TotS: Act II questions

Directions: In addition to the journal you have due tomorrow,which you have had OVER a week to complete (please refer to the syllabus this week), finish reading/translating Act II. Then, answer the following questions. You will need them to complete the classwork assignment. You got a hard copy of this in class as well, but just in case your dog eats it, you shall have access to it via the internet. Oh, no excuses!!

1.  What information does Katherine hope to gain by tying Bianca’s hands and questioning her?

2.  What type of language does Petruchio use to describe Katherine during his discussion with Baptista? (lines 42-65)  What does this tell us about his character? Explain.

3.  What names do Hortensio and Lucentio assume?  What roles will they play?

4.  What character does Tranio assume?  How does Baptista react to him?  Please quote from the text.

5.  Summarize the content of Petruchio and Baptista’s conversation in your own words!!
6.  How is Hortensio injured?

7.  When Katherine and Petruchio meet how do they get along?  Particularly, what is the tone and attitude in lines 182-196, 209-220, and in Petruchio’s lines 264-277

8.  What does Petruchio claim about his and Katherine’s interaction?  How does Baptista react?
 
9.  At the end of Act II what are Tranio, Gremio, and Baptista discussing?  What decision is made?  What must Tranio do in light of this decision?

TotS Notes/questions: ActI, scene i

Directions: Read/take notes/respond to I,i. Just in case you lost your copy or were not in school…You DO have access to the online version of the play. NO EXCUSES as to why this is late!

Scene i

1. So far, explain and characterize Sly (tis OK to make judgments, predictions, and inferences):
2. Characterize the Lord:
3. In line 3, what does the word “fruitful” mean, both its literal and figurative meaning? 
4. Ultimately, what is Tranio’s advice for his lord (lines 25 – 40)? 
5. Think Quick: What are your thoughts on arranged marriages? Try to look at it from both the male and female perspective. 
6. What does “cart” mean in line 55? What is your reaction? 
7. Explain lines 57 – 66. What does Hortensio mean in lines? What is Katherine’s reaction? How could this be significant to the title of the play?
8. What does Lucentio observe about Bianca? 
9. In line 80, what is Katherine’s opinion of her sister? 
10. Explain the allusion in line 85. Why does he call Bianca that? 
11. How do the suitors feel about Baptista’s decision to withhold Bianca from them? 
12. What kind of personality does Katherine have, use lines 104 – 6 to help you. Be sure to explain why. 
13. What “pact” do Hortensio and Gremio make?
14.  What is Tranio’s and Lucentio’s plan (lines 196-213)?
15. What reason does Lucentio tell Biondello concerning the “swap” (lines 232 – 240)?
16. With whom does the scene end?

TotS: Introduction Questions

Directions: Just in case you lost or left behind your hard copy, I have placed it here. Please read BOTH scenes in the introduction and answer the following questions. BE PREPARED FOR POP QUIZZES!!

Scene i:

1. Based on the conversation with the hostess (lines 1 – 15), what kind of personality does Sly have? Be sure to analyze specific things this says to her in order to make an assessment of him.
2. What “Prank” is the Lord/huntsman going to play on sly?
3. Explain the significance of lines 65 – 67.
4. Make a prediction at this point: what affect will this prank have on the plot and development of the story?
5. Explain the significance of line 74: Is this true for everyone?
6. Think Quick: Does changing one’s appearance change the demeanor or personality? Think, connect, respond.
7. What is the lord’s plan for the page? Explain and predict using his monologue lines 110 – 135.
8. Think Quick: How could the Lord be “marginalizing” Sly? Explain.

Scene ii:

1. What have the servants convinced Sly of (lines 79-80)?
2. What does the messenger tell the Lord at the end of the scene?
3. Why is this a play within a play and what do you predict?

On-line Text: Taming of the Shrew

Well, talk about some BLA specials…

Due to the lack of books and lack of decent/complete copies of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, I will keep a set in the room for us to use during class time. But, when you have homework to complete, you will need the text. I have left some options up to you.

Please decide what you want and see me by Thursday if you need to sign out a novel.

Option #1: Buy a book.

 The cost of the book is about $5, but you need it for the weekend. The upside to this is that you can take you own notes in the margins, which I think is so much better! If you want to donate the copy (if you did not write in it) when you are finished, it would be much appreciated.

Option #2: Use the Online text. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL VERSION

This is one of the better versions I found. It is also available in a downloadable PDF. If you want to print it, go ahead, but that might be a waste of paper/ink. If you have any problems with the website, let me know as you encounter them so I can make necessary accommodations. The downside: the line numbers are not the same in my version. Each scene starts back at #1 in my version, whereas this online text has continuous line numbers. So, when you do your questions, they go in chronological order.

Option #3: Sign-out a book.

I do not have enough copies for ALL of my students. So, if you need a book, you need to see me by Thursday to sign it out. Also, there are three different versions of the play available, so the book I am using may not be the one you are using. Love those BLA Specials….

If you have ANY suggestions on how we can make this work, I am very open to problem solving, but remember, we don’t have printers or a copy machine…

See me so we can discuss.

Shakespearean Words

“UGH! Shakespeare is SOOOO HARD!!!”

Need some help?

When translating, here are lists of helpful websites for you to use if you are having difficulty.

Shakespeare’s Glossay: CLICK HERE for an entire glossary of Elizabethan and Shakespearean terms. All in ABC order!

Language and Terms:  CLICK HERE for a list of some of the most common words in Shakespeare with which you might not be familiar.  There is also a link to a printable version of this list at the bottom of the page. 

Shakespeare’s Dictionary: CLICK HERE for this personal dictionary of troublesome words found in Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. It is limited to words that have fallen out of use, OR whose meanings have changed over the centuries. You can search for words at the bottom of the page!