The Taming of the Shrew Video

The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy written by William Shakespeare. The play as we know it today first appeared in the 1623 folio of Shakespeare’s work, but many speculate that it was written as early as 1594. Set in the northern Italian city of Padua during the Renaissance, the primary storyline follows the courtship and marriage between Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, and Katharina, an ill-tempered and contentious woman known as the play’s titular “shrew.” As other romantic relationships develop around them, Petruchio and Katharina engage in a battle of the sexes that puts the misogyny of their society on full display.

The Taming of the Shrew is actually a play within a play. It opens with a Lord playing a prank on a drunkard named Sly who has stumbled out of an inn and fallen asleep. The Lord dresses Sly up in his own clothing and, when Sly awakes, the Lord convinces Sly that he is in fact the nobleman. When a troupe of actors arrives to perform a play in the Lord’s honor, Sly decides that he must be the Lord and encourages the actors to proceed.

The play proper begins in the university town of Padua, where a student named Lucentio has recently arrived to pursue his education. His plans are quickly derailed, however, when he sees and falls in love with Bianca, the daughter of a wealthy man named Baptista. Bianca already has two suitors vying for her attention: the young man Hortensio and an old fool named Gremio.

Baptista, Bianca’s father, announces that he refuses to give his daughter away until her elder sister, Katharina, also marries. Katharina is ill-tempered and quarrelsome, known by many men as a “shrew.” When Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, arrives on the scene, Bianca’s suitors inform him of Baptista’s wealth and he immediately announces his intentions to wed Katharina.

Meanwhile, Lucentio decides to dress up as a Latin teacher in order to get closer to Bianca. His servant, Tranio, dresses up as Lucentio himself, in order to woo Bianca on Lucentio's behalf. They are joined in the Baptista household by Hortensio--disguised as a music teacher--and Gremio, Bianca's two other suitors. Petruchio, in the meantime, awaits the arrival of Katharina.

Katharina appears, and she and Petruchio engage in a heated battle of wits. Petruchio announces that they will be married despite Katharina’s protestations. Baptista then turns to Bianca’s suitors and asks which one can provide the largest dowry. While Baptista is distracted by the financial competition between Gremio and the disguised Tranio, Lucentio expresses his passion for Bianca.

At Petruchio and Katharina’s wedding, Petruchio behaves like a tyrant and refuses to let Katharina stay for the wedding feast. He takes her back to his home in the country, where he continues to behave maliciously. He does not help Katharina when she falls from her horse and he denies her food and sleep. He reveals his plan to starve Katharina into submission under the guise of love.

Back at Baptista’s, Tranio convinces Hortensio to call off his pursuit of Bianca. Hortensio declares he will marry a wealthy widow. As Lucentio and Bianca get closer, the disguised Tranio must contend with Baptista’s request for assurance of Bianca’s dowry.

Tranio knows Baptista must have assurance of the dowry from Lucentio’s wealthy father, Vincentio. He devises a plan to present Baptista with someone disguised as Vincentio. Tranio finds a traveling pedant from Mantua and convinces him that all Mantuans will be put to death in Padua. He tells him that in order to save himself, he must dress up as the wealthy Pisan Vincentio. The pedant agrees and plays the part.

Tranio and the pedant, disguised as Vincentio, arrive at Baptista’s estate. They convince Baptista that Bianca’s dowry is secure. Baptista is satisfied and allows a wedding between Lucentio and Bianca to proceed.

Meanwhile, back at Petruchio’s home, Katharina emerges as a gracious and well-mannered woman. Petruchio brings her back to Padua, where they encounter the real Vincentio. He is shocked to hear about his son’s marriage and has come to Padua to understand what happened.

In Padua, Vincentio encounters the pedant who is impersonating him and confronts him for his deceit. Lucentio returns from the church and pleads for his father’s forgiveness. Vincentio angrily agrees to pay Bianca’s dowry and allows the marriage to proceed.

After the wedding, everyone gathers at Lucentio’s house. The men devise a game in which they will each summon their wives in order to see which is the most obedient. Hortensio, Lucentio, and Petruchio all agree to participate. Hortensio and Lucentio summon the widow and Bianca, respectively, but are snubbed when their wives do not come. When Petruchio summons Katharina, she immediately appears, solidifying her transformation into an obedient wife.