The Taming Of The Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare. It was one of his earlier plays, likely penned between 1590 and 1594. It has been adapted numerous times for stage, screen, and opera for performances around the world.
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The story of The Taming Of The Shrew is told in five acts:
Act I:
Lucentio has come to Padua, Italy to pursue his education; his servant Tranio urges
him to indulge the other pleasures of youth as well. The wealthy merchant Baptista
Minola enters, with his daughters, the shrewish Katherine (called "Kate") and the
sweet-tempered Bianca. Baptista tells two suitors of Bianca, Gremio and Hortensio,
that none may marry Bianca until after Kate has a husband. The rivals agree it will be
hard to find someone for Kate, for even though her dowry will be large, her temper is
volatile. Meanwhile, Lucentio vows to woo Bianca himself. Fortunately, Hortensio's
friend Petruchio arrives from out of town, looking for a rich wife. He says he cares
nothing for her temper nor her appearance, as long as he can "wive it wealthily".
Hoping that Petruchio will solve the problem of Kate, and hearing that Baptista wants
his daughters to have tutors, Bianca's three suitors contrive plans to woo her in
person.
Act II:
Kate and Bianca are at home fighting. Kate has tied up Bianca and beats her, when
the pack of suitors arrive. Hortensio has disguised himself as a music teacher, so
that he can spend time with Bianca and woo her secretly. Gremio has another plan:
he has hired a Latin tutor for Bianca, leaving himself free to negotiate dowry terms
with Baptista. He does not know that this tutor is actually his rival Lucentio.
Meanwhile, Tranio has disguised himself as Lucentio so he can negotiate dowry
terms with Baptista. Petruchio comes as himself. Baptista sends the tutors to instruct
the girls, while he discusses financial arrangements with Petruchio. Hortensio soon
emerges with his lute broken over his head, courtesy of Kate. Petruchio expresses
admiration at her spirit. Kate herself comes to dissuade him, but for once has met her
equal with words (Kate insults Petruchio, who turns each of her insults into sexual
innuendo). Baptista approves the match. Next, Baptista considers whether Lucentio
(who is actually Tranio) or Gremio shall marry Bianca. Each claims to love her, so
the deciding factor is the wealth they bring. No matter how much Gremio promises,
Tranio can outbid him by claiming that he will inherit much more from "his" father
Vincentio. Baptista agrees that Bianca will marry Lucentio, provided Vincentio
confirms the inheritance within a week. Tranio ponders who he can get to play
Vincentio.
Act III:
The disguised tutors continue their wooing, until Bianca is called away to help
Katherine dress for her wedding. The wedding of Katherine and Petruchio is a very
strange affair; Petruchio dresses oddly, breaks nearly every custom, and departs
with Katherine even before the wedding-feast. Bianca observes that her sister
"being mad, is madly mated". Following this Baptista Minola instructs Bianca and
her soon to be husband Lucentio to take the places of Katherine and Petruchio at the
head table.
Act IV:
Hortensio, believing Tranio (as Lucentio) who says Bianca has shown him some
affection, brings him to Baptista's house. In hiding they see Bianca flirting with
Lucentio (as Cambio). For her apparent inconstancy he has Tranio swear with him
that they give up courting her and leaves to find a widow to marry "ere three days
pass". En route to, and at his country estate, Petruchio begins his "taming" of his new
wife. He keeps her from sleeping, invents reasons why she should not eat, and buys
her beautiful clothes only to rip them up. When Kate, profoundly shaken by her
experiences, is told that they are to return to Padua for Bianca's wedding, she is only
too happy to comply. By the time they arrive, Kate's taming is complete and she no
longer resists Petruchio. She complies in Petruchio's game, demonstrating her
subordination to his will by agreeing that she will regard the moon as the sun, or the
sun as the moon, if he demands it. She has understood her husband's method at
last. Meanwhile, Tranio persuades a travelling pedant to pretend to be Vincentio.
Baptista is pleased to meet Lucentio's father and agrees to the wedding. Petruchio
and Kate return to Padua to attend Bianca's wedding.
Act V:
There is great confusion as all disguises collapse. However, everyone ends up
married; Lucentio to Bianca and Hortensio to a rich widow. During the banquet,
Petruchio brags that his wife, formerly untamable, is now completely obedient.
Baptista, Hortensio, and Lucentio are incredulous and the latter two believe that their
wives are more obedient. Petruchio proposes a wager in which each will send a
servant to call for their wives, and whichever wife comes most obediently will have
won the wager for her husband. Baptista, not believing that his shrewish Katharina
has been tamed, offers an enormous second dowry in addition to the wager. Neither
Bianca nor the widow responds to the call. Kate does, winning Petruchio a second
dowry. Kate ends the play with a monologue explaining that wives should always
obey their husbands and lords.