The Taming of the Shrew - Study Questions
The Taming of the Shrew - Study Questions
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INDUCTION
1. What trick is played upon Christopher Sly? Why?
2. Why is The Taming of the Shrew considered a play within a play?
ACT I, Scene 1
3. Why has Lucentio come to Padua?
4. What has Baptista decided concerning the marriage of his two daughters?
5. What is Katherine's reputation? Bianca's?
6. What is Hortensio's plan to more quickly be able to win and marry Bianca?
7. What is Tranio's plan for Lucentio? What metamorphosis does this involve?
ACT I, Scene 2
8. What is Petruchio's motive in coming to Padua?
9. What does Petruchio's monologue (l.195-206) reveal about him?
10. What is the suitors' (Gremio and Hortensio) reaction to Lucentio joining them as rivals to Bianca?
11. At the end of Act I, why are Bianca's suitors friendly with one another and indebted to Petruchio?
Act II
1. What information does Katherine hope to gain by tying Bianca's hands and questioning her?
2. What type of language does Petruchio use to describe Katherine during his discussion with Baptista? (Lines 45-65) What does this tell us about his character?
3. What names do Hortensio and Lucentio assume? What roles will they play?
4. What character does Tranio assume? How does Baptista react to him?
5. What does Baptista tell Petruchio that he must do before he can marry Katherine? What is Petruchio most concerned with? (Lines 114-139)
6. How is Hortensio injured?
7. What is Petruchio’s plan to “woo” and “win” Katherine? (Lines 170-181)
8. How do Petruchio and Kate get along when they first meet?
8. What does Petruchio claim about his and Katherine's interaction? How does Baptista react?
9. At the end of Act II what are Tranio, Gremio, and Baptista discussing? What decision is made? What must Tranio do in light of this decision?
Act III/Scene 1
1. What is Bianca's response to Lucentio's (Cambio's) and Hortensio's (Litio's) argument over who will tutor Bianca first? (Lines 16-22) What does this reveal about her character?
2. What is Lucentio's translation of his lesson? (Lines 31-36) What is Bianca's translation of the same passage? (Lines 40-43)
3. What message to Bianca does Hortensio (Litio) encode in the gamut (scales)? What is her response? (Lines 71-78)
4. Contrast Hortensio's statement in Line 76 with his statement in lines 89-90. What does this reveal about his character?
Act III /Scene 2
5. Why does Kate weep (line 18)? What aspect of her character does this reveal?
6. How is Petruchio dressed for his wedding (lines 43-64)? Give at least 4 specific details. What is the reaction of Baptista?
7. How does Petruchio respond when asked to change his clothes? (Lines 110-115) Why is he dressed so poorly?
8. What do you learn of Lucentio's plan to marry Bianca in lines 132-136?
9. How does Petruchio behave during the wedding ceremony? (Lines 152-177) Why does he behave this way?
10. How does Petruchio leave the wedding feast? What does Katherine do?
ACT IV/Scene 1
1. What has happened to Kate on her way to Petruchio’s house? How did Petruchio respond? (Lines 56-66)
2. How does Petruchio treat the servants? What is Kate's reaction?
3. Which of Petruchio's insults to the servants is your
favorite?
4. According to his soliloquy (lines 165-188), what is Petruchio’s plan?
Act IV/Scene 2
5. Summarize Tranio and Hortensio's conversation concerning Bianca. What do they both decide? What is ironic about this?
6. What are Hortensio's plans for marriage? (Lines 37-39)
7. What role does the Pedant play in Tranio’s plot? How does Tranio get him to play along?
Act IV/Scene 3
8. How is Kate doing at the beginning of this scene (quote specific lines)?
9. What must Kate do before Petruchio will feed her? (Lines 38-47)
10. What is Petruchio’s plan with regard to Kate’s new hat and dress?
Act IV/Scene 4
11. How did Tranio distract Baptista for the evening?
12. What does Biondello tell Lucentio (Cambio) to do while Baptista feasts with Tranio?
Act IV/Scene 5
13. Why does Hortensio say "the field is won" in line 23? Who has won and how?
ACT V/Scene 1
1.Who arrives unexpectedly at the beginning of this scene?
2. What does Vincentio think has happened to his son?
3. Why does the appearance of Tranio cause him to believe this?
4. Why do Lucentio and Bianca ask pardon of their fathers in lines 95-110?
5. How do the fathers react to the news of Bianca and Lucentio's wedding?
6. What do Petruchio and Kate do at the end of the scene? What does this show about their relationship? What has caused this change?
Act V/Scene 2
7. What offensive remark does the widow make to Kate and what does it imply? What does Petruchio tell Kate to do?
8. Describe the bet? What does the majority expect will be the outcome? What is the outcome?
9. What is the message of Kate's final monologue? Do you think she is sincere? Has she been tamed or is she only acting?
10. How has Bianca changed since the beginning of the play? What evidence shows this?
11. Which couple has the best chance at happiness? What evidence do you have of this?
ESSAY: Explain which character (Katherine or Petruchio) has tamed the other. Use at least two examples from the play and include the author/title in your response. You will have one class period to type your answer, and you must do all of your typing in class. The final essay should be in 12 point Times New Roman font and can be no longer than ONE double spaced page (front only).