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a dramatic work that is light and often humorous in tone
usually ending happily with a peaceful resolution of the main conflict
Shakespeare organized a plot in a way modern editors represent as a five-act structure:
Exposition: a situation with tensions (implicit conflict)
Rising Action: implicit conflict is developed
Turning Point: conflict reaches height; frequently an impasse
Falling Action: things begin to clear up
Conclusion: problem is resolved, knots untied
The main action is about love.
The would-be lovers must overcome obstacles and misunderstandings before being united in harmonious union. obstacles are typically brought about by the
parents or guardians of the lovers The ending frequently involves a parade of
couples to the altar and a festive mood or actual celebration
Frequently (but not always), it contains elements of the improbable, the fantastic, the supernatural, or the miraculous unbelievable coincidences
Mistaken identity -improbable scenes of recognition/lack of recognition (form of mixed-up twins, a clever disguise, or Gender mix-ups
willful disregard of the social order (nobles marrying commoners, beggars changed to lords)
instantaneous conversions (the wicked repent)
enchanted or idealized settings
supernatural beings (witches, fairies, Gods and Goddesses). The happy ending may be brought about through supernatural or divine intervention
Clever plot twists: always involves multiple plot lines, cleverly intertwined to keep the audience guessing. These unexpected twists are always straightened out in a happy ending. Sly/theatre performance Kate and Petruchio Bianca and her suitors
Play-within-a-play: Almost the whole of The Taming of the Shrew is a play-within-a-play, presented to convince Christopher Sly, a drunken tinker, that he is a nobleman watching a private performance, but the device has no relevance to the plot
Use of puns: Shakespeare was a master of wordplay, and his comedies are filled with puns and witty language games.
Example: from a fatally-stabbed Mercutio, who stops joking to explain that “tomorrow … you shall find me a grave man.”
Stock characters: Shakespeare relied heavily on stock characters; recognizable stereotypes
the young couple
the fool
the clever servant
the drunk
In the best of the mature comedies, there is frequently a philosophical aspectinvolving weightier issues and themes: personal identity
the importance of love in human existence
the power of language to help or hinder communication
the transforming power of poetry and art
the disjunction between appearance and reality
the power of dreams and illusions
Characters appearing in the Induction:
Christopher Sly – a drunken tinker
A Lord – plays a prank on Sly
Bartholomew – a page
Hostess of an alehouse
Huntsman of the Lord
Players (troupe of actors)
Katherina (Kate) Minola – the "shrew"
Bianca – sister of Katherina; the ingénue (naive, innocent girl or young woman.)
Baptista Minola – father of Katherinaand Bianca
Petruchio – suitor of Katherina Grumio – servant of
Petruchio Curtis – servant of
Petruchio Nathaniel – servant of
Petruchio Joseph – servant of
Petruchio Peter – servant of
Petruchio
Gremio – elderly suitor of Bianca
Lucentio – suitor of Bianca Tranio – servant of
Lucentio Biondello – servant of
Lucentio
Hortensio – suitor of Bianca and friend to Petruchio
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