1. Which came first – the insults, which affected Katherina’s behaviour; or Katherina’s behaviour, which led to the insults?
Students are to focus on this question throughout the lesson, ideas could be recorded in form of a list, spider diagram throughout the lesson.

2. Monday, 03 December 2018Monday, 03 December 2018
Meet Kate & Bianca
To perform and understand Act 1, Scene 1
To examine Katherine’s and Bianca’s characterisation and behaviour.
Students are to focus on this question throughout the lesson, ideas could be recorded in form of a list, spider diagram throughout the lesson.

3. First Impressions
After watching this clip what is your impression of Katherina and Bianca? What three adjectives would you use to describe them both?
Knowing what you know about patriarchy, how would audiences in Shakespeare’s days react to both characters?
Characterisation = The writer or playwright's development of a character’s behaviour, emotions, and decision-making process.

4. Act 1, Scene 1 – Acting Roles
Baptista Minola – Katherine and Bianca’s father
Katherine Minola - Baptista’s eldest daughter; the Shrew
Bianca Minola – Baptista’s youngest daughter
Gremio – An older suitor of Bianca
Hortensio – Bianca’s suitor
Lucentio – A rich young man, falls in love with Bianca
Tranio – Lucentio’s servant

5. Katherine’s Titles
Read over the scene, and list every name, title, and insult assigned to Katherine
Organise the titles into different groups. What does each group connote or reveal about Katherine’s character?
Which came first – the insults, which affected Katherine’s behaviour; or Katherine’s behaviour, which led to the insults?

6. Katherine’s Attitude
HORTENSIO From all such devils, good Lord deliver us! BAPTISTA Gentlemen, importune me no farther, For how I firmly am resolved you know; That is, not bestow my youngest daughter Before I have a husband for the elder: If either of you both love Katharina, Because I know you well and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. GREMIO [Aside] To cart her rather: she's too rough for me. There, There, Hortensio, will you any wife? KATHERINE I pray you, sir, is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates? HORTENSIO Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you, Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. KATHERINE I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear: I wis it is not half way to her heart; But if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool And paint your face and use you like a fool.
In groups, reenact Katherine’s introduction, which each group deciding on a different interpretation of Katherine’s lines:
In a shrewish manner
In an insulted manner
In a playful/flirtatious manner
In a sarcastic manner
Why did you choose that interpretation? Which interpretation do you think Shakespeare was aiming for?

7. Think about the way Kate is presented, and how others speak of her
Which came first – the insults, which affected Katherine’s behaviour; or Katherine’s behaviour, which led to the insults?
Write three PEELAs answering the question. Remember to form your point carefully.
You could include the following ideas:
Baptista seems to favour Bianca more because she is an obedient child, how is this linked to a patriarchal society?
In front of her father Bianca behaves appropriately for the society in which she lives
Would Katherina’s behaviour be acceptable today?
Think about the way Kate is presented, and how others speak of her

8. The Shrew
Does Katherine deserve the title of “the shrew?” How similar – or different – is she to the actual animal?