The Taming of the Shrew

1. Where does the action take place? What do we know about Baptista?
The action take place in Italy, in and around the city of Padua? Baptista Minola is a rich
man who lives in Padua, Italy. Baptista has two daughters, Katherine (Kate) and Bianca.

Baptista is determined that both his daughters make a suitable marriage with a young man, but
he sees that it will be difficult to find a man to marry the fiery Kate. As a result, Baptista decrees
that he will not allow anyone to court Bianca until Kate has a suitor.

2. Compare Bianca and Katherine.

Kate is willful, outspoken, and rebellious, whereas Bianca appears to be a model of obedience
and modesty. This opposition holds true in a surprising way over the course of the play.

Kate's bad temper drives away all potential suitors, while many of the young gentlemen of
Padua want to court her sister Bianca.

As Kate becomes more cooperative and more compliant, Bianca grows bolder, more confident,
and more shrewish.

The author states that Bianca was a beautiful, quiet, respectful,

considerate, and loving but it is declared through the statements of
others. Kate on the other had is rowdy rambunctious, and ill-
mannered, even though her personality was distasteful she was still
beautiful in her own way. Their traits were what caused them to be
loved or hated by many
3. Who is Lucentio? How does he fall for Bianca? Hoe does he realize his plan
to be with Bianca? Does Bianca like him too? Lucentio disguises himself as a
schoolteacher, Cambio, so he can be closer to Bianca, who is still allowed tutors.
To help him, Tranio puts on his master’s clothes and disguises himself as
Lucentio. Dressed as Cambio, Lucentio asks Gremio to introduce him to
Baptista, saying that he will convince Bianca of Gremio’s love for her through his
lessons.
a young man who has traveled to Padua from Florence. He saw her in the yard
surrounded by men who admired her beauty. To win Bianca, Lucentio disguises
himself as a Latin teacher
Lucentio reveals he has fallen utterly in love with Bianca. Because he knows her father
will admit no suitors, he decides to disguise himself as a schoolmaster and secretly
court Bianca. Because Lucentio is expected in Padua and his absence would be noted,
he instructs his servant Tranio to assume his persona. Bianca however falls in love
with another suitor, Lucentio (also in the guise of a tutor 'Cambio').
 4. Why can’t Baptista find a husband for Kate? Why are Gremio and Hortensio
interested in finding a husband for Katherine?
Katherina is the eldest daughter of Baptista Minola. She has a reputation for rude and
aggressive behaviour. Her father wants her to marry, but is struggling to find a husband
for her.

Facts we learn about Katherina at the start of the play

She is unmarried and has no suitors.
She has a reputation as 'Kate the Curst'.
They wanten to marry with Bianca, cecause their father said that his first daughter should marry
first.

5. How does Petruchio appear in Padua? Describe him and his first encounter
with Kath.
Petruchio and his servant, Grumio, enter. Petruchio has come from Verona to Padua
to seek his fortune. He arrives at his old friend Hortensio's house and fills Hortensio
in on his financial situation.
The initial encounter with Petruchio reveals a young man of some means who is
traveling through Padua with his servant, as if on a quest. Indeed, he does seek an
elusive prize — fortune. His witty banter reveals a quick mind and an even quicker
tongue (although his servant Grumio does a fine job of keeping up with his master),
both traits he'll need if he is to go against Baptista's shrewish daughter. Petruchio is
not a tolerant man, though he is by no means an ogre. His quibble with Grumio
rapidly escalates to physical confrontation, demonstrating he is not a man afraid to
use force to get his point across. Petruchio is used to holding a dominant position,
and his treatment of Gremio serves as a warning of that which he is capable.
6. Describe the wedding of Katherine and Petruchio. How do they get to his castle
(manor)? Katherine complains that she is being married off against her will, that
Petruchio is mad, and that he probably doesn't even intend to really marry
her. Biondello enters and announces that Petruchio is coming, but he is dressed in
bizarre and old clothes (including two mismatched boots) and is riding an old, feeble
horse. His servant Grumio, accompanying him, is equally ridiculously dressed.
Petruchio and Grumio finally arrive. Petruchio acts as if nothing is strange about his
attire, and asks where Katherine is. Baptista is offended by Petruchio's lateness and
ridiculous clothing. He and Tranio tell Petruchio to change his clothes before seeing
Katherine. Petruchio refuses and goes to find Katherine. Baptista pursues him.
Petruchio acted rudely at the wedding and swore loudly in front of the priest who was
marrying the couple. He drank raucously, made a mess, and kissed Katherine "with
such a clamorous smack / That at the parting all the church did echo,
7. Describe the way Petruchio tames Katherine. Does she change? If yes, then
how?Kate is beginning to lose patience with her husband's seemingly erratic behavior.
After his friend Hortensio arrives, Petruchio finally provides Kate with some food but
threatens to remove it if she doesn't thank him properly for providing it. Later he
proclaims they will return to Padua dressed in the finest array but then rejects the goods
of the haberdasher and tailor who were to dress them for their journey.. When she
corrects him (rightly), he calls the trip off until such a time as she obeys what he says.
Once they finally get underway, Petruchio still holds fast to his power. He claims the sun
is the moon and refuses to let the travelling party continue until Kate agrees with him.
She begins to see how Petruchio's system works: If she agrees with him, she gets
something she wants. She is tested when Petruchio calls an old man (the real
Vincentio) a young woman. Kate agrees, much to Hortensio and Vincentio's
befuddlement, and her real transformation begins.
8. Why do Petruchio and Katherine set out to Baptista’s house? What happens on
their way?
9. Describe male bet on the wedding. What is the reaction of the women?

As the feast is winding down, the women adjourn, and the men begin to wager on who
has the most obedient wife. They wager 100 crowns, each man sure his wife will come
when he calls. Lucentio calls for Bianca but she refuses to come. Hortensio calls for the
Widow, but she refuses as well. Petruchio calls for Kate, and much to everyone's deep
surprise and amazement, she comes directly. She then astounds everyone by not only
following Petruchio's instructions to the letter but also offering a long and important
speech on a woman's duty to her husband. The play ends with the banquet guests
stunned at what they have just witnessed while the newly tamed Kate and Petruchio
leave the party together.

10. What animals is Kath compared to in the movie? Explain the title of the play in
connection with the context.
11. Why do you think the playwright chooses the name “Bianca” for the younger
sister? Is it symbolic? Does Shakespeare use irony here? Can we say that she is
different at the beginning of the play and at the end? Which Bianca is real – the
one shown at the beginning of the movie or the one on the wedding, at the end of
the movie?

Bianca Minola is the younger daughter of Baptista Minola and sister

to Katherina (Kate) Minola. Unlike Kate, Bianca is very obedient and sweet-
tempered, causing her to have a good number of suitors. Her father
however declares that none may marry Bianca until Kate is wed. Desperate
to win Bianca's hand in marriage, one of her suitors Hortensio gets his
friend Petruchio, who is willing enough, to marry Kate so that Bianca would
be allowed to marry. Hortensio then attempts to woo her in the disguise of
a tutor named Litio. Bianca however falls in love with another suitor,
Lucentio (also in the guise of a tutor 'Cambio'). The pair are married and at
the wedding feast, Petruchio suggests a contest between himself, Lucentio,
and Hortensio: They each send for their wives, and whoever's wife
responds the most obediently wins. Despite Lucentio's faith in her
obedience, Bianca does not come when summoned, saying that she is too
busy. When she is forcefully brought to Lucentio by Kate, Bianca insists
that her husband was a fool to set store by her obedience.
Throughout the play, there is evidence of sibling rivalry between Bianca
and Kate as Kate accuses Bianca of being their father's "treasure" and the
one that he wishes to have married first. In one scene, Kate ties Bianca's
hands and whips her, in an attempt to discover which of her suitors Bianca
likes the best. Bianca however insists that she has yet to meet a suitor that
she truly loves.