The Taming of the Shrew
(Comedy)

The play begins with the Induction, where a trick is played on Christopher Sly, a drunken tinker, by a lord who wants a bit of entertainment. Sly is dressed and taken to the lords bedroom, and is told that he is a nobleman and has just recovered from 15 years of insanity. He then arranges for a troupe of actors to perform a play called “The Taming of the Shrew”.

A wealthy merchant of Padua, named Baptista, has two daughters: Katherina and Bianca. Katherina is known to be quite shrewish and because of this, her father has said that no one can marry Bianca until Katherine has been wed. Luciento of Pisa, one of Bianca’s many suitors, comes up with a plan to get closer to her. He switches clothes with his servant, Tranio, in order to disguise himself, enabling him to offer his services as a tutor to Bianca. At this point, Petruchio of Verona enters, visiting a friend Hortensio (another suitor to Bianca) in Padua. Upon finding out about Katherina’s large dowry, Petruchio decides to woo her.

Petruchio declares that he finds Katherina to be charming and pleasant, which surprises everyone. Thus a marriage is arranged and Petruchio proceeds to try and tame her by playing tricks. This includes turning up late for their wedding and constantly contradicting whatever Katherina says, even to the point of calling the sun the moon. After many arduous days and nights, Katherina finally gives in and is “tamed” into docility.

By the end of the play, Luciento and Bianca have fallen in love and Hortensio settles for a rich widow in Padua. Whilst attending a feast for Bianca and Luciento, Petruchio makes and wins a bet that he now has the most obedient wife of all the men attending, at which point Katherina talks to Bianca, giving her pointers on how to be a devoted and loving wife too.