Marjorie.

In the book "Shakespeare After All," Marjorie goes on to tell how the introduction of The Taming of the Shrew (which is Sly's experience waking up being tricked into thinking he is a Lord, by an actual Lord) frames the entire story. The beginning is all impersonation, with the page boy pretending to be Sly's wife, the Lord pretending to be a servant, and Sly being a Lord. This then becomes comparable to how Lucentio pretends to be a school master, and his servant pretend to want Bianca's hand in marraige.

With this in mind, Marjorie considers that Kate is a false version of what a woman should be, and in turn that raises the question, what is real? Could it be that Bianca is the version of what a real women is, with her timid and obedient nature?

Marjorie makes the point that Shakespeare has repeated in not only Henry IV, but also Henry I, the habit of disguising things. Such as Lucention whispering his real message to Biance under cover of construing of a passage from Latin. Then she goes on to describe how The Taming of the Shrew has a "taming" plot....duh. This is show by Pertrucios "love test," at the end of the story. Katherine makes her speech, and has learned how to become obedient.



An unapplicable quote...but witty nonetheless.
Katherine: "Asses are made to bear, and so are you."
Petrucio: "Women are made to bear, and so are you."

Works Cited

Garber, Marjorie. Shakespeare After All. New York: Anchor Books, 2004. Print.

The Taming of the Shrew

This story is told in an interesting format, beginning with a poor man named Christopher Sly. Sly passes out in a tavern and a Lord finds it a brilliant idea to trick Sly into believing he is a Lord, equipped with a wife, servants, nice clothes, etc. Once they have managed to half-convince him of his Lordship, they begin to put a play on for him, the play of "The Taming of the Shrew."
The play begins with Baptista talking about how his younger daughter, Bianca, will not be able to recieve a husband, until his older daughter, Katherine, finds one for herself. Many find this an impossible because Katherine is what people in Shakespeare's time, would refer to as a shrew. A bitter girl, with a sharp tongue that is quick to cut anyone who she feels fit to.
Bianca has many suitors willing to marry her, not only for part of her large dowry, but also for her sweet nature. But only one is clever as Lucentio, who disguises himself as a school master in attempts to win Biancas heart over, after falling in love with her after setting his eyes on her. Tranio is Lucentio's assistant who helps Lucentio by pretending to be Lucentio to beg for Bianca's hand in marraige.
Then Pertruio comes along adamant in taking Katherine's hand in marraige.
Through sharp wit and banter, he manages to "train," Katherine to behave better than all the other wives.
Bianca marry's Lucentio, elopes with her. and Hortensio, another man after biance, marry's a widow he spoke of during the play. In the end Lucentio has a banquet to celebrate, and Pertrucio demonstrates how Katherine has learned discipline (or how her spirit has been broken), whilst the other wives behave less than optimally.