The Taming Of the ShreW

The Taming Of the Shrew

The Taming Of the Shrew

Introduction

Although it is not likely to work out the designated days of composition of William Shakespeare's performances with unconditional certainty, it is usually agreed that the early comical performance The Taming of the Shrew was probably in writing after The Two Gentlemen of Verona (c. 1594-1595) and before A Midsummer Night's Dream (c. 1595-1596). Even at this early designated day, Shakespeare displays himself to be a expert of plot construction. Disregarding the academic unity of action, which forbade subplots, for a more enlightened notion of unity, Shakespeare creates two distinct lines of activity, each drawn from from a distinct source, and integrates them into a unified spectacular entire (Holderness. 1989).

A single source for the main plot of Petruchio's taming of Katharina has not been found. Misogynistic tales abounded in Shakespeare's time, tales of men exercising their “rightful” dominance over women. One in particular, a ballad entitled A Merry Jest of a Shrewd and Curst Wife, Lapped in Morel's Skin (printed c. 1550) tells the story of a shrewish wife who is beaten bloody by her husband and then wrapped in the salted skin of a plow horse named Morel. Like Kate, this wife has a younger sister who is the favorite of their father. If Shakespeare used this ballad as a source for the main plot of this play, it is obvious that he toned it down greatly, substituting psychological tactics for physical brutality. Nevertheless, some stage versions of The Taming of the Shrew have emphasised Petruchio's physical mistreatment of Katharina.

Discussion

The eighteenth century English actor David Garrick as Petruchio threatened Katharina with a whip. Some critics even today see in this play an unacceptable male chauvinism. One must remember that Shakespeare lived and wrote in a patriarchal world in which the father ruled the family and the husband ruled the wife. Much in this play reflects the patriarchal nature of Elizabethan society, but Katharina's strength of character may mitigate charges of male chauvinism against Shakespeare (Bloom, 1988).

Shakespeare also dispensed with the character of the bawdy Nurse of his source and modified the harsh satire that Gascoigne directed at Dr. Cleander, the pantaloon, who represents the degeneracy of “respectable” society. For this character Shakespeare substitutes Gremio, a wealthy old citizen of Padua who would marry Bianca but is thwarted by the young Lucentio. These changes are typical of Shakespeare, ...