Mr_Shank

Induction Scene 1:

The lord of a house finds Sly, a beggar asleep in front of a lords house, at which point the lord decides to play a trick on him.  He tries to convince him that he is actually a lord by dressing him up and everything.  Their reasoning for forgetting about his life is because he got sick and then lost his memory.  That night they decide to see a play.

Induction Scene 2:

Sly wakes up to find himself in the lords house being welcomed back from a long illness.  After some tales being told to him, he believes that he is infact a lord.  This part of the show opens the actual “Taming of the Shrew”.

Act 1 Scene 2:

The play opens to a scene in Padua where a man named Lucentio is entering.  We are also introduced to Signor Baptista (played by Seth in Kiss Me Kate haha) and his two daughters, Kate (My wifey, Katrina =]  ) and Bianca.  Bianca has two suitors wanting her hand in marriage, but the father, Baptista will not allow her to marry until after Katherine is married.  This is a problem because Kate is not the most friendly person, to say the least.  It is not believed that anyone will ever fall in love with her.  During Baptista’s problems Lucentio falls madly in love with Biance and he convinces to switch lives (for the time being) so he can be a tutor, and therefore be closer to her.

Act 1 Scene 2:

In this scene we meet Petruchio, a friend of Hortensio.  He tells him of his financial problems and says that no woman is bad enough, if she has money.  Because of this he agrees to (attempt) to woo Kate.  Hortensio too now is disguised as a music teacher for the Minolas.  So now we have three suitors for Bianca, Gremio, Hortensio, and Lucentio, and one man attempting to court Katherine,  Petruchio.  Keep in mind that this is the play that Sly is watching.

Words to Know:

headborough- constable or cop

Sirrah-  a term to address someone of lower status than you

usurp- take on

homage- respect

haply- perhaps

doublets- jackets

goodman-  a way a lower class woman would address her husband

tarry- wait

comonty- comedy

noddle- head

stale- prostitute (in the context used on page 34 if you have my book)

alarums- fights

quoth- said

trow- think deeply

pate- head

board her- to woo

sober- dark

woodcock- a species of bird that is thought to be foolish

bags- money bags

ere- before

hap- fortune

1.  From what we have learned about the three suitors and Bianca, who do you believe that Bianca will choose? why?

2.  Do you think that Petruchio will follow through with his plans to marry Kate?  Why or why not?

3.  If you were Petruchio do you think marrying Kate for her money would be worth her aweful personality?

~Erin C. =]

Wow, I really underestimated this play.  I thought that it would be boring.  Though, this play seems to be rather good.  Already in the first two acts we find love interests and hate that could be a way of flirting.

“Alas!  He gets nothing by that.  In our last conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one: so that if he have wit enough to keep himself and his horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature.  Who is his companion now?  He hath every month a new sworn bother.” (Act I, Scene i)  This is said by Beatrice about Benedick.  They are at Leonato’s house.  She is explaining her feelings to Leonato, Hero and a messenger.  We learn in this quote that Beatrice has been having problems with Benedick for a long time.  This quote also gives a vague idea on how Beatrice acts.  She is very angry and seems to speak her mind no matter what.  She also seems very independent.  She is the opposite of her cousin Hero.  What do you guys think of Beatrice?  Do you like her or not.  Also, the timing of this quote reveals another side of Beatrice.  She is the one who brings up Benedick and their recent fights.  Her bringing Benedick up shows that she wants to talk about him.  This gives the possibility that she likes him.  Shecould just be trying to hide this love with such obvious hate.  Do you guys believe that Beatrice could like Benedick?  Why or why not.  I believe that she does and we will see this later in the play.

So what do you guys think of the first two acts?  Did you guys enjoy it as much as I did?  Probably not because reading this play was the only thing I had to do in ISS.  Anything would have probably entertained me.

-Julian Garcia

The play starts off with Orlando feelind depressed about the state his life is in. His father just died and his eldest brother is being unfair with the power he was given. He later gets into a fight with his brother Oliver and his servant Adam tries to break it up. We later learn of the situation going on at the courthouse and all the affiars that are happening. After we learn about the banished duke, Duke Senior, they talk about how Celia and Rosalind went into the forest. The scene ends with them deciding to buy property that they learn is for sale by over hearing 2 shepards talk about it.

Words:

countenance- the look or expression on someone’s face

dunghills-a heap of dung

prodigal-wasetfully

penury-extreme poverty

betwixt- neither one nor the other

Adam Lough

1st post!!!

Ok guys, so I think we can all say the first two acts are a bit confusing….so to clear things up:

Lucentio, a student from Pisa, and his servant Tranio are on the road to Padua where Lucentio is to study when they come across an argument between Baptista, a wealthy local man and his daughter Bianca’s two suitors, Gremio and Hortensio. Gremio and Hortensio, despite their efforts, are turned down by Baptista due to the fact that he wants Bianca’s older sister Katherine to marry before her. Lucentio falls in love with Bianca upon first seeing her and, in order to woo her, switches places with Tranio and becomes a tutor to Bianca and Katherine. Hortensio not to be left out of Lucentio’s plan also masquerades as a teacher for the girls. During all of this, it is revealed that Katherine is a short-tempered, violence-prone woman who constantly bullies her well-meaning and soft-spoken sister.

Meanwhile, Hortensio and Gremio, rivals to the same cause, agree to help each other in hopes of finding a husband for Katherine so that Bianca is free to be courted. At the same time Petruchio, an arrogant, wealthy man from Verona and a friend of Hortensio, is visiting Padua in order to find a wife with a wealthy dowry. Hortensio, seeing his chance, immediately tells him about Kate and expresses all her qualities, good and bad. Fortunately Petruchio doesn’t care whether his bride is a shrew, as Kate is described, as long as she’s wealthy and decides to propose to her. The next day after a heated battle of words, where Katherine continually mocks Petruchio and he in return avaids them, the date is set for their marraige.

There is also a subplot to this story. As a form of amusement, Christopher Sly, an old drunkard who has fallen asleep at a pub, is taken by a local lord and his men to the lord’s estate where he is treated as a king. Upon waking in a lavish bed where servants wait on him hand and foot, he is entertained by a troupe of actors who put on a play for him, the main story, The Taming of the Shrew.

After reading these first two acts, answer these questions:

1. The whole ‘love at first sight’ thing is reminisent of Romeo and Juliet. Do you think Lutentio and Bianca’s ending will be the same as the star-crossed lovers’ fate or will they have a happier ending?

2. After reading about Bianca’s many suitors, which one do you think truly loves her the most? Which do you think is her best match? Which do you think will get her?

3. Do you think Petruchio and Katherine are a good match? He is arrogant and sees her only for money. She is strong-willed and resists him. Will opposites attract and will the two balance each other out? Or will they totally kill each other in the end?

4. Finally, the subplot. Why do you think Shakespeare stuck the story of Christopher Sly in this play? Is it more comic relief or is there a real connection between the two plots? If there is a connection, what is it?

Use details from the story to support your answers.

I would complain about Blogging, the Odyssey, or the ridiculous amount of work we are expected to complete, but I simply do not have the energy.  Adam, Shaun, and I all just got home from a two-day, 8 hour, CPR/First Aid class.  We have to blog because we will be away in the morning.  Therefore, I lack the energy to complain, along with doing much of anything else.  My explanation of the complanation (word?) actually just got pretty big now, so I am going to move on to my Blog.

OK, I read the fist two acts of this play off the computer right before I wrote this, so I may mess up a few details.  It’s all good:

Now, we see he story starting off with Oliver bullying Orlando.  Throughout the first two acts, Oliver continues to attempt to put Orlando down.  My question for you is what do you think drives Oliver to act the way he does?  What drives someone to want to put someone else down?  Have any of you guys experienced something like this before?  Good Luck, and God Speed.

——–Brian Wawrzyniak for President———-

Let’s take a look at Orlando for a moment. Not only do I admire his name [Orlando Bloom ] but I admire that he is sticking up for himself. His older brother Oliver is a jerk. Their father just died and Oliver is being selfish and won’t share his inheiritance with Orlando. Orlando ends up wrestling Oliver’s servant Charles and he wins. Oliver gets mad that his brother beat him so he threatens to burn his house down and hope he burns inside it! I don’t think brothers should act like this, especially right after their father died. I guess Oliver and Orlando don’t miss their father much, and Oliver is just after the money. But, I applaud Orlando for trying to get some of the money and he deserves it, not only because he he was also Sir Rowland de Bois son, but because he wrestled for it and proved he should have a share.

Also, there is a love connection between Orlando and Rosalind. It’a a love at first sight type of thing and it is developed after Orlando wrestles Charles. I guess being a good wrestler in this time period was a big turn on.

Orlando and his servant Adam go into the Adrenne Forest and Adam almost dies from hunger. Orlando finds Duke Senior, Rosalind’s dad. They have a meal together while Duke Senior is banished and is forced to live in the forest.

My question for y’all is do you think Orlando is deserving of some of the inheiritance from his father? Also, what do you think is going to happen between Orlando and Rosalind, will something blossom there??

MALLORY STICKLER

Can someone please tell me what I am cause i thought i was summerizer but megan already did it. Also, can someone tell me where we are reading to and what time is everything due.

The main character Orlando is devastated at his father Sir Rowland de Bois’s death for two reasons. First of all, he is upset obviously because his father is dead but also because when he died he left Orlando a very small amount of money. This was insulting to Orlando because his social status is pretty high and it was an emabarrasment to receive such a little amount of money. His older brother Oliver causes him more reason for distress because he is supposed to pay for his younger brothers to get a decent education but he neglects the wishes of his father and only pays for the middle brother, Jaques to go to school.Eventually, Orlando gets so overcome with anger that he attacks Oliver violently and at one point has him by the throat. Another one of the brothers, Adam attempts to break it up but Orlando is too strong and says that he will not let Oliver out of his grasp untill he treats him respectfully. Changing topics, there is concern that Rosalind will be banned from the kingdom.

** I’m seeing some similarities already between this, and Romeo and Juliet.**

Megan Campbell pd 1

The first quote I chose was from Act 1 Scene 1:

“My good Lysander!
I swear to thee, by Cupid’s strongest bow,
By his best arrow with the golden head,
By the simplicity of Venus’ doves,
By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves,
And by that fire which burn’d the Carthage queen,
When the false Troyan under sail was seen,
By all the vows that ever men have broke,
In number more than ever women spoke,
In that same place thou hast appointed me,
To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.”

I chose this quote because it is when Hermia and Lysander plan to run away to get married and will meet in the forest. Since this is a writing of Shakespeare’s, how is this play similar to the play we all read, Romeo and Juliet?

The second quote I chose is from Act 2 Scene 2:

“Through the forest have I gone.
But Athenian found I none,
On whose eyes I might approve
This flower’s force in stirring love.
Night and silence.–Who is here?
Weeds of Athens he doth wear:
This is he, my master said,
Despised the Athenian maid;
And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
On the dank and dirty ground.
Pretty soul! she durst not lie
Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
All the power this charm doth owe.
When thou wakest, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on thy eyelid:
So awake when I am gone;
For I must now to Oberon.”

I chose this quote because this is when Puck throws the magic herbs onto Hermia and Lysander’s eyes so that they will fall in love with whoever the see first when they wake up. This is the start of all the trouble between Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius. Of what we’ve seen of Puck, do you think that he is all to blame for what he does? Or is it someone else? Why?

~Sarah L.