I will describe how I would direct part of act 5 scene 2 to a modern audience. This is where most of the main characters are together and Petruchio shows all the other men that he has tamed Kate. All the men have had a bet on whose wife is most obedient.
The men will be playing cards and the women will be talking in a nearby room. The servants, Biondello and Gremio will also be playing cards with the men because they are good friends of their masters.
The men will be dressed in casual suits with loosened ties to create the effect of the upper class relaxing. Kate will be wearing a long, flowing dress to show that she is like an ordinary upper class lady rather than the more radical clothes she would have worn before she was tamed. Bianca and the widow would also be wearing the same style of dress.
I want the audience to think that although Kate has been disciplined and obeys Petruchio, she is still her own person. All the other men will think she is her old self and will never be to be like her sister, Bianca.
After being called for by her husband, Petruchio, Kate will enter the mens’ room, dragging Bianca by the hair. This will show the audience that even though Kate has changed to be more like her sister was, she still doesn’t get on well with Bianca. Bianca is seen gradually becoming like how Kate used to be. The two are almost swapping personalities. Lucentio is very disappointed with his wife, Bianca and she would react to him by saying this line slightly crying:
“The more fool you for laying on my duty”
the audience would be quite astonished by this reply because she is usually very quiet and obedient. This would be a significant part to show how Bianca is also changing.
I will now go through the play line by line and describe how I would direct it.
“Katherine, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women/What duty they do owe their lords and husbands.”
Petruchio wants Kate to tell the people how a lady should act towards her husband or lord. The crowd will now think that although Kate has changed, she will not do it. But she does with pride. Kate starts her speech by insulting the widow and saying that she should respect her master.
“Fie, fie, unknit that threatening unkind brow…Thy governor.”
I would get the actress to say this in a sarcastic but malicious way because although she respects Petruchio, she has her own free will and also wants to intimidate the widow. As she says this, I would get her to walk up o the widow and the widow would cower away into a corner. This will show the audience that Kate is still domineering.
“Thy husband is thy lord…sea and land.”
Whilst Kate is saying this part, she will go up to Petruchio and kneel in front of him to show the audience how much respect she has for her husband.
“Too little payment for so great a debt…owes the prince.”
She is saying that women have a good life and hardly have to repay their husbands for all the things he does for her. As she says this she will scan across the room, glaring at the other wives as if to say that they don’t repay their husbands enough and should be thankful he hasn’t left them.
“I am ashamed that women are so simple…love and obey.”
She says that the wives are always protesting against their husbands’ authority and she thinks they should not do this and be thankful. She would say this to the men because she wants them to realise how badly their wives are treating them. The audience would think Kate is becoming more and more like the perfect wife.
“Why are our bodies soft…external parts?”
She is saying that the females have soft and gentle bodies and should have hearts that are also soft and gentle. When she says this, I would get Bianca to stand up and try to hit her sister but Kate stops her and pushes her back down so the audience realise that Kate can still be violent.
“Come, come, you froward…our weakness past compare”
I would want Kate to act this part out like she is remembering how badly she used to treat everyone and this builds her up to a point where she is disgusted and shows this by dragging the two wives up onto their feet. Then she says the last part of this section in a calm manner whilst giving the two wives scornful glances.
“Then vail your stomachs…may it do him ease.”
When Kate is saying this she will act out her words by putting her hands on the floor near Petruchio ready for him to walk on. This is a sign of great obedience from Kate. By now the audience will have realised that Kate has been tamed and is willing to do anything Petruchio wishes.
“In token of which duty…may it do him ease.”
Kate is basically saying that if Petruchio wishes to walk over her, he may do so. Everyone in the room will be speechless, I will get the actors to gasp or have a blank expression on their faces.
“Why, there’s a wench! Come on and kiss me, Kate.”
Petruchio is delighted with Kate’s speech and takes her off to bed. As he hugs Kate, he will look at the other men over his shoulder with a smug grin on his face to make them feel jealous of his relationship and because he has also won the bet.
The characters and audience will now realise that the shrew has been tamed.
The audience may not feel very comfortable with this ending but some will see Petruchio loves Kate and did all these things so that she could live in peace with him. If the audience is upset about Kate’s change then they will be happy with Bianca as she changes, almost to how Kate used to be. This balances the play so the situation at the end is similar to the one at the beginning but with roles reversed.
I have made Kate become like this because Petruchio mistreats her that much that she can’t take it anymore. She also realises that he loves her deep down. So Kate obeys him and loves him in return in order for a happy lifestyle. Eventually this love becomes genuine and she is, in a way, ‘brainwashed.’ This is why she goes on to tell the two wives they shouldn’t be like they are even though she used to be worse. Bianca has become worse than she was because as she was watching her sister being cruelly tamed by Petruchio, I think she got convinced that women should be allowed to behave like that because men do not own them.