The Taming of the Shrew Coursework

Authors Avatar

                                      The Taming of the Shrew Coursework                         

The scene that I will be analysing in this piece of coursework, Act two Scene one, is an important scene in the play as a whole as it is the first time that we see the two main characters together. The characters Petruchio and Katherina have been developed separately until now; the audience has noticed similarities in their personalities such as use of physical strength and good use of words. We know that Petruchio is set to woo Katherine and all the tension that has been building up in anticipation of their meeting is about to be released.

This scene contains a soliloquy from Petruchio in which he tells us about his plan to tame Katherina, this is important as it gives the audience a clue about the whole basis of the play.

This section is also important as there are many references to women’s rights, one of the main themes that run through the whole play.

The scene is set in Baptista’s house; at the very beginning of this scene the audience is thrust into a situation where Katherina has tied up and is tormenting her sister, demanding to know which of her suitors she likes best. This is where we see her at her worst. Her violent behaviour is supposed to show her shrewish nature, the sense of sibling rivalry between the two for their father’s affection is shown also. We have seen from past scenes that their relationship is not very good; this only exaggerates that idea as she has used physical strength and tied her up just to ask her a few questions:                   ‘……I charge thee tell

Whom thou lov’st best.’

The immediate impression the audience gets from this incident is that Katherina likes to be in control; she wants to ask Bianca questions and wants a straight reply. Her tone is demanding while Bianca’s is pleading, as she just wants to be released:

‘I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.’

Bianca is brave under the circumstances to ask if Katherina is envious of her; if this aggravates her sister, she will not be able to escape. This shows that Bianca is trying to stand up to Katherina, but in response to this she is struck by her sister, once again showing Katherina’s inclination to use physical violence whenever possible.

Although we should be feeling sympathetic towards Bianca at this stage, we can’t help but sympathise for Katherina also. There is obviously a reason for this behaviour and although she denies it maybe Katherina is subconsciously envious of Bianca and maybe has a desire to be married herself, even if she doesn’t know it yet.

Bianca’s line:

‘So well I know my duties to my elders’

Seems smug, this is her way of tormenting Katherina suggesting she is irregular for not conforming to the expectations of society. When Baptista, her father enters we see him rush to Bianca’s aid, he does not even ask for Katherina’s reasoning for tying up her sister but reprimands her anyway:

‘Thou hilding of a devilish spirit’

Again we can sympathise for Katherina as her father is calling her a good for nothing devil. This shows us Baptista’s preference towards Bianca which is understandable for those times when women were always expected to obey a law of conduct without exception. An audience in Shakespearian times would identify with Baptista’s preference, but modern audiences might not since women’s rights are now widely recognised.

Katherina shows her jealousy of her father’s love for Bianca in the lines:

‘I must dance barefoot on her wedding day

And, for your love to her, lead apes into hell’

Join now!

Katherina is concerned that she will be publicly humiliated if her sister marries before her, these lines are referring to the idea that unmarried women were said to lead apes into hell because they had no children.

 Baptista’s next line implies that he is feeling sorry for himself:

‘Was ever a gentleman thus grieved as I?’

This shows that he wishes Katherina were normal; her behaviour brings him ridicule.

Bianca’s suitors arrive, accompanied by Petruchio, who immediately asks permission to court his ‘fair and virtuous’ daughter Katherina. Baptista’s replies:

‘I have a daughter, sir, called Katherina’

This implies ...

This is a preview of the whole essay