Taming of the Shrew

Characters
1. Petruchio
  1. Only interested in money
  2. Manages to "tame" Katherine
  3. Boor
2. Christopher Sly
  1. Drunkard in induction
3. Minola Family
  1. Katherine Minola
    1. Initially "shrewish"
    2. Eventually gives in to Petruchio's authority
    3. Must be married before Bianca
  2. Bianca Minola
    1. Traditionally desirable wife
    2. Submissive, modest, beautiful
  3. Baptista Minola
    1. Father to Bianca and Katherine
    2. Very wealthy
    3. Absent-minded and superficial
4. Bianca's suitors
  1. Lucentio
    1. Disguises himself as a tutor named Cambio
    2. Wins Bianca's hand but is foiled by his father
  2. Gremio
  3. Hortentio
    1. Disguises himself as a music instructor
    2. Directs Petruchio to Katherine
5. Servants
  1. Tranio
    1. Lucentio's servant
    2. Pretends to be Lucentio to win Bianca's hand
  2. Grumio
    1. Petruchio's servant
    2. Fool of the play
  3. Biondello
    1. Lucentio's servant
6. Vincentio
  1. Lucentio's dad
Motifs
1. Disguise
2. Marriage
3. Feminism
4. Domestication
5. Father/Child Relationships
Themes
1. Marriage as an economic institution
2. The effect of social roles on economic happiness
Symbols
1. Petruchio's wedding costume
  1. Done to humiliate Katherine
  2. Shabby
2. Katherine's cap and gown
  1. Deny her what she wants
  2. Her voice is ignored for the first time
Plot
1. Act I
  1. Scene 1
    1. 1. Lucentio arrives in Padua
    2. 2. Baptista announces Katherine must be married first
    3. 3. Lucentio decides to disguise himself
  2. Scene 2
    1. 1. Petruchio arrives in Padua
    2. 2. Hortensio convinces Petruchio to woo Katherine
    3. 3. Tranio disguises himself as Lucentio
2. Act II
  1. Scene 1
    1. 1. Katherine beats up Bianca
    2. 2. The men all meet Baptista
    3. 3. Katherine beats up Hortensio
    4. 4. Petruchio engages Katherine in a verbal duel
    5. 5. Petruchio announces they're getting married Sunday
3. Act III
  1. Scene 1
    1. 1.1. Hortensio and Lucentio fight for Bianca's attention
    2. 1.2. Bianca prefers Lucentio
  2. Scene 2
    1. 2.1. Petruchio shows up to the wedding late in tattered clothes
  3. Scene 3
    1. 3.1. Petruchio kidnaps Kate right after they are married
4. Act IV
  1. Scene 1
    1. 1.1. Grumio, Petruchio, and Kate go to Petruchio's house
    2. 1.2. Petruchio becomes angry and rejects the meal
    3. 1.3. Petruchio doesn't let Kate eat or sleep
  2. Scene 2
    1. 2.1. Tranio convinces Hortensio to stop pursuing Bianca
    2. 2.2. Hortensio marries a widow and seeks Petruchio's help "taming" her
    3. 2.3. Tranio hires a schoolmaster to pretend to be "Lucentio's" father in exchange for protection
  3. Scene 3
    1. 3.1. Petruchio doesn't let Kate have the clothes she wants
    2. 3.2. Petruchio argues with the tailor but it's a trick
  4. Scene 5
    1. 5.1. Lucentio makes plans to elope with Bianca
  5. Scene 4
    1. 4.1. Lucentio and Tranio successfully trick Baptista into thinking the schoomaster is Lucentio's father
  6. Scene 6
    1. 6.1. Petruchio beats Kate in an argument about the time of day
    2. 6.2. Petruchio makes Kate hug Vincentio, arguing that he is a young maid
5. Act V
  1. Scene 1
    1. 1.1. Vincentio finds the disguised Tranio and the schoolmaster
    2. 1.2. Lucentio and Bianca are married, Lucentio explains everything to Vincentio
    3. 1.3. Petruchio forces Kate to kiss him
  2. Scene 2
    1. 2.1. Lucentio throws a banquet to celebrate the weddings
    2. 2.2. Kate argues with the widow and they almost fight
    3. 2.3. The men play a game to see who has the most obedient wife
    4. 2.4. Kate proves to be the most obedient, shocking everyone

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Taming of the Shrew

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	Created by piperruhmkorff about 9 years ago