Taming of the Shrew, Last post, pd.1, Erin Campbell
Act 4
Scene 1
On the way to the country house Kate and Petruchio run into some problems. We hear the story from Grumio when he goes ahead of them to make sure that the servants are prepared for their arrival. He tells them that during the journey Kate fell in some mud, Petruchio becomes furious and their horses ran away. During the meal Petruchio continues his rage by claiming that nothing is done right. First it takes to long for the food to come and then he decides that he meat is burnt at which point he throws the food on the floor. When asked why he is acting in such way he responds by saying that Kate deserves nothing but the best, when in fact all she wants is food. They then wind up going to bed without any dinner. Next, when Petruchio is alone he informs the reader of his plans. He is going to continue this behaviour throughout the night by complaining about how the bed is not to his liking. His reasoning for doing this is because he thinks that it is the best way to calm her down and teach her to listen to him.
Act 4
Scene 2
This scene takes place back in Padua where the suitors are still trying to court Bianca. She has clearly chosen Lucentio and Hortensio is highly upset by this. Tranio, makes things very convincing when he walks in on Lucentio and Bianca during their lesson by acting enraged and therefore removes himself from trying to court her, which Hortensio follows his action. This leaves Lucentio with Bianca and no competition. At this point Hortensio leaves to go to Petruchio because he wants to see how he is dealing with Kate, because he plans to marry a widow. He wants to use Petruchio’s skills to help himself in the future. Next, Biondello comes in to inform them that he found a man to play Lucentio’s father. He cleverly tricks him into doing this favor for him. He tells the man that the dukes of Mantua and Padua are fighting and therefore anyone from Mantua found in Padua was to be put to death. Biondello is “kind” enough to not turn him in if he does that favor for him.
Act 4
Scene 3
Several days have past and Kate has been deprived or food and sleep. Eventually Petruchio and bring her a meal at which point a tailor arrives, to fit them for clothing on their journey back to Baptista’s. Petruchio is not happy with anything that Kate likes and then blames the tailor for terrible craftsmanship, at which point they make him leave (yet they do inform him in private that he will still be paid). Petruchio next decides that they will leave so that they would arrive their by noon, in the clothes that they already have on. Kate tells him that noon has already past, so Petruchio freaks out telling her that they will arrive at the hour that he decides they will arrive. Again, back at Baptista’s house Tranio has made sure that the man planned to play Lucentio’s father, Vincentio, has his stories straight. Then he is brought to Baptista to state that he approves of the union of Bianca and his son. They then continue to decide all of the financial details of the wedding.
Act 4
Scene 5
This scene takes place between Biondello and Lucentio. Biondello tells Lucentio (still disguised as Cambio) that Baptista wants him to take Bianca to dinner and that they are planning a fast marriage to elope. Lucentio agrees to the plan at which point they go their separate ways to put the plan into action.
On the journey back to Baptista’s Petruchio continues to try to tame her by claiming that the moon is shining, yet it is midday. When Kate claims that is the sun, he refuses to continue until she says that is is the moon. she says that it is the moon, so that they can continue. He then changes his mind and claims that it is the sun at which point he decides that she is tamed. At this point they run into Vicentio. When they seem him Petruchio again goes back to his same ways in claiming that the man is infact a maid and that Kate should give her a hug. She obeys, which is when Petruchio says that Kate is mistaken and that he is in fact a man. The man turns out to be the real Vincentio so Petruchio informs him of his son’s plans to marry. This causes things to be a little awkward between everyone as they continue their journey to Baptista Minola’s house.
Act 5
Scene 1
This is the act where all the fake identities start to cause some major issues. While Bianca and Lucentio rush to the church to get married the real Vincentio arrives where he runs into the imposter Vincentio and Biondello. The imposter tries to get the real one arrested while Biondello pretends not to recognize him. At this point Baptista and Tranio come out of the house. The real Vincentio also recognizes Trainio in his son’s clothing causing him to be even more furious. The entire crowd then turns against the real Vincentio by trying to escort him to jail. When the newly weds arrive they realize that their plan is out and therefore Tranio, Biondello and the pendant flee. Then, Lucentio tells everyone about his scheme was revolved around his love for Bianca. The two fathers are upset by this and because of this they seek revenge on the men that fooled them. Watching all of these procedings are Kate and Petruchio who stand in amazement. Petruchio then asks Kate to kiss him right in the middle of the street and at first Kate refuses, but she eventually gives in after he threatens her. At this point Petruchio finally seems pleased with her.
Act 5
Scene 2
Everyone joins in at the end of the show for a banquet do to the three weddings. The talk starts with some jokes about Hortensio which then continues to become worse and worse between the widow and Kate at which point Biance intervenes and calms them down. They then leave to talk to eachother. After they leave the men make a bet saying that however’s wife is obedient and comes first when asked wins. Neither Bianca or the widow came right away, but Kate astonishes everyone and arrives right away. She shocks even more when Petruchio states that he does not like her hat, so she gets rid of it. To make things even more unbelievable she has this long monologue about women. She states that she has realized that women should obey their husbands because they go through a lot of pain to make their lives wonderful. She says that she was once like Bianca and the widow, but that something in Petruchio has made her realize her faults, and therefore she has changed. The men then realize that they have been defeated and Petruchio wins the bet. Petruchio and Kate then leave happily leaving the other two men in deep confusion
Words/expressions to know:
jades- worthless horses
‘rayed- dirty
horn- the symbol of the cuckold (the husband of a wife who is unfaithful)
jacks- menservants
jills- women sevants
miry- swampy
countenance-to show respect
swain- country bumpkin
unpinked- undecorated
soud- food
trenchers- wooden platters
bate- to beat wings
cullion- low fellow
marcantant- italian roe merchant
repute- consider
ruffs- wheel-like collars
farthingales- hooped petticoats
porringer- porridge bowl
custard-coffin- crust for a custard
quaint- elegant
affied- formally married
appendix- spouse
tarry- wait
break a jest- play a joke
untoward- stubborn
under my countenance- by exploiting my name
cosen- cheat
doublet- jacket
hose- pants
cony-catched- victimized
dotard- foolish old man
make cake is dough- I have failed
roundly- bluntly
galled- iritated
swinge me them- beat them
bauble- showy trifle
Questions:
1. Do you think that Petruchio was right in the way that he tamed Kate or did he go too far?
2. Do you believe that Petruchio’s ways of taming Kate would be affective in real life or do you see faults in it for the current time period? Explain.
3. Will Kate continue to act in her angelic state or will she turn back to her old ways?
and just for fun…
4. What was your favorite thing about this book and why?
wE aRe DoNe BlOgGiNg!!!!
~eRiN cAmPbElL =]
P.S. Mr. Shank I put a lot of work into this last post. ; ) haha
Category: Summarizer/Word Watcher 4 comments »
May 23rd, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Great Job on your last blog Erin!!!!
1. I think that it was the proper way to tame Kate. It was a little over the top but it is something she will all ways remember and she is over the top.
2. I do not think that Petrucio’s way of taming Kate would work today because people would press abuse charges on Petrucio and he would be arrested.
3. I think that Kate will continue with her angelic state because she will always remember what will happen to her if she does not.
4. I think that my favorite part of the book was when the real Lucentio was teaching Bianca and was telling Hortensio (at least I think it was Hortensio) to go tune the instrument. That was when they fell in love and it was entertaining to read.
-Taran
May 24th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Much like Taran I too would like to say, Nice job GIDDY!
Now to answer your first question I would like to say that I think that some of Petruchio’s actions might have been too rash or hurried but also think that when you are faced with a difficult situation that sometimes desperate actions must be made. The way that he had went about trying to tame Kate was indoubtably ingenious but he had pushed it too far by acting out at events that would haunt him later on in their relationship. What I’m mainly talking about is the part when Petruchio had acted absurdly at his own wedding. But overall I think he kept his head pretty level and did the right thing.
Well, back in those times women were more intimidated by men and their were several things holding women from being the extremely productive members of society that they are today. Back in those times when women had no rights and were nothing more than arm candy Petruchio’s plan would have worked without a hitch because the woman would have to deal with their husbands crap anyways. Nowadays though there are many women that intimidate even the strongest of men. I’m not ashamed to say that there are probably some women in our now gender balanced world that would intimidate me, but because of the fact that women are their own people now I highly doubt that Petruchio’s plan would work in our time.
I personally think that Kate will not revert back to her original state as we saw her at the beginning of the play. The reason why is because she had to go through so much crap just to realize her flaws and fix them and I think that it is indefinite that if Kate changed back that Petruchio would probably concoct another plan to change her to the way that he liked more. Another reason why I think that she won’t change back is because she is now in a happy relationship and I don’t think that she’d do anything to change that.
And now for your final question. My favorite thing about the play is that we are now done with it.
Just kidding. I thought that the way that William Shakespeare made it that Kate was the worst at the beginning and the best wife at the end was a very good way to show how certain characters can develop throughout the course of a play. I liked this fact especially because it made my job as character watcher a lot easier than it should have been.
~sOnAm ShErPa
May 24th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Colin Easter
1. I think that Petruchio went to the appropriate lengths to get Kate to behave. She needed a rude awakening to get her to change her ways, and that was what he provided. She probably wouldn’t have responded to any attempts that were less than what Petruchio did.
2. I think that Petruchio’s ways would be effective as long as he didn’t go too far. Today, it is too easy for people to get a divorce. Any small mistreatment can be used as grounds for one. Back then, it was much harder to obtain one. Social pressure at the time was also more strict for less divorces. As a result, divorces were very rare at that time. His tactics would have worked back then, but would be harder to pull off now.
3. I think that Kate will continue in her good ways. She has gotten positive comments from the others and even won Petruchio a tidy sum of money for proving to be the most loyal wife.
4. The most enjoyable part of the book for me was the layers of deception. They went through a lot of trouble to deceive each other and the family when they could have just been honest. Instead of doing things the normal way, they added a complex layer to it.
May 25th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I think that Kate could very well go back to her old self. She was civilized. Like a crazyed dog that was once domesticated. Once abandonded it will lose all of its previous taming and become its origanal state
I think that it was for the best. He changed her in a better way proving that she was better than the others.
I can only hope that she will stay that way. Why would you want to change??
My fav part was when i stopped reading