Love and marriage are the concerns of Shakespeare's The Taming of the
Shrew. Lucentio's marriage to Bianca is prompted by his idealized love
of an apparently ideal woman. Petruchio's wooing of Katherine, however,
is free of idealism. Petruchio takes money from Bianca's suitors to woo
her, since Katherine must marry before her sister by her father's
decree; he also arranges the dowry with her father. Petruchio is then
ready to marry Katherine, even against her will.
Katherine, the shrew of the play's title, certainly acts much changed.
But have she and Petruchio learned to love each other? Or is the
marriage based on terror and deception?
The authoritative edition of The Taming of the Shrew from The Folger
Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for
students and general readers, includes:
-Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play
-Newly revised explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the
text of the play
-Scene-by-scene plot summaries
-A key to the play's famous lines and phrases
-An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language
-An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern
perspective on the play
-Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of
rare books
-An up-to-date annotated guide to further reading
Essay by Karen Newman
The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world's
largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for
Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions
open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full
calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit
Folger.edu.
