In the Shakespearean play "taming of the Shrew". The main part of the play, rather than being the play, is inside of the play itself. It starts with a Drunkard [Christopher Sly], is fooled into thinking that he is a lord. There, he and his "wife" [a paige in disguise] watch the play. The Play inside of the play, is the main "play" itself. What would be the significance of this "play within a play"? to put it simply , i would give a very different feel to the way its viewed. The spectators would view the spectators watching the play. This would make the major play almost unrealistic, in the fact that we know its a play [when we watch the play].
Some may wonder what the "shrew" is in this play. Is it your everyday furry woodland rodent? or is there a different meaning to this, maybe something symbolic? in the story it is obvious that there is. Katerina in the play is very rude and short tempered. thus she is considered a "shrew", which can be a symbol for her behaviour. This is significant to the play because the main theme of the play is "taming of the shrew" hence the title. Without kate being a "shrew", the play would lose itself in terms of story, comedic value, and title.
From the beginning until the end, there is a large amount of character development in the main characters. Most obvious ones being that the sisters get married, Bianca is considered "less obedient" then her sister, and Kate finally gets tamed. If you read the story, then its obvious that the sisters get married, and as Bapista had wished, Kate being married first. Bianca, whom in the beginning is introduced as a "fair and kind maiden of unparalleled beauty". is later the same, fair and kind, but is considered less tamed than kate, a switch from the beginning. This leads to the final most important change, where Kate finally gets "tamed." When she is first introduced, she is rude, short tempered, and is "mildly" disrespectful. Nearing the end, through Petrucio's dubious methods, she becomes calm, courteous, and respectful. This can be supported by the large monologue she delivers at the end.
Fie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow,
And dart not scornful glances from those eyes,
To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor:
It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads,
Confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds,
And in no sense is meet or amiable.
A woman moved is like a fountain troubled,
Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty;
And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty
Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it.
Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,
Thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee,
And for thy maintenance commits his body
To painful labour both by sea and land,
To watch the night in storms, the day in cold,
Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe;
And craves no other tribute at thy hands
But love, fair looks and true obedience;
Too little payment for so great a debt.
Such duty as the subject owes the prince
Even such a woman oweth to her husband;
And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour,
And not obedient to his honest will,
What is she but a foul contending rebel
And graceless traitor to her loving lord?
I am ashamed that women are so simple
To offer war where they should kneel for peace;
Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway,
When they are bound to serve, love and obey.
Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth,
Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,
But that our soft conditions and our hearts
Should well agree with our external parts?
Come, come, you froward and unable worms!
My mind hath been as big as one of yours,
My heart as great, my reason haply more,
To bandy word for word and frown for frown;
But now I see our lances are but straws,
Our strength as weak, our weakness past compare,
That seeming to be most which we indeed least are.
Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot,
And place your hands below your husband's foot:
In token of which duty, if he please,
My hand is ready; may it do him ease.
The monologue above is delivered by Kate, showing that she has finally been tamed.
