The Taming of the Shrew
By William Shakespeare
INTRODUCTION
The play is set in
PADUA, Italy.
INTRODUCTION
Shakespeare’s audience was
particularly interested in
the topic of RELATIONSHIPS
since most marriages
during this time period
were ARRANGED and a
DOWRY was the reason why
most men got married.
INTRODUCTION
Of particular worry to
this society were
“SHREWS” or “SCOLDS”
—that is,
cantankerous or
gossipy WIVES.
INTRODUCTION
A large number of sermons,
plays, and pamphlets of the
time address related
topics: the TAMING of
shrews by their husbands
or the public punishment of
scolds, by, for example,
repeatedly DUNKING them in
a river.
INTRODUCTION
The play begins with a
FRAME story, where a
drunkard named
Christopher Sly has a
joke played on him by
the local lord.
INTRODUCTION
They convince him
that he is a RICH
man who has been
ill for a while and
has just now
regained his
MEMORY.
INTRODUCTION
They dress up a
young MAN as his
wife and he
decides that he
wants to believe
them.
INTRODUCTION
While Sly wants to be alone
with his “wife,” they tell him
that he must first watch a
PLAY performed by a troupe
of actors who recently
came to the castle. So, he
sits down and watches the
play, THE TAMING OF THE
SHREW.
Character Map