play: The Taming of the Shrew (1592)
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:: Title
The Taming of the Shrew

:: Date
1592

:: Description
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have
been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device,
often referred to as the induction,[a] in which a mischievous nobleman tricks
a drunken tinker named Christopher Sly into believing he is actually a
nobleman himself. The nobleman then has the play performed for Sly's
diversion.

The main plot depicts the courtship of Petruchio and Katherina, the
headstrong, obdurate shrew. Initially, Katherina is an unwilling participant
in the relationship; however, Petruchio "tames" her with various psychological
torments, such as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a
desirable, compliant, and obedient bride. The subplot features a competition
between the suitors of Katherina's younger sister, Bianca, who is seen as the
"ideal" woman. The question of whether the play is misogynistic has become the
subject of considerable controversy, particularly among modern scholars,
audiences, and readers.

:: Authors
William Shakespeare

:: References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Taming_of_the_Shrew

:: Ratings
4 <mikael>

:: Choice Themes
gold digging [Petruchio overtly wooed "cursed" Katherina only for the sake of her father's money]
shrew character [Katherina was the disagreeable woman with the eponymous character flaw.]
husband and wife [Petruchio and Katherina; in the end others in comparison]

:: Major Themes
getting a taste of one's own medicine [angry Katherina got a taste of her own medicine from angry Petruchio]
infatuation [Bianca and Lucentio]
coping with a spoiled brat [Katherina was a spoiled brat accustomed to getting everything she wanted, until Petruchio tamed her]
the lust for gold [Petruchio was a notably avaricious gold digger; others remarked on the wealth that would come with the Minola daughters]
man vs. woman [the story ended with the moral, perhaps offensive to modern sensibilities, that wives should obey their husbands unquestioningly]

:: Minor Themes
father and daughter [Baptista with Katherina and Bianca]
sister and sister [Katherina and Bianca]
master and servant [Petruchio with Grumio and other mistreated servants]
female-female rivalry [Katherina and Bianca]

