Taming of the Shrew MOR: Part 1
What do you think is Shakespeare’s point in writing this whole play? Also, it seems awfully suspicious that this noble man was perfectly willing to not only house this drunkard, but also give him the opportunity to ruin all of his nice things. Could they really not find a lady willing to play the part of the wife? (I really don’t blame her, but still). Great save by the page here though, when Sly said “'Tis much. —Servants, leave me and her alone. / Madam, undress you and come now to bed” (Introduction, Scene 2, Lines 99-100). That would have been one really quick way to end their little joke. Dude tries anything and finds out that his wife isn’t exactly a woman. How awkward must that have been while they were watching the play, trying to keep that facade up in hope the drunk doesn’t notice. Alternatively, they could have just let him freeze to death. That probably would have been better.
Are they telling this story as a joke? Are they trying to confuse the drunk? Or is this a serious story? The players knew it beforehand, and they specifically choose it for the so-called stubborn lord/landowner, so maybe they were trying extra hard to make him laugh? Maybe this can be a ‘ha ha look at how ridiculous this is’ but I don’t know. This could definitely be serious too.
Also, the fact that there is both a Gremio and a Grumio is really messing me up. It is also really creepy how all of the suitors are essentially calling “dibs” on these young women. It is nice that their father seems to be at least giving them some kind of choice in the matter, but it’s still not a lot. I am looking forward to any future shouting matches between the shrew and her suitor.
People have debated Shakespeare's purpose in writing The Taming of the Shrew for centuries. It was controversial even when it came out, and revisionist versions written by other people came out shortly after it came out. People wrote versions in which Katherine actually IS into Petruchio or she comes to love him over time or whatever. Even in its day people weren't fans of the CIA style coercion techniques (spoilers for later, I'm not gonna apologize for having read the play already). Some have claimed that it's actually satire, mocking the contemporary attitude toward women; however, given that plays were almost entirely watched by men, I'm not so sure about that.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that the use of a pageboy to play Sly's wife was definitely on purpose; it IS a comedy after all. I think that the whole "play-within-a-play" plot point is just a way to make the truly horrifying Katherine-and-Petruchio plot more palatable. But within the context of the world, yeah they're just trying to mess with Sly. The play does become a lot funnier when you consider that women weren't allowed to act and every single role would have been played by men, and the pageboy could be a tongue-in-cheek reference to this.
Character names are sucky in this play cause it's in Italy and because there are so many people doing similar things (plus all of the switched identity makes it worse) and I think that watching the play (or a movie) would make things easier.
The whole "dibs" thing was pretty accurate to suitors in merchant or noble families of the day, although it's a bit more overt in this play (because comedy). Fear not, your desired arguments between Katherine and Petruchio are coming, but they don't exactly end well.
What do you think of Katherine as a person? Is her bitterness justified or does her resentment only make her suffering worse? Is she justified in her dislike of Bianca, or should she direct that anger elsewhere? What did you think about the scene where she tied Bianca up? (for context, here's the text)
Enter Katherine and Bianca with her hands tied.
BIANCA
Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,
To make a bondmaid and a slave of me.
That I disdain. But for these other goods—
Unbind my hands, I’ll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment to my petticoat,
Or what you will command me will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.
KATHERINE
Of all thy suitors here I charge tell
Whom thou lov’st best. See thou dissemble not.
BIANCA
Believe me, sister, of all the men alive
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.
KATHERINE
Minion, thou liest. Is ’t not Hortensio?
BIANCA
If you affect him, sister, here I swear
I’ll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.
KATHERINE
O, then belike you fancy riches more.
You will have Gremio to keep you fair.
BIANCA
Is it for him you do envy me so?
Nay, then, you jest, and now I well perceive
You have but jested with me all this while.
I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.
Katherine strikes her.
KATHERINE
If that be jest, then all the rest was so.
Enter Baptista.
BAPTISTA
Why, how now, dame, whence grows this
insolence?—
Bianca, stand aside.—Poor girl, she weeps
To Bianca Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.
To Katherine. For shame, thou hilding of a devilish
spirit!
Why dost thou wrong her that did ne’er wrong
thee?
When did she cross thee with a bitter word?
KATHERINE
Her silence flouts me, and I’ll be revenged!
She flies after Bianca.