THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - INDUCTION - WEEK 2

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW by William Shakespeare

Why does Taming of the Shrew (TOTS) have an Induction? What is the purpose of it? I did a bit of reading on this and here are some of the main thoughts:

1. Shakespeare introduces some of the class distinctions of the day. Can you imagine the following in today's world? A drunk man passes out in your favorite restaurant. As you watch him lying there a wealthy man and his friends pull up in their Lambos. They notice the passed out man and decide to play a trick on him. They're staying at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas in the Empathy Suite ($100,000 a night), and they think it would be a hoot to take this man, set him up there, and when he wakes up rejoice over his awakening from a coma they thought he would never recover from. (I know he would technically be in the hospital in today's world, but stay with me!) They convince him of his wealth, his lifestyle, his beautiful wife, his money, etc, etc. What happens to that man after he lives that way for awhile, and then finds out he's actually a drunk street bum that they used? Shakespeare shows us class roles and the power they can wield over others.

2. Shakespeare also introduces us to the idea of switching roles. Sly has been switched to an upper class lord and we're going to see some other characters switch roles within this play.

3. Shakespeare shows us that TOTS is actually a play within a play. The Induction is the "real" situation and what happens between Katherine, Bianca, Lucentio, Hortensio, Petruchio, and all the others is a play being performed for the supposed wealthy Sly and his wife. It's not real.

Even though this play is a comedy, I feel as if an element of cruelty has been introduced. We'll see where it goes!

Next week Act 1, Scene 1.