The Taming of the Shrew abbreviated

Synopsis


The play opens in Padua with Lucentio, a young man from Pisa, telling his servant, Tranio, how much he looks forward to his studies now that they are in “fair Padua, nursery of arts, the pleasant garden of great Italy.” Both being young men, Tranio suggests to Lucentio that he may “resolve to suck the sweets of sweet philosophy,” but “in brief, sir, study what you most like.” (Enchantment, Act 1, Scene 1) As they are talking, Baptista, his daughters, and two of his younger daughter’s suitors enter, Bianca being the younger daughter. Baptista lets Bianca’s suitors know that he is resolved “not to bestow my youngest daughter before I have a husband for the elder.” (Infatuation, Act 1, Scene 1) As Baptista sends Bianca inside their home, she says, “my books and instruments shall be my company, on them to look and practice by myself.” After Baptista and his daughters exit, Bianca’s suitors, Hortensio and Gremio, agree that if either one of them is to win Bianca, they must find a way to “get a husband for her sister.” How these guys, Lucentio included, go about competing to win Bianca, as they go about trying to win a suitor for Katherine, is the central theme of the play, Katherine being the older sister. Katherine is the “shrew.”

Lucentio and Tranio step aside, Lucentio having at first sight fallen for Bianca. The two of them talk about how he, Lucentio, might go about getting to meet her, spend some time with her, and woo her. Tranio suggests to Lucentio that he “be a schoolmaster and undertake the teaching of the maid,” Bianca seeming to show interest in her books and instruments. Since Baptista knows Lucentio’s father Vincentio of Pisa, and since Lucentio, as we say, has really taken an interest in Bianca, the two of them decide that it might be in Lucentio’s best interest if they disguise themselves, Lucentio as a teacher and Tranio as Lucentio. A note here: Shakespeare runs rampant with disguises. By adding this kind of mischief to his plays, Shakespeare often made keeping track of who is who in his plays a challenge. The challenge in this play is as tough as any.

By sheer happenstance, Petruchio, a young man from Verona, soon enters, coming to Padua to visit his friend Hortensio, and he says “I come to wive wealthily in Padua; if wealthily, then happily in Padua.” Hortensio tells Petruchio that he has just the young woman for him, Katherine Minola. (Confidence, Act 1, Scene 2.1) Petruchio says, “I know her father, though I know her not.” Hortensio lets Petruchio know of Baptista’s plan for his two daughters, and that he has a real interest in the younger one. Petruchio likes what he hears. Following a discussion of how they might pull this off, Petruchio agrees to help disguise Hortensio as a teacher, so he can get close to Bianca, and that he will introduce a disguised Hortensio to Baptista. Meanwhile, Gremio enters with Lucentio, now disguised as Cambio, a poetry teacher. Gremio then introduces the disguised-as-Cambio Lucentio to Hortensio as a “schoolmaster for fair Bianca,” Hortensio having disguised himself as Litio, a music teacher. And Petruchio, now very interested in meeting Katherine, agrees to introduce Hortensio-as-Litio to Batista. Hortensio then in turn introduces Petruchio to Gremio as a gentleman who “will undertake to woo curst Katherine.” Gremio says to Hortensio, “Have you told him all her faults?” But overhearing the question, Petruchio says “I know she is irksome, but I hear no harm.” (Confidence, Act 1, Scene 2.2)

Meanwhile, Tranio enters, now disguised as Lucentio. He asks Gremio and Hortensio how to get to the Minola home. But both quickly become concerned that he might be a competitor for Bianca’s attention, both telling him that she doesn’t need another suitor. Tranio-as-Lucentio says, “So, Helen of Troy had a thousand wooers.” When asked if he knows that Baptista has two daughters, Petruchio, nearby, jumps in saying, “The first’s for me; let her go by.” Tranio as Lucentio says, “One may do as adversaries, but eat and drink as friends.”

Meanwhile in the Minola home, an angry Katherine binds Bianca’s hands, demanding that she tell her which one of her suitors she loves the most. Their father unties Bianca’s hands asking Katherine why she “wrongs her.” Katherine responds, “Her silence flouts me, and I’ll be revenged.” Meanwhile the charming Petruchio enters, and after introducing himself to Baptista as Antonio’s son, introduces his friend Hortensio to Baptista as Litio, “a man most skilled in music and the fine sciences of mathematics.” (Persuasion, Act 2, Scene 1) Smooth-talking Petruchio uses the opportunity to ask Baptista for permission to woo his older daughter Katherine. A pleased Baptista, having told Petruchio how much he admires his father Antonio, says “Well mayst thou woo, and happy be thy speed.” Gremio then introduces Lucentio (disguised as Cambio) to Baptista, telling him he is “as cunning in Greek and Latin as in music and mathematics.” Baptista hires both Litio and Cambio as his daughters’ teachers. (Proposal, Act 2, Scene 1.1) Tranio-as-Lucentio, then introduces himself to Baptista as Lucentio, the son of Vincentio.

All does not go well in the first music lesson that Litio offers Katherine. Baptista suggests he offer his music lessons to Bianca, Katherine having broken the lute over Litio’s head. Litio tells Baptista the lute-over-the-head issue happened when he told her “she mistook her frets and with that word she struck me on the head while she did call me ‘rascal fiddler’ and ‘twangling Jack,’ with twenty such vile terms, as had she studied to misuse me so.” Separately, Katherine does her best to irritate Petruchio, but he pleasantly persists, telling us how he plans to woo her. (Proposal, Act 2, Scene 1.2) With the two of them having been together for but a brief time, Petruchio, when asked by her father “Now, Signior Petruchio, how speed you with my daughter,” proceeds to announce to all that he and Katherine are to be married on Sunday, which ignites a scramble between Gremio and Tranio, still disguised as Lucentio, for Baptista’s approval to woo Bianca, now that Katherine has plans to marry. (Tease, Act 2, Scene 1)

Baptista, setting up an auction of sorts for Bianca, says he who “can assure my daughter greatest dower shall have my Bianca’s love.” Gremio acknowledges he is “outbid” by Tranio, who is still disguised as Lucentio. But ever cautious Baptista tells Tranio-as-Lucentio that his father Vincentio must “make her the assurance,” since Tranio-as-Lucentio’s proposal depends on his inheritance from his “father.” Tranio quickly realizes that he might be in trouble since a “supposed Lucentio must beget a father called supposed Vincentio.”

Meanwhile, with Katherine’s wedding set for Sunday, Lucentio-as-Cambio and Hortensio-as-Litio, both still most interested in Bianca, compete with each other to impress Bianca. Sparring verbally in her presence, Bianca says, “To cut off all strife, here set we down.” She deals with both diplomatically and leaves them to help her sister get ready for the wedding. Later, Baptista and others enter near the church, Baptista saying, “This is the ‘pointed day that Katherine and Petruchio should be married” and asks, “yet we hear not of our son-in-law.” Katherine says, “No shame but mine. I must be forced to give my hand.” But Petruchio soon arrives on a broken-down horse along with his servant Grumio, both absurdly dressed. (Tease, Act 3, Scene 2) Baptista says, “I am glad he’s come, howsoe’er he comes.” Petruchio is upbeat, asking, “But where is Kate?” They soon marry. We quickly learn that during the wedding ceremony Petruchio embarrassed everyone with his lack of deportment. (Humor, Act 3, Scene 2.1) Shortly after the ceremony, Petruchio announces that he has to leave, and does. When pressed, Petruchio tells all not to worry; that he’ll defend and protect his wife; that she is his, as is his horse and house. (Humor, Act 3, Scene 2.2) He exits, saying, “Fear not, sweet wench.” Gremio says, “Petruchio is Kated.”

Meanwhile at his home in the country, Petruchio continues with his plan to “tame” Katherine, being generally obnoxious, abusing his servants while denying his wife food and sleep. (Humor, Act 4, Scene 1) Meanwhile, back at the Minola home, having observed Lucentio (still disguised as Cambio) kissing and whispering to Bianca, Hortensio gives up masquerading as Litio, vowing to marry the Widow “who hath loved me from my call long ago.” (Envy, Act 4, Scene 2) He leaves to join Petruchio. Separately, Biondello, another servant to Lucentio, meets a merchant and suggests to Lucentio that the Merchant would make a good stand-in for his father, Vincentio. The Merchant readily agrees to play the role.

Meanwhile, Petruchio and Grumio, one of Petruchio’s servants, continue to tease and taunt Katherine with little mercy over food, a gown, and a cap. They make plans to leave for her father’s home. (Husband to Wife, Act 4, Scene 3) Later, the Merchant, who is playing the role of Vincentio beautifully, fears that Baptista, when they are introduced, might recognize him for who he really is. He need not worry. (Humor, Act 4, Scene 4) Hearing the Merchant out, Baptista agrees that Vincentio’s “son,” Lucentio, may marry Bianca, conditioned “that like a father you will deal with him and pass my daughter a sufficient dower.” They prepare to call the priest. Lucentio understandably worries how his having been disguised as Cambio will set with Bianca, once Bianca recognizes him and the others for who they really are. Again, they need not worry.

Separately, while Petruchio, Katherine and Hortensio are on their way to the Minola home they meet the real Vincentio, who just happens to be headed for Padua “to visit a son of mine which long I have not seen.” The four of them travel together to Padua, Petruchio saying, “Happily met, the happier for thy son.” Hortensio and the Widow return to Padua and marry. Lucentio and Bianca marry. The real Vincentio shows up at Lucentio’s home looking for his son. As one might imagine, Petruchio and Vincentio have a lively who-is-really-who confrontation with the Merchant, still disguised as Vincentio, and Tranio, still disguised as Lucentio, and Baptista. Gremio, having earlier been considered somewhat of a fool, in true Shakespeare fashion, finally steps in, saving the moment. All principals gather for Lucentio and Bianca’s wedding reception where Lucentio heals recent verbal wounds, saying, “At long last, our jarring notes agree, and time to smile at escapes and perils past.” The party ends when Petruchio, who has “tamed” Katherine, has her tell Bianca and the Widow, to everyone’s total astonishment, “what duty they owe their husbands.” (Love, Act 5, Scene 2). This is a great comedy if you can get to the end.


Principal Characters


Baptista
Baptista is Baptista Minola, the girls’ father, a wealthy merchant. The heart of the comedy originates early when Baptista says, “Gentlemen I want you to know my plan is not to bestow my youngest daughter before I have a husband for the elder,” Katherine being the elder. Much of the comedy results from the time he tells Gremio and Hortensio that “I know she (Bianca, the younger) taketh most delight in music, instruments, and poetry.”

Bianca
Bianca is Baptista Minola’s younger daughter. She is the love interest of three men in this play: Hortensio, Lucentio, and Gremio. She doesn’t have many lines, but Shakespeare leads us believe that she was quite the eye-catching young woman.

Biondello
Biondello is one of Lucentio’s two servants; the other being Tranio.

Gremio
Gremio is billed as a pantaloon, defined as “a slender, foolish old man wearing tight trousers,” or as a “ridiculous old man, a stock character in Italian comedy of the period.” Gremio is one of Bianca’s three suitors, but apparently never a serious one. Gremio and Hortensio are friends. If he is a “ridiculous old man,” Shakespeare gives this ridiculous old man some very good lines, much as he does fools in other plays.

Grumio
Grumio is one of Petruchio’s servants. Biondello refers to him as Petruchio’s lackey. His role is limited.

Hortensio
Hortensio is one of Bianca’s serious suitors. He seems to be a fine and talented guy. He disguises himself as Litio, a schoolmaster, securing a position in Baptista’s household as Bianca’s music and mathematics teacher, giving him, he thinks, the opportunity to woo her. He loses Bianca to Lucentio. He marries the Widow who “loved him from his call long ago.”

Katherine
Katherine is Katherina Minola, known as Katherine, Katherina, or Kate. She is the shrew, tamed by Petruchio. She is the older sister who her father says must be married before any man may woo her younger sister Bianca; Bianca receiving attention from a number of men, irritating Katherine, for sure.

Lucentio
Lucentio is a fine young man from Pisa who has come to Padua to study the arts. His servants are Tranio and Biondello. His father is Vincentio. Having early in the play fallen for Bianca, he disguises himself as Cambio, a schoolmaster, a teacher of literature and poetry, believing it’s his best chance to be with Bianca and, like Hortensio, to secretly woo her! He wins Bianca. He and Gremio turn out to be the best of peace makers.

Petruchio
Petruchio is a wealthy young man from Verona who has come to Padua to see friends, mostly his “approved friend, Hortensio.” His father’s name was Antonio; Baptista saying, “he knew him well.” Petruchio woos the “shrew,” Katherine, and “tames” her, having said he is in Padua seeking a wealthy bride. Katherine meets that test.

Tranio
Tranio is one of Lucentio’s two servants. Tranio is the resourceful and talented young man Shakespeare created to conduct this play, had this play been written as a symphony for an orchestra. For most of the play Tranio masquerades as Lucentio, with quick and witty responses in tight situations. He’s great.

 A portrait of William Shakespeare