Book Description

The Taming of the Shrew is a play within a play by Shakespeare. It's a story told by a man, Sly, in an alehouse in England, and his story is set in Padua, Italy - in a public square, in Baptista's house, and in Lucentio's house. Other scenes take place in Petruchio's country house and on the road between there and Lucentio's house. Read more about The Taming Of The Shrew settings. Date written: 1592 Genre classification: The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy play. Main characters in The Taming of the Shrew: The action revolves around Katherine (Kate), the daughter of Baptista and the older sister of Bianca. Katherine has no suitors because she is not conventionally attractive but more seriously, she is notoriously shrewish, and seems to hate men, which makes it difficult for any man to deal with her. Bianca is sweet natured and beautiful but can't marry until her older sister does.In the Italian city of Padua, a rich young man named Lucentio arrives with his servants, Tranio and Biondello, to attend the local university. Lucentio is excited to begin his studies, but his priorities change when he sees Bianca, a beautiful, mild young woman with whom Lucentio instantly falls in love. There are two problems: first, Bianca already has two suitors, Gremio and Hortensio; second, Bianca's father, a wealthy old man named Baptista Minola, has declared that no one may court Bianca until first her older sister, the vicious, ill-tempered Katherine, is married. Lucentio decides to overcome this problem by disguising himself as Bianca's Latin tutor to gain an excuse to be in her company. Hortensio disguises himself as her music teacher for the same reason. While Lucentio pretends to be Bianca's tutor, Tranio dresses up as Lucentio and begins to confer with Baptista about the possibility of marrying his daughter.