The Taming of the Shrew and The Tamer Tamed

The Story of The Taming of the Shrew
Baptista Minola, a rich gentleman of Padua, has two daughters - Bianca and Katherina. Bianca, the younger daughter, has many suitors, including Hortensio and the elderly, wealthy Gremio. Sharp-tongued and wilful, Katherina seems to terrify men and no one wants to marry her, despite her fortune.

Baptista is determined that Bianca can not marry until Katherina is married, any prospect of which seems a long way off. Gremio and Hortensio agree to try to find a husband for Katherina.

Enter Petruchio, an old friend of Hortensio. Petruchio is in search of a wife with a large dowry. He is not put off by tales of Katherina’s willful and wayward behaviour.

Young Lucentio, travelling from Pisa with his groom Tranio, has barely arrived in Padua when he sees and falls instantly in love with Bianca. Hearing that Baptista wants tutors for his daughters, Lucentio disguises himself as a tutor, ‘Cambio’, while Tranio pretends to be Lucentio.

Hortensio, similarly inspired, disguises himself as a music teacher, Litio. Old Gremio is delighted to have found in Cambio a schoolmaster who will woo, he thinks, Bianca on his behalf with love poems. Both are put out to discover yet another rival in the supposed Lucentio.

In exchange for twenty thousand crowns in hand and the promise of half Baptista’s lands in years to come, Petruchio agrees to marry Katherina. Tranio (disguised as Lucentio) and the rich but ancient and doddery Gremio compete with their respective fortunes to win Bianca. Baptista promises his daughter to ‘Lucentio’ (i.e. the disguised Tranio), subject to his securing his father, Vincentio’s, agreement of a vast financial settlement.

Meanwhile, the real Lucentio makes himself known to Bianca and she falls in love with him. Hortensio resigns his claim on Bianca and instead marries a wealthy widow.

To get round the awkward business of the parental settlement, Tranio finds a stranger (a Pedant from Mantua) to impersonate Lucentio’s father, Vincentio. Petruchio marries Katherina and takes her off to his country house, where he proceeds to ‘tame’ her by depriving her of sleep and food and continually contradicting her.

Believing he has tamed the ‘shrew’, Petruchio takes Katherina back to her father’s house. No one is ready to believe that Katherina has changed. The newly married Lucentio and Hortensio each bet a hundred crowns that Katherina is the least obedient of the new wives.

Katherina is the only one of the three wives who comes when summoned and so, to everyone’s astonishment, Petruchio wins his wager and Katherina lectures Bianca, the Widow and the assembled company about the duty women owe their husbands.

Whether her final speech is heartfelt or ironic, is open to interpretation.

The Story of The Tamer Tamed
A wedding day. Katherina the ‘Shrew’ is dead and Petruchio has married again. There is general sympathy for his new wife, Maria, from those who remember Petruchio’s earlier behaviour.

Old Gremio, cheated out of his bid for Katherina’s sister Bianca and still on the lookout for a young wife, now has his eye on Maria’s younger sister, Livia. He may have worked himself into her father Petronius’s good books, but he has a rival in young Rowland.

Livia returns Rowland’s love but refuses to elope with him. She scorns Gremio’s wealth and demands her right to marry whom she pleases.

Maria, likewise, declares herself more than a match for her new husband: she is no longer as meek as she has hitherto appeared. Inspired by Bianca, Maria announces that she will refuse to sleep with her husband until she has tamed him to her will.

The men’s laddish anticipation of the wedding night is interrupted by Petruchio’s servant, Grumio. He announces that Maria has barricaded herself into her room with Bianca and refuses to admit Petruchio.

Petruchio is outraged and baffled. The men vow revenge. News of the women’s revolt is beginning to spread and others join the cause. Livia appears to reject both her suitors hoping that Rowland realises that in his case itąs only a ruse and, threatened with imminent marriage to Gremio, she joins forces with Maria and Bianca.

Rowland, disillusioned by Livia’s apparent dismissal, vows never to love again and accepts a wager from Tranio to this effect. Tranio, however, has another agenda.

Petruchio, still at a loss, accepts the various conditions the women offer, one of which is that Livia shall not be forced to marry anyone for a month.

The women abandon their refuge, but as Maria still refuses Petruchio his marital rights, he resorts to other stratagems.

In a plot to bring Livia and Rowland together again, Bianca and Tranio persuade Livia to let it be known that guilt and repentance have made her ill. When her former suitors visit her, papers are signed.

Petruchio declares that he has had enough and intends to go travelling. Maria, apparently taking him at his word, is delighted and declares that when he returns from his voyage a changed man, she will welcome him back.

But as the luggage is being stowed on board, word comes that Petruchio is dead, killed, word has it, by grief at his wife’s stubborn and wayward behaviour. Grumio suggests stoning Maria, who, dressed in black, shocks the men by calling Petruchio a fool. Petruchio rises from his coffin, Maria considers him tamed and dedicates herself to his 'pleasure'. Petruchio, 'born again', orders a feast to celebrate their new life and the marriage of Livia and Rowland.

The play ends with an epilogue spoken by Maria which emphasizes the necessity of equality in marriage.


			Baptista Minola, a rich gentleman of Padua, has two daughters - Bianca and Katherina. Bianca, the younger daughter, has many suitors, including Hortensio and the elderly, wealthy Gremio. Sharp-tongued and wilful, Katherina seems to terrify men and no one wants to marry her, despite her fortune. Baptista is determined that Bianca can not marry until Katherina is married, any prospect of which seems a long way off. Gremio and Hortensio agree to try to find a husband for Katherina. Enter Petruchio, an old friend of Hortensio. Petruchio is in search of a wife with a large dowry. He is not put off by tales of Katherina’s willful and wayward behaviour. Young Lucentio, travelling from Pisa with his groom Tranio, has barely arrived in Padua when he sees and falls instantly in love with Bianca. Hearing that Baptista wants tutors for his daughters, Lucentio disguises himself as a tutor, ‘Cambio’, while Tranio pretends to be Lucentio. Hortensio, similarly inspired, disguises himself as a music teacher, Litio. Old Gremio is delighted to have found in Cambio a schoolmaster who will woo, he thinks, Bianca on his behalf with love poems. Both are put out to discover yet another rival in the supposed Lucentio. In exchange for twenty thousand crowns in hand and the promise of half Baptista’s lands in years to come, Petruchio agrees to marry Katherina. Tranio (disguised as Lucentio) and the rich but ancient and doddery Gremio compete with their respective fortunes to win Bianca. Baptista promises his daughter to ‘Lucentio’ (i.e. the disguised Tranio), subject to his securing his father, Vincentio’s, agreement of a vast financial settlement. Meanwhile, the real Lucentio makes himself known to Bianca and she falls in love with him. Hortensio resigns his claim on Bianca and instead marries a wealthy widow. To get round the awkward business of the parental settlement, Tranio finds a stranger (a Pedant from Mantua) to impersonate Lucentio’s father, Vincentio. Petruchio marries Katherina and takes her off to his country house, where he proceeds to ‘tame’ her by depriving her of sleep and food and continually contradicting her. Believing he has tamed the ‘shrew’, Petruchio takes Katherina back to her father’s house. No one is ready to believe that Katherina has changed. The newly married Lucentio and Hortensio each bet a hundred crowns that Katherina is the least obedient of the new wives. Katherina is the only one of the three wives who comes when summoned and so, to everyone’s astonishment, Petruchio wins his wager and Katherina lectures Bianca, the Widow and the assembled company about the duty women owe their husbands. Whether her final speech is heartfelt or ironic, is open to interpretation. A wedding day. Katherina the ‘Shrew’ is dead and Petruchio has married again. There is general sympathy for his new wife, Maria, from those who remember Petruchio’s earlier behaviour. Old Gremio, cheated out of his bid for Katherina’s sister Bianca and still on the lookout for a young wife, now has his eye on Maria’s younger sister, Livia. He may have worked himself into her father Petronius’s good books, but he has a rival in young Rowland. Livia returns Rowland’s love but refuses to elope with him. She scorns Gremio’s wealth and demands her right to marry whom she pleases. Maria, likewise, declares herself more than a match for her new husband: she is no longer as meek as she has hitherto appeared. Inspired by Bianca, Maria announces that she will refuse to sleep with her husband until she has tamed him to her will. The men’s laddish anticipation of the wedding night is interrupted by Petruchio’s servant, Grumio. He announces that Maria has barricaded herself into her room with Bianca and refuses to admit Petruchio. Petruchio is outraged and baffled. The men vow revenge. News of the women’s revolt is beginning to spread and others join the cause. Livia appears to reject both her suitors hoping that Rowland realises that in his case itąs only a ruse and, threatened with imminent marriage to Gremio, she joins forces with Maria and Bianca. Rowland, disillusioned by Livia’s apparent dismissal, vows never to love again and accepts a wager from Tranio to this effect. Tranio, however, has another agenda. Petruchio, still at a loss, accepts the various conditions the women offer, one of which is that Livia shall not be forced to marry anyone for a month. The women abandon their refuge, but as Maria still refuses Petruchio his marital rights, he resorts to other stratagems. In a plot to bring Livia and Rowland together again, Bianca and Tranio persuade Livia to let it be known that guilt and repentance have made her ill. When her former suitors visit her, papers are signed. Petruchio declares that he has had enough and intends to go travelling. Maria, apparently taking him at his word, is delighted and declares that when he returns from his voyage a changed man, she will welcome him back. But as the luggage is being stowed on board, word comes that Petruchio is dead, killed, word has it, by grief at his wife’s stubborn and wayward behaviour. Grumio suggests stoning Maria, who, dressed in black, shocks the men by calling Petruchio a fool. Petruchio rises from his coffin, Maria considers him tamed and dedicates herself to his 'pleasure'. Petruchio, 'born again', orders a feast to celebrate their new life and the marriage of Livia and Rowland. The play ends with an epilogue spoken by Maria which emphasizes the necessity of equality in marriage.