1. Shakespeare and Taming of the Shrew

2. History Published 1600 English Renaissance Art, literature, science, politics, exploration Society = 2 classes Aristocracy (nobles) Commoners (peasants) Middle class began to emerge Aristocracy sought to prevent this Created dress laws Religion Catholic Church’s control Science vs. the Church Ptolemy’s hierarchical view of universe – “Chain of Being”

3. Effect on Elizabethan Women Not much autonomy Primogeniture (sons inherited all, women nada) No education Only work = in home The Virgin Queen Purposely did not marry Taming of the Shrew Mocks societal roles Women’s freedom of choice

4. King Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn, Parents of Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth was born on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich Palace Daughter of King Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn (2nd of 6 wives) Her birth was possibly the greatest disappointment of her father's life. He had wanted a son and heir to succeed him to the English throne. He already had a daughter, Mary (“Bloody Mary”), by his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.

5. King Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn, Parents of Queen Elizabeth I continued… He had not divorced Katherine, and changed the religion of the country in the process, to have only another daughter. Her mother failed to provide the King with a son and was executed (beheaded!) on false charges of incest and adultery on 19 May 1536. Anne's marriage to the King was declared null and void, and Elizabeth, like her half-sister, Mary, was declared illegitimate and deprived of her place in the line of succession.

6. Queen Elizabeth I She never married and reigned as Queen of England from 1558 – 1603. The reign of Queen Elizabeth I is often referred to as The Golden Age of English history. She loved the theater. She helped by providing money for costumes and props.

7. Elizabethan Life (aka Renaissance Time) Began at sunup and ended at sunset Ate one large meal at noon and a small one before bed Wealthy folks could afford books High mortality rate Infants Disease Surgeons = not sterile Bubonic Plague 1592-1594 1603 God’s punishment Fleas Effect on Shakespeare London Largest European city 200,000 No sewer High crime rates

8. Not Funny Humors Four elements Air, water, earth, fire Four qualities of being Hot, cold, moist, dry Humors in humans Blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile Based on four elements Basis of all medicine back then Thought to determine personality

9. The Comedy Comedies – commonly considered second-rate plays Lacking “intellect” of tragedies Commoners like to laugh, while Aristocrats like to think Greek influences “old comedy” = satirical and political “new comedy” = involved sex and seduction and empowerment of youth Progression 5 stages Movement from conflict to resolution Different from earlier plays Stock characters Sometimes the hero may have inferior helpers (usually a fool or jester) Frequent mocking of “serious” characters i.e. professors, lawyers…

10. Conventions of the Romantic Comedy 1. It’s about LOVE 2. Many obstacles must be overcome 3. The ending usually results in multiple weddings or a festival 4. Usually involves the supernatural or defiance of society’s norms 5. There is often a philosophical element that may comment on a larger theme

11. Comedies vs. Tragedies Comedy Plot is most important The title is never a character (i.e. Twelfth Night, not Viola) Thought is more important Women dominate Mostly witty banter Although TOTS does contain several long speeches Tragedy Character is more important Often the title is named after a character (i.e. Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello) Feeling is more important Men dominate Many soliloquies and long speeches

12. Comedies vs. Tragedies cont. Comedy Ends in marriage (often multiple characters) The marriage, however, does not need to be a happy one. This adds to the complexity of comedies Tragedy Ends in death (often all main characters)

13. Staging No set design -- actors must establish setting, time Few props -- actors must bring on throne, table, chair, then take them off stage again Stage has trap door, two entrances, balcony area If a character dies, Shakespeare must find a way to get the body off the stage Shakespeare must invent reason for characters to exit the stage The stage is a fixed place, so certain areas can be associated with a character

14. What does the title of the play (The Taming of the Shrew) mean?

15. shrew (noun) 1. a woman of violent temper and speech; termagant. 2. any of several small, mouse-like insectivores of the genus Sorex and related genera, having a long, sharp snout.

16. Today The Taming of the Shrew might seem chauvinistic to us because it celebrates the merits of male power and dominance. However, we must consider it within its historical context in order to obtain the most meaning from the play.

17. During the Renaissance, the controversy over women took various forms. Sometimes men debated the basic nature of a woman. Also, their legal and moral rights, their clothing, and their behavior were examined.

18. The branch of the debate most central to The Taming of the Shrew centers on appropriate and inappropriate female behavior. This includes shrewishness and scolding. This was viewed particularly within the confines of a marriage. Traditionally, the husband was viewed as the ultimate authority figure.

19. The Characters in TOTS Katherine/Kate Minola – The shrew of the play’s title, and the oldest daughter of Baptista Minola and sister of Bianca. Katherine is extremely strong-willed. She insists upon saying whatever she thinks and expressing whatever she feels. In Shakespeare’s time, women like Katherine were called shrews, and they were strongly disapproved of as the worst possible kind of women.

20. The Characters in TOTS Bianca Minola – The younger daughter of Baptista. The opposite of her sister Katherine, Bianca is soft-spoken, sweet, and unassuming, as well as beautiful. Baptista Minola - A wealthy citizen of Padua, and the father of Katherine and Bianca. Though many men want to marry Bianca, Baptista refuses to allow Bianca to marry before Katherine, whom no one wants to marry. He is completely at a loss for how to deal with the strong-willed Katherine.

21. The Characters in TOTS Lucentio - A young nobleman from Pisa who comes to Padua to study at the city’s renowned university, but who is immediately sidetracked when he falls in love with Bianca at first sight. Tranio - Lucentio’s servant, who accompanies Lucentio from Pisa. Biondello Lucentio’s second servant, Petrucio - A wealthy gentleman from Verona. Loud, boisterous, eccentric, and quick- witted, Petruchio comes to Padua to increase his fortune by marrying rich. Gremio - Petruchio’s servant and the fool of the play.

22. The Characters in TOTS Gremio and Hortensio Two older gentlemen of Padua who want to marry Bianca. (Gremio is elderly!) Although they are rivals, they become allies because of their mutual frustration with and rejection by Bianca.