Welcome to The Taming of the Shrew!
Hello there! Whether you love Shakespeare or find his language a bit like a foreign country, these notes are designed for you. The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare’s most debated plays. It’s a story about power, marriage, and whether people can actually change who they are. For your OCR A Level (H472), you need to look past the surface of the jokes and figure out what Shakespeare is really saying about how men and women treated each other in the 1590s.
Don’t worry if this seems tricky at first! We are going to break it down piece by piece so you feel confident walking into that exam.
1. The "Frame" Story: The Induction
Many students forget about the Induction (the very beginning of the play), but it is vital for high marks! In these scenes, a drunk beggar named Christopher Sly is tricked into believing he is a rich Lord. The "main" play about Katherine and Petruchio is actually a performance put on for Sly.
Why does this matter?
The Induction reminds the audience that everything they are about to see is performative. Just as Sly "performs" being a Lord, the characters in the play "perform" their gender roles. It suggests that identity might just be a costume we put on.
Quick Review Box:
• The Induction sets up the play-within-a-play structure.
• It introduces the theme of disguise and social class.
• It creates a "buffer"—if the play feels cruel, we can remember it’s just a "farcical dream" for a drunkard.
2. Key Characters: Who's Who?
Understanding the characters is like understanding the players in a sports match. Everyone has a goal they are trying to reach.
Katherine (The "Shrew")
Katherine is sharp-tongued, angry, and often violent. But ask yourself: Why? She lives in a world where her father, Baptiste, favors her "perfect" younger sister, Bianca. Katherine’s "shrewishness" might be the only way she can protect herself in a world that wants to sell her off to the highest bidder.
Petruchio (The "Tamer")
Petruchio arrives in Padua with one goal: "to wive and thrive." He wants money. He treats the challenge of "taming" Katherine like a game or a hunting exercise. He is loud, eccentric, and uses psychological warfare rather than physical force to change Kate’s behavior.
Bianca (The "Ideal" Woman)
At first, Bianca seems like the opposite of Kate—sweet, quiet, and obedient. However, by the end of the play, we see she is actually quite independent and even a bit rebellious. Shakespeare uses her to show that "outward appearance" can be deceiving.
Memory Aid: The "Three D's" of the Subplot
To remember the mess of suitors chasing Bianca, think of D.D.D.:
1. Dowry: It’s all about the money Baptista offers.
2. Disguise: Lucentio and Hortensio both dress up as teachers to get close to her.
3. Deception: Bianca isn't as submissive as she looks!
3. Major Themes to Discuss
In your exam, you’ll need to link your analysis to these "big ideas."
Marriage as a Business Transaction
In the 16th century, marriage wasn't always about love; it was about property and status. Baptista treats his daughters like products in a shop window.
Analogy: Imagine marriage as a high-stakes merger between two companies. Petruchio is the CEO looking for a profitable acquisition.
Gender and Power
The play asks: Should a wife obey her husband? At the time, the answer was a legal "Yes." However, many modern readers find Petruchio’s methods (depriving Kate of food and sleep) very difficult to watch. You must decide if Kate is broken by the end, or if she has simply learned to play the game to survive.
Key Takeaway: Always consider context. An Elizabethan audience might have found Petruchio’s "taming" funny, whereas a modern audience might find it abusive. Discussing this change in interpretation over time is a core requirement for OCR!
4. Language and Dramatic Effects
Shakespeare uses specific tools to show us the power struggle between Kate and Petruchio.
Stichomythia (Fast-Paced Dialogue)
When Kate and Petruchio first meet in Act 2, Scene 1, they engage in a "war of words." They finish each other’s lines or twist each other’s meanings. This shows they are intellectual equals. Unlike the other men, Petruchio can keep up with Kate’s wit.
Animal Imagery
Petruchio constantly compares Kate to a hawk or a falcon that needs to be "manned" (trained). This reduces Kate to a wild animal that must be brought under human control.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't just say Kate is "mean." Use the term "shrew" and explain that it was a specific social label for a woman who challenged male authority.
5. The Final Speech: The Big Debate
The play ends with Kate giving a long speech about how wives should submit to their husbands. This is the most famous part of the play and the most controversial!
How to interpret the speech:
1. The Sincere Reading: Kate is truly "tamed" and believes what she is saying.
2. The Ironic Reading: Kate is being sarcastic. She is saying what Petruchio wants to hear so she can have a peaceful life, but she doesn't believe a word of it.
3. The "Partnership" Reading: Kate and Petruchio have formed an alliance. They are now a team "performing" for the rest of the characters to win a bet.
Quick Review Box:
When writing your essay, use this "formula" for success:
\( Evidence + Analysis + Context + Alternative Interpretation = High Grade \)
6. Summary and Final Tips
Don’t be afraid of the problematic parts of this play! The examiners want to see you engaging with the difficult questions. Here is a final checklist for your revision:
• Can I explain why the Induction is important?
• Do I have 2-3 quotes for Kate and Petruchio’s first meeting?
• Can I compare Bianca’s marriage (based on "love" and secret deals) to Kate’s marriage (based on taming and money)?
• Do I understand the patriarchal (male-dominated) context of the 1590s?
"Did you know?"
The title of the play refers to a "Shrew," which is a tiny, aggressive mammal with a very high metabolism. It was believed that shrews were venomous, which is why the name was given to women who "poisoned" the social order with their tempers!
You've got this! Keep re-reading the key scenes (especially Act 2 Scene 1 and the final scene) and you will be a Shakespeare expert in no time.