End of Shrew Discussion Questions
Source: Sparknotes.com
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1. In general, the plots of Shakespeare's plays follow a certain pattern, in which Act III is a major turning point in the action, and contains events which "inevitably" lead to the climax of action the & the wrap-up of plot lines in the fifth and final Act. How does The Taming of The Shrew conform to, or deviate from, this pattern? How substantially do the events of the third act--the marriage scene between Petruchio and Kate, and the wooing scene between Lucentio and Bianca--affect the action of the rest of the play?

2. The Induction plays a mysterious role in the play; we never see the conclusion of the trick played on Christopher Sly or its consequences. To what extent, if any, do you see Sly as a parallel to Kate? Do any of the other characters display a likeness to Sly, or to the Lord in the Induction? In the end, does the Induction serve merely a cursory role in introducing the play proper, or does it have more serious ramifications for the themes throughout?

3. Disguises, or costumes, play a crucial role throughout both the Induction and the main story. While most of the disguises are removed in the end, those who use them for a particular purpose generally succeed in that purpose--particularly Lucentio and Tranio. How is this a commentary on the role of theater in general? What is Shakespeare's take on the effects of disguise--can the clothes really make the man?

4. What role do gender roles play in the minds of the characters, and how are they presented in the play itself? Most of the men seem to have a particular idea about how a wife should behave, but does this extend to all women? How do the women react to the expectations that these roles involve? Are they being systematically oppressed, or do they find a more subtle means of balancing the men's power?

5. Examine the characters of Hortensio and Gremio. Why do they fail where Petruchio and Lucentio succeeded? Does their failure say more about their reasons for wanting to get married or other facets of their personalities?

6. The play is essentially a comedy, and yet its comic features are often overshadowed by its more serious questions about social issues. How does humor function in The Taming of the Shrew? Note especially the two scenes of wooing, by Petruchio (Act II, Scene i) and Lucentio (Act III, Scene i). Why does Shakespeare include so much of the play's best comedy in these scenes?