Name___________________________________
William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
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Study Guide
:___________________________________
_________________________________
Role of Women
_________________________________
Role of Men:_____________________________________________________
Name___________________________________
William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
Study Guide
_________________________________________
:___________________________________
_________________________________
Role of Women
_________________________________
Role of Men:_____________________________________________________
Shrew(n)
.a bad-tempered or aggressively assertive
synonym______________________
“It is not surprising that
men exclusively dictated the societal expectations of women. Six of the most
significant traits prescribed by men include: Chastity, Silence, Modesty, Reticence, Sobriety, and
Obedience. The protection of a woman’s chastity was vitally important, especially for younger women.”
University of Southern California ~VeronicaFranco
Induction:
1.) What trick is played upon Christopher Sly? Why?
In the beginning of the INDUCTION, Christopher falls asleep drunk in front of a tavern.
A Lord returning from hunting finds Sly and has his servants take Sly to his manor,
dress him up, and when he awakens, treat him as a lord.
Induction:
2.) Why is The Taming of the Shrew considered a play within a play?
The characters in the Induction sit down to watch a play, which consists of a main plot
and Chara complex subplot. This constitutes nearly the whole 5 acts of the play, and
is a common Shakespearean device.
Character Graphic Organizer
Act 1
Scene 1:
3.) Why has Lucentio come to Padua?
Lucentio, a rich young man, comes to Padua w/ his servants, Tranio and Biondello, to
attend the local university. He is very excited to start his studies. However, he veers
off course, and puts Bianca in his sights.
Name___________________________________
William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
_________________________________________
Study Guide
:___________________________________
_________________________________
Role of Women
_________________________________
Role of Men:_____________________________________________________
Act 1
Scene 1:
4.) Of what is Baptista resolved concerning the marriage of his two daughters?
Baptista will not give away his younger daughter before his older daughter (Katherina),
the shrew, is wedded herself.
Act 1
Scene 1:
5.) What is Katherine's reputation? What is Bianca's reputation?
Katherina is a "shrew", which is Middle English slang that is synonymous with a woman
who is loud, unmanageable and bad tempered. Bianca is the sweet, innocent victim of
her sister's spiteful abuses.
Act 1
Scene 1:
6.) What is Hortensio's plan to more quickly be able to win and marry Bianca?
Hortensio is a very important character and I'll spend a few moments more on this. He
is Petruchio's best friend and sort of wingman. He is in love with Bianca and dresses
up like a tutor, "Licio", to get closer to her. Hortensio really doesn't stand a chance Bianca's interested in Lucentio. When he gets fed up with what he sees as Bianca's
"loose" behavior, he decides to marry the Widow. To do this, he runs off to Petruchio's
"taming school," where he hopes to learn how to keep his more experienced lady in
line. Problem is, Hortensio really doesn't learn how to tame anything and the Widow
ends up playing the dominant role in their relationship after they get married.
Act 1
Scene 1:
7.) What is Tranio's plan for Lucentio? What metamorphosis does this involve?
Tranio gives all kind of advice that is key to the play. He is also indulgent and agrees
to traipse around town pretending to be Lucentio so that the real Lucentio can run
around as the tutor "Cambio" while he pursues Bianca.
Name___________________________________
William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
_________________________________________
Study Guide
:___________________________________
_________________________________
Role of Women
_________________________________
Role of Men:_____________________________________________________
Act 1
Scene 2:
8. What is Petruchio's motive in coming to Padua?
Petruchio is looking for a rich wife. Preferably one with a rich family.
Act 1
Scene 2:
9. How are Katherine's and Bianca's reputations further clarified? What words/phrases
are used to describe both women throughout the scene?
Bianca's personality fuels to Kate's rebellious fire. On the outside, Bianca is perceived
as a sweet, mild tempered young woman; a "young modest girl," Lucentio calls her.
However, in reality, she is a vigilant and sneaky sister.
Act 1
Scene 2:
10. What does Petruchio's monologue (I. 197-208) reveal about him?This monologue reveals that Petruchio is determined and has a blunt attitude. He will,
in no way, let Katherine get on to him. If she is a shrew, he will be a bigger one, it's
like ying and yang.(katherine's character turns around because Petruchio become
inhumanly "shrewish". eg. saying the the sun is the moon, and that Vin. is a young
lady)
Act 1
Scene 2:
11. What is the suitors' (Gremio and Hortensio) reaction to Lucentio joining them as
rivals to Bianca?
The suitors are flabbergasted and not at all happy. They feel as though they now has a
less of a chance of "winning over" Bianca.
Act 1
Scene 2:
Name___________________________________
William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
_________________________________________
Study Guide
:___________________________________
_________________________________
Role of Women
_________________________________
Role of Men:_____________________________________________________
13. At the end of Act 1, why are Bianca's suitors friendly with one another and
indebted to Petruchio?
If Petruchio marries Katherine, the more desirable and younger Bianca will be allowed
to marry by her father. Tradition hold that the elder daughter must marry first.
Act 1
Scene 2:
14. What role do the servants play?
Servants in Shakespeare plays are almost always a form of comedy.
Act 2
Scene 1:
1. What information does Katherine hope to gain by tying Bianca's hands and
questioning her?
Kate wants to know which of the suitors Bianca prefers (Hortensio, or Gremio).
Bianca of course denies desiring any of the them.
Act 2
Scene 1:
2. What type of language does Petruchio use to describe Katherine during
discussion with Baptista? (I. 42-65) What does this tell us about his character?
He calls her fair and virtuous. He says that he has heard of her beauty and her wit.
her affability and bashful modesty. Her wondrous qualities and mild behavior.
Petruchio is shown as a gentleman and actually had feelings for Katherina before he
met her.
Name___________________________________
William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
Study Guide
_________________________________________
:___________________________________
_________________________________
Role of Women
_________________________________
Role of Men:_____________________________________________________
Act 2
Scene 1:
3. What names do Hortensia and Lucentio assume? What roles will they play?
Hortensio is Lito, and Lucentio is Cambio. Hortensio aka Lito is Bianca's Music tutor.
Lucentio aka Cambio is Bianca's Language tutor.
Act 2
Scene 1:
4. What character does Tranio assume? How does Baptista react to him? Please
quote from the text.
Tranio assumes the character of Lucentio. Baptista reacts well.
Act 2
Scene 1:
5. Summarize the content of Petruchio and Baptista's conversation (I. 111-141)be
brief.
Petruchio asks Baptista how much he will get for dowry if Baptista chooses to marry
him. When Baptista replies that he will get 20,000 crowns after his death, Petruchio
gets excited and claims that the contracts should be made with him right now.
Baptista reminds him that his daughter's love is the first thing to come in this
business. WIth a great confidence, Petruchio brags he will easily get her love.
Act 2
Scene 1:
6. How is Hortensio injured?
He's trying to teach Kate to play the lute and she takes it away from him and clunks
him on the head with the instrument.
Name___________________________________
William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew
_________________________________________
Study Guide
:___________________________________
_________________________________
Role of Women
_________________________________
Role of Men:_____________________________________________________
Act 2
Scene 1:
7. When Katharine and Petruchio meet how do they get along? Particularly, what is
the pervading attitude in lines 182-196, 209-220, and in Petruchio's lines 264277.
Petruchio keeps telling Kate that he has fallen in love with her (Act 2, Scene 1,
pages 269-275).
Act 2
Scene 1:
8. What does Petruchio claim about his and Katherine's interaction? How does
Baptista react?
Petruchio claims that his interaction with Kate went fantastically, that they are in
love (in fact, that she loves him madly) and that she is sweet as sweet can be. In
fact, he practically had to pry her off him, but they've decided they want to keep the
relationship on the down-low. He's taking off for a few days and will be back
Sunday to marry Kate. Baptista is psyched, he has had a really hard time "unloading"
his eldest daughter and can't marry off the youngest until Kate is taken off his
hands.
Act 2
Scene 1:
9. At the end of Act II what are Tranio, Gremio, and Baptista discussing? What
decision is made? What must Tranio do in light of this decision?
Tranio, Gremio, and Baptista are discussing who will make the best suitor for Bianca
at the end of Act II. The three decide that the wealthiest suitor will be the best
choice.