Questions about “The Taming of the Shrew: A Modern Perspective”

by Karen Newman (p. 229-238)

  1. How does The Taming of the Shrew reflect some of the societal angst about hierarchies during the Renaissance period?
  2. What were some of the typical punishments for shrews?
  3. What are some similarities and differences between Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and A Merry Jest of a Shrewd and Curst Wife?
  4. We see that Petruchio likens his method of taming Katherine to the way one would tame a falcon, and indeed, Newman argues, this was a common way of describing the taming of a wife. However, the humanist writers sought to promote another analogy. What was it? Do we see it in The Taming of the Shrew as well?
  5. What are the two main interpretations of Katherine’s speech at the end of the play? Which one do you agree with? Why?
  6. In what ways does the Lucentio-Bianca subplot depend on previous literary models?
  7. How does the convention of mistaken identity work thematically in the play?
  8. Although Shakespeare never returns to the Sly part of the story, according to a similar play, what happens to Sly in the epilogue?
  9. Why is this play still relevant over 400 years later?
  10. What is one other interesting thing you learned from this essay (that hasn’t already been mentioned)?

Questions about “The Taming of the Shrew: A Modern Perspective”

by Karen Newman (p. 229-238)

  1. How does The Taming of the Shrew reflect some of the societal angst about hierarchies during the Renaissance period?
  2. What were some of the typical punishments for shrews?
  3. What are some similarities and differences between Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and A Merry Jest of a Shrewd and Curst Wife?
  4. We see that Petruchio likens his method of taming Katherine to the way one would tame a falcon, and indeed, Newman argues, this was a common way of describing the taming of a wife. However, the humanist writers sought to promote another analogy. What was it? Do we see it in The Taming of the Shrew as well?
  5. What are the two main interpretations of Katherine’s speech at the end of the play? Which one do you agree with? Why?
  6. In what ways does the Lucentio-Bianca subplot depend on previous literary models?
  7. How does the convention of mistaken identity work thematically in the play?
  8. Although Shakespeare never returns to the Sly part of the story, according to a similar play, what happens to Sly in the epilogue?
  9. Why is this play still relevant over 400 years later?
  10. What is one other interesting thing you learned from this essay (that hasn’t already been mentioned)?