrewish wives were featured in a number of plays, many of which depicted cruel physical punishments for the shrew. How to deal with a Shrew? An old ballad about a shrewish woman.

The idea of beating one’s wife to make her obey was acceptable behaviour in Medieval times. Treatment of Wives

Shakespeare appears to have got his ideas for the play from several sources popular in this time such as: Sources of the play A Merry Jest of a Shrewd and Curst Wife Lapped in a Morel’s Skin for her Good Behaviour. A Ballad called: In this song the wife is beaten until she bleeds. Then wrapped in a skin of an old lame plough horse, Morel, killed and flayed for the occasion. The husband threatens to keep her in the skin and treat her like the horse unless she obeys him. Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Shakespeare’s Language Lucentio is full of stock Elizabethan love poetry when he first sees Bianca. LUCENTIO - Lucento is in direct contrast to Petruchio’s bluntness. Petruchio

Comic methods used within the play: There are role exchanges and disguises Action Comedy Situational Comedy: Shakespeare often uses puns or a play on words. Verbal Humor Comedy: Facial expressions and antics Physical Appearance Comedy Visual Comedy: Shakespeare relied on physical comedy much like the three stooges did in their movies.

Lots of physical contact between two main characters

Major Characters in the Play

Katherine Minola- (or the shrew) is a spoilt household bully who tyrannises her sister, defies her father, strikes her sister, tutor and suitor without provocation. Kate She is “in a choleric ill humour” and must be redirected. A beautiful bully!

Petruchio is a gentleman from Verona. He is loud, boisterous, eccentric, quick-witted, and frequently drunk, he has come to Padua “to wive and thrive.” To find a wife. He wishes for nothing more than a woman with an enormous dowry, and he finds Kate to be the perfect fit. Disregards everyone’s warnings about Kate.

Gremio Hortensio They are two gentlemen of Padua. Gremio and Hortensio are Bianca’s suitors at the beginning of the play. Though they are rivals, these older men also become friends during their mutual frustration with and rejection by Bianca.

A foolish old man; A suitor to Bianca Gremio

Another suitor to Bianca. He disguises himself as a music teache.r Hortensio Hortensio persuades Petruchio to try to win Kate so Bianca will be free to marry. Disguised as a Music Teacher Hortensio ends up marrying a widow. Settles for second best

Minola Baptista is one of the wealthiest men in Padua, and his daughters become the prey of many suitors due to the substantial dowries he can offer. Baptista Minola He is desperate to find his eldest daughter a suitor, having decided that she must marry before Bianca does. Strictly Old-fashioned

The younger daughter of Baptista. Bianca Minola- She is the direct opposite of Kate She acts innocent and sweet A Real Sweetheart Because of her large dowry and her mild behavior, several men vie for her hand. Has Many Suitors

Minor Players Tranio- Lucentio’s servant; disguises himself as Lucentio Biondello- Lucentio’s other servant Vincentio- Lucentio’s father from Pisa

The time and place of a narrative Setting The Induction is set in English countryside outside an alehouse and at the Lord’s home. Induction: The Induction is an unusual feature of this play. None of Shakespeare’s other plays begins with a framing story, in which a full five-act play is performed within another play. An Unusual Feature

Setting The rest of the play is set in Padua, Italy – 1593 –1594. Time span is about one week to ten days Acts I - V

Shakespeare often changed his style of writing based upon the social status of his characters. Writing Style Ordinary language used to emphasis characters of low social status. Prose Pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables that uses five patterns to a line; used to emphasis characters of high social status. Iambic Pentameter

Techniques that give the audience information that could not be given from the action of the play. Dramatic Conventions Allows a character to be seen by the audience while remaining hidden from the other actors Concealment

This occurs when the audience knows information that might change the behavior of the characters if they were aware of it. Dramatic Irony This is when a character talks to himself, revealing thoughts and feelings that would otherwise go unvoiced. Soliloquy This is when a character speaks directly to the audience without being overheard by the other characters on stage. Aside