Taming of the shrew
Taming of the shrewThe Taming of the Shrew: Appearance Versus Reality
Have you ever been hit in the groin and had someone there laughing at you? This essay is not about that. It is about how Shakespeare uses many different indications to develop appearance versus reality. Three of them are characters, symbolism, and plot. I will explain how he uses these things to introduce and maintain the appearance versus reality theme.
One way Shakespeare does this is with the characters. He does this by having them constantly deceiving one another. Everyone switches places or disguises themselves to achieve a goal. In act one, scene one, Lucentio is going to disguise himself as a school teacher in order to win the love of Bianca while his servant Tranio takes his place. "I am content to be Lucentio, because I love so well Lucentio"(1.1.222-223). Tranio replied to Lucentio when told to go along with the scheme. Shakespeare then uses Tranio (as Lucentio), to pull a fast one on an innocent merchant. He then uses him for the real Lucentio's personal gain. He concocts a false tale of how the merchant will surely be put to death if anyone knows where he is from. His false tale is the following:
"‘Tis death for anyone in Mantua to come to Padua.
Know you not the cause?
Your ships are stayed at Venice, and the Duke,
For private quarrel ‘twixt your duke and him.
Hath published and proclaimed it openly.
Tis marvel, but that you are but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaimed about
(4.2.86-92.)."
Tranio later argues how he can save the man's life:
"To save your life in this extremity,
This favor I will do for his [Vincentio, Lucentio's father] sake
(And think it not the worst of all your fortunes
that you are like Sir Vincentio):
His name and credit shall you undertake,
And in my house you shall be friendly lodged (4,2,107-113,)."
Shakespeare uses this to show that the characters will go to any lengths to get what they want.
Symbolism, in The Taming of the Shrew, is frequently used....
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