illustration of Kate and Petruchio standing and staring at one another

The Taming of the Shrew

by William Shakespeare

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The Taming of the Shrew Questions on Irony

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The Taming of the Shrew

In The Taming of the Shrew, humor and irony are prevalent. Examples include Petruchio's exaggerated taming tactics, which mock societal norms on gender roles, and the ironic twist where Katherina,...

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The Taming of the Shrew

Irony can mean a number of different things. In this situation, it means there is gap between what the characters say or think is going to happen and what really happens. Lucentio's opening...

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The Taming of the Shrew

Petruchio is insulting Katharina under the guise of praising her. He is suggesting she is manly and promiscuous.

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The Taming of the Shrew

This line is delivered from Petruchio to Kate at Kate's house.  Petruchio is claiming that Kate has won his love because she loved him so much and that she declared her love through oaths and...

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The Taming of the Shrew

This quote is heavily ironic because it is Katharina that utters these lines expressing her desire to do anything to make her husband happy. This quote comes in a long speech of Katharina's that...

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The Taming of the Shrew

This line, coming as it does in Act I scene 1, helps develop the exposition of the plot. Tranio and Lucentio have just witnessed the exasperated Baptista's final effort to marry off both of his...

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The Taming of the Shrew

The master/servant relationship is a key one when it comes to comic plots in Shakespeare's play.  It is kind of hard for us to grasp this since the idea of masters and servants doesn't fit so...

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The Taming of the Shrew

The significance of dramatic comedy in The Taming of the Shrew lies in its ability to entertain and engage the audience while exploring themes of gender roles, marriage, and social hierarchy. The...

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