Title: The Taming of the Shrew
Author: William Shakespeare
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Number of pages: 238
Type of Book: Classic, Fiction; Play
Age: 8+
Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Shrew-Folger-Shakespeare-Library/dp/074347757X; free download here (unabridged version for older readers): http://www.hatrack.com/osc/other/tamingoftheshrew/tamingoftheshrew.pdf
Price: $3:87
MY SUMMARY
This book contains a play-within-a-play. I’ll explain.
The First Play: The story started with a drunken man, Sly. After quarreling at a local tavern, he passed out on the ground. A Lord and his servants picked him and decided to play a prank on him. They bathed him, clothed him in finery and placed him in the Lord’s finest room. When he woke the next day, they convinced him that he was a wealthy lord with a pretty wife. Then a group of actors was enlisted to perform for him.
The Second Play: Minola, a wealthy Italian Lord had two daughters, one, a vicious loud-mouthed number called Kate; the other, a fair, genteel lady, called Bianca. Naturally, Bianca had more suitors than her sister who had no wish to marry. Minola (scared that he’d be stuck with Kate forever) decided that Kate must be wed before Bianca. Bianca’s suitors undeterred, resolved to find a man brave enough to marry Kate. They finally found and paid a young man, Petruchio, (he wanted a rich wife), to marry Kate and they continued their pursuit of Bianca. Meanwhile, Petruchio somehow managed not only to marry Kate but to turn her into an even-tempered person by becoming an even bigger shrew than she was! Read the book to find out how Petruchio tamed the shrew and how Lucentio outwitted his rivals and won Bianca’s hand in marriage!
THUMBS UP AND DOWN
UP: I loved this book as a child! Well, to be honest, I loved (and still love) all Shakespeare’s comedies. You won’t catch me dead reading Macbeth, Hamlet or Othello. I laughed my head off while reading this, and I recommend for all the members of the family. The major highlight was Petruchio. I laughed till I cried while reading all the things he did to shock poor Kate into becoming a nicer, calmer person.
DOWN: As with all Shakespeare’s books, the unabridged version might be a bit much for children.
RATING
5 Stars
TRIVIA
- Why did the Lord decide to trick poor Sly? To teach him a lesson
- Who was the shrew? Kate, Minola’s first daughter and Bianca’s older sister.
- Who tamed the shrew? Petruchio, her husband.
- How many suitors did Bianca have? Hortensio, Gremio and Lucentio.
- Minola vowed to give his daughter Bianca away on one condition? His first daughter, Kate the vicious shrew, had to find a husband first.
- How did Lucentio try to win Bianca’s love? He conned his way into Minola’s home by pretending to be Bianca’s Latin teacher!
Visit William Shakespeare here: http://www.shakespeare-online.com
CHALLENGE: The Taming of the Shrew
CREATE (WRITE a Story/Poem OR DRAW)
- Write a story within a story. (600 words) (8 – 9 year olds)
OR
- Write a 1000-word story titled ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ (10-12 year olds)
Send your answers to ugochinyelu.anidi@gmail.com
Entry requirements: Entrants must be within the 8-12 age range. The first correct entry will be announced on this page and will win a copy of this book.
Answers must be submitted before 12:00am on Sunday, May 15th 2016.
Next Book of the Week:
TWELFTH NIGHT by William Shakespeare
U G O . . . .A N I D I 