At a country inn, the local lord stumbles upon a drunken tinker named Christopher Sly, and decides to play a joke on him. Sly is led to believe that he is a nobleman, who, fallen ill, has only imagined himself to be a poor drunkard all these years. For the “nobleman’s” entertainment, a comedy will be performed by a troupe of traveling players. And here begins the story of this play-within-a-play...

In Padua, Italy, a wealthy merchant named Baptista is resolved: his lovely daughter Bianca will not be wed until her elder sister, Katherina “the curs’d,” is married off. The field of frustrated suitors for Bianca’s hand is crowded already with local gentlemen like Hortensio and Gremio when Lucentio arrives in town to pursue his studies. Like the others before him, he is driven to leave all learning behind after taking one look at Baptista’s younger daughter. To gain access to Baptista’s treasure, Hortensio dons the robes of a music teacher, while Lucentio disguises himself as a tutor, passing off his own identity to his servant Tranio. Just when it seems as though Bianca will never be free to wed, another suitor comes to town. His name is Petruchio—an adventurer undaunted by danger, and one determined to shore up his financial future through marriage...to Katherina.

After a sudden and stormy courtship, Petruchio manages to escort his “Kate” down the aisle, and sets out to tame his new wife. By outbidding Gremio, Tranio manages to convince Baptista that he (that is, his master Lucentio) is the man for Bianca. When Baptista requires assurance from the young man’s father, a suitable imposter is found to play the part, and still another disguise baffles Baptista—not to mention Lucentio’s real father, who arrives in Padua at just the wrong moment. In the end, true identities are revealed, three marriages are celebrated, and a wager is placed as the newlyweds roll the dice on married life.

– Contributed by the CST Education Department

Act-by-Act Synopsis

Dramatis Personae

A Scholar's Perspective by Wendy Doniger 
Wendy Doniger examines gender stereotypes and the double transformation at the heart of Shakespeare’s play.

A Scholar's Perspective by Suzanne Gossett 
Suzanne Gossett considers the parallels between the double plot of the marriages of two sisters, the flexible nature of identity, and the real cost of disobedience.

Shakespeare's Sources 
Weaving stories from folktales to Chaucer, Shakespeare invented his Shrew. Searching for sources is part and parcel of scholarly “archeology” in understanding—and appreciating—Shakespeare’s genius.

A Merry Geste of a Shrewde and Curst Wyfe 
This edition of a popular ballad about a shrewish wife was printed circa 1580, and was well known at least 14 years before Shakespeare’s play.

The Taming of the Shrew in Historical Context 
Social values and relationships changed considerably in Early Modern England and during Queen Elizabeth’s reign—and perhaps none more so than the conventions of marriage.

Performance History 
Shakespeare’s comedy of wooing and marriage poses problems for contemporary sensibilities, and theater artists and filmmakers have responded with varied interpretations of the play.

Delving Deeper 
A portal to the world of Shakespeare, these selected internet sites lead further into the exploration of Shakespeare in performance, his life and times, the original texts, and much more.

Josie Rourke (Director) is the Artistic Director of London’s Bush Theatre. She recently took the helm of this 36-year-old company that presents new plays and develops new writers. She has held positions at the Donmar Warehouse, Sheffield Theatres and the Royal Court, as well as maintaining a busy freelance career, most recently David Mamet’s The Cryptogram starring Kim Cattrall and Douglas Henshall at the Donmar Warehouse. Rourke made her RSC directing debut with Philip Massinger’s 1631 Believe What You Will, and directed Shakespeare’s King John for the RSC’s Complete Works festival.

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