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The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (Paperback / softback, 2013)

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The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous bleman tricks a drunken tinker named Christopher Sly into believing he is actually a bleman himself. The bleman then has the play performed for Sly's diversion. The main plot depicts the courtship of Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, and Katherina, the headstrong, obdurate shrew. Initially, Katherina is an unwilling participant in the relationship, but Petruchio tempers her with various psychological torments-the taming -until she becomes a compliant and obedient bride. The subplot features a competition between the suitors of Katherina's more desirable sister, Bianca. The play's apparent misogynistic elements have become the subject of considerable controversy, particularly among modern audiences and readers. It has been adapted numerous times for stage, screen, opera, and musical theatre; perhaps the most famous adaptations being Cole Porter's musical Kiss Me, Kate and the 1967 film version of the original play, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The film 10 Things I Hate About You is also loosely based on the play. Prior to the first act, an induction frames the play as a kind of history played in front of a befuddled drunkard named Christopher Sly who is tricked into believing that he is a lord. In the play performed for Sly, the Shrew is Katherina Mila, the eldest daughter of Baptista Mila, a lord in Padua. Katherina's temper is torious and it is thought man would ever wish to marry her. On the other hand, two men - Hortensio and Gremio - are eager to marry her younger sister Bianca. However, Baptista has sworn t to allow his younger daughter to marry before Katherina is wed, much to the despair of her suitors, who agree that they will work together to marry off Katherina so that they will be free to compete for Bianca. The plot becomes more complex when Lucentio, who has recently come to Padua to attend university, sees Bianca and instantly falls in love with her. Lucentio overhears Baptista anunce that he is on the lookout for tutors for his daughters, so he has his servant Tranio pretend to be him while he disguises himself as a Latin tutor named Cambio, so that he can woo Bianca behind Baptista's back. C.R. Leslie illustration of Act 4, Scene 3 from the Illustrated London News, 3 Nov. 1886; engraved by William Luson Thomas In the meantime, Petruchio arrives in Padua, accompanied by his servant, Grumio. Petruchio tells his old friend Hortensio that he has set out to enjoy life after the death of his father and that his main goal is to wed. Hearing this, Hortensio seizes the opportunity to recruit Petruchio as a suitor for Katherina. He also has Petruchio present to Baptista a music tutor named Litio (Hortensio himself in disguise). Thus, Lucentio and Hortensio, pretending to be the teachers Cambio and Litio, attempt to woo Bianca unbekwnst to her father, and to one ather. The Taming of the Shrew has been the subject of much analytical and critical controversy, often relating to a feminist reading of the play in general, and Katherina's final speech in particular, as offensively misogynistic and patriarchal. Others have defended the play by highlighting the (frequently unstaged) Induction as evidence that the play's sentiments are t meant to be taken at face value, that the entire play is, in fact, a farce. This issue however, represents only one of the many critical disagreements brought up by the play. Language is t simply a carrier of meaning in the play, but is itself a major theme. Katherina is described as a shrew because of her sharp tongue and harsh language to those around her, often causing offence.

Product Identifiers

Publisher
CreateSpace
ISBN-10
1489511652
ISBN-13
9781489511652
eBay Product ID (ePID)
214323770

Product Key Features

Format
Paperback / Softback, Trade Paperback (US) ,Unsewn / Adhesive Bound
Language
English
Topic
Anthologies
Author
William Shakespeare

Additional Product Features

Date of Publication
20/05/2013
Content Note
Black & White Illustrations
Country of Publication
United States

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The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (Paperback / softback, 2013)

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