The Taming of the Shrew Literary Elements

drama; comedy

English

England (induction); Padua (play)

N/A

playful, lighthearted, introspective

Kate and Petruchio can both be seen as either protagonists or antagonists in the play.

The major conflict of the play is that Petruchio desires to marry Kate for her wealth, but first must remedy Kate's rebellious and indignant behavior.

The climax occurs when Kate and Petruchio are traveling to Bianca's wedding. Petruchio insists that the sun is the moon and, after an initial protestation, Kate submits to Petruchio's words. From this point on, Kate is entirely obedient and agreeable in her marriage.

The play is framed by the transformation of a drunkard named Sly into a nobleman. This frame foreshadows Kate's own dramatic transformation from a shrewish woman to an obedient wife.

In the latter half of the play, many of Kate's words can be interpreted as understatement for audiences who do not believe Kate has been truly transformed. Her words merely become a pretense of obedience rather than a genuine reflection of who she is.

The play makes frequent reference to Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and history. This was common practice on the early modern stage, as Shakespeare and his contemporaries framed their own time period as a Renaissance – or revival of the arts and culture from antiquity.

Important imagery in the play includes animals, nature, clothing, and control.

Kate's transformation represents a paradox, as she changes from a headstrong and indignant woman to an obedient and submissive wife over the course of the play. Because of the unlikelihood of such a transformation, many believe that Kate is merely performing obedience in order to appease Petruchio. However, this interpretation raises the question of whether genuine submissiveness and performed obedience are really any different to begin with.

The transformation of Sly into a nobleman parallels Kate's transformation from a "wild" thing to an obedient wife.

The play makes frequent use of inverse personification, known as zoomorphism. Zoomorphism is a literary device in which humans are compared to animals. In the play, Kate is compared to a shrew, a wasp, a falcon, and a number of other "wild" animals that must be domesticated.

The most unique dramatic device employed by The Taming of the Shrew is the framing device. The play begins with the transformation of Sly into a nobleman, who then watches the play within the comfort of the Lord's house. This beginning of the play (known as the induction) is rife with meta-theatrical commentary about the nature of performance, the appearance of reality, and the relationship between actors on stage and the audience members who watch them.