Student Essay on Lies, Deceit and Class Conflict in "The Taming of the Shrew"

Lies, Deceit and Class Conflict in "The Taming of the Shrew"

Summary:   Differing language among characters represents the differences between social classes in "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare. The characters, especially Katharina, disguise their personalities, which Shakespeare uses to reveal their foibles and add to the play's farcial humor.

How does Shakespeare present deception and disguise in "The Taming of the Shrew"?

From the title of the play it is clear that the play will contain certain elements of deception and disguise as it is referring to Katharina as a shrew though this is intended as a metaphor to describe Katharina it is essentially a form of disguise. In the induction the theme of deceit and disguise is strongly asserted, this scene also suggests that maybe Shakespeare is questioning our notions of class. For a prime example of the differing use of language used to show someone's respectability and social stature look at the differing uses of language by Sly before and after his supposed transformation into a lord.

When Sly is introduced he speaks threateningly and vulgar, for example "I'll feeze you in faith" this is his opening piece of dialogue and this first impression will make the audience see him as roguish. When compared to Sly's dialogue when he has been convinced he is a lord there is an immense difference in articulacy for example "or do I dream? Or have I dream'd till now? I do not sleep. I see, I hear, I speak." The differing language used to represent class is predominantly the same throughout the play; the higher classes speak in verse of iambic pentameter whereas the lower classes will speak in prose unable to grasp the advanced language used by respectable society. This is seen in the opening dialogue of scene two, Petruchio says "Here, sirrah Grumio, knock I say" to which Grumio replies "Knock, sir? Whom should I knock? Is there any man has rebused your worship?" Grumio's misunderstanding of what Petruchio has said almost asserts his inferiority in this scene, Grumio also talks about worship of Petruchio which shows his almost unconditional servility to Petruchio.

The lord says, when talking about how his practical joke would work, "would not the beggar then forget himself?" which I think was Shakespeare trying to make the ever-present point of class again. Another example of Shakespeare expressing his views on class is the way that throughout the play there is judgement on appearance and presentation. These first impressions based on appearance made in the play are predominantly wrong, points in the play where this happens is with Lucentio changing his appearance to seem like a lower class teacher. Bianca believes because of his appearance he is lower class and almost inferior to her. This is also like the drastic change in Sly's whole persona after he is presented as a lord. I feel Shakespeare was challenging the Elizabethan view on class supremacy. I think that Shakespeare was trying to show that people think class is merely to do with appearance.

The idea of social standing was a relatively controversial subject as not many contemporary writers had dared to acknowledge, let alone challenge class representation; this would explain the discreet assertion of this point. It also shows how Shakespeare would incorporate a relatively insignificant scene with a valid point which would reflect and possibly challenge the moral values of Elizabethan England. An example of this is the introduction as it is completely irrelevant to the main play; I think the introduction is there to show how appearance can be deceiving and that presentation is seen as the basis of class. The introduction's main use is to show the audience the genre of the play. The induction makes it clear that the play is going to contain a certain amount of humour; it also shows that the lower classes are the comic relief of the play, because in the induction a practical joke is being played on Sly. As well as doing all of these things the induction also shows how disguise is going to play a vital role in the play.

Katharina is without a doubt the character in the play that possesses the most disguised personality. At the beginning of the play she is shrewish and has a ferocious temperament but by the end of the play she is passive and supposedly in love with Petruchio. This drastic change in personality begs the question whether Katharina's personality ever really changed and, if not, which is her real personality. At the end of the play Shakespeare makes it clear that he strongly believes in a wife's servility towards her husband. Despite this expression of Katharina supposedly seeing the error of her shrewish ways I think it is too much of a drastic change and maybe obedience is just a form of disguise. This change in Katharina does not really have to be realistic as it is a play within a play so it can be deliberately unrealistic. This means that Katharina's change does not have to be true to life.

The basis of the sub-plot is about disguise though it is meant to be about "wooing" Bianca, it is more based around Lucentio and Tranio trying to keep their reversed roles working. In the sub plot Lucentio has fallen for Bianca, so to get close to her he disguises himself as a teacher whilst his servant Tranio pretends to be Lucentio. These disguises also play a vital part in making the point that the induction makes. There are certain similarities between Sly's change and Tranio's change. They both seem to act with a certain level of nobility and they start to talk more articulately and in verse. Tranio's language before his change is basic: "Well said, master. Mum! And gaze your fill", but after his change his speech is advanced and poetic, for example, "No, sir, but hear I do that he hath two." This change in appearance causes a change in language and persona which is what happens to Sly when he has been convinced that he is a lord. In the induction Shakespeare presents the idea that wealth, appearance, and possessions are not what make a man; the sub plot reinforces the idea that the servants can be just as respectable as the higher classes.

Despite Shakespeare's undertone of class equality snobbery is still evident in the main play. A good example of this is when Hortensio thinks Bianca is in love with a man of a lower social stature. He is put off wooing because of this and he says, "Yet if thy thoughts, Bianca, be so humble, to cast thy wandering eyes on every stale, seize thee that lust - if once I find thee ranging, Hortensio will be quit with thee by changing." This is when Hortensio reveals that he is not really a music teacher and he reveals his true self.

It is interesting how none of the characters interested in courting Bianca feel they can be themselves. Instead they feel that must hide behind a barrier of deceit by disguising themselves as other people. I think this also suggests that men find Bianca intimidating and starts to suggest that she may also be disguising her personality. This disguise of Bianca's personality is also shown at the end as she is one of the wives who refuse to go to their husbands when called. It is interesting how the Lucentio chooses the name Cambio as his name when disguised, as Cambio means change in Spanish and Italian .This further use of the word change show what a vital role the idea of change, deception, and disguise have in the play. I think this also makes it clear that Lucentio is meant to be lower class but all that has changed is his appearance.

All the lies and deceit cause great confusion and eventually the lies catch up with them, resulting in a good piece of borderline slapstick humour. Lucentio's real father (as opposed to the Pendant from Mantua who is impersonating him) Vincentio arrives and much chaotic humour follows: "O immortal gods! O fine villain! A silken doublet, a velvet hose, a scarlet cloak, and a copatain! O, I am undone, I am undone! While I play the good husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at university." The reason Vincentio has reacted so badly is because he can see Tranio disguised as Lucentio. Tranio is wearing Lucentio's clothes and Biondello is playing along with the charade. Vincentio jumps straight to the worst case scenario and thinks either he is going mad or his servants have killed his son. Despite the humorous situation another point about deceiving appearances is made. Biondello says, "Sir, you seem like a sober ancient gentlemen by your habit, but your words show you a mad man." This shows that clothes and appearances do not necessarily tell you the whole truth as appearances can be deceiving.

Petruchio exploits this view about appearances being deceiving on his wedding day to Katharina. He turns up eccentrically dressed in mismatched ragged clothes. Though primarily he has come dressed like this to intimidate Katharina, it can also be associated with the view on clothing appearances being deceiving. Petruchio openly expresses he thinks it doesn't matter what he wears as he says, "To me she's married not unto my clothes." I think this scene shows Petruchio basically saying, "just because my clothes are awful it doesn't mean I am." This is a view which is trying to be shown all the way through the play, for example, Katharina is never said to be ugly but, because of her "shrewish" nature, none of the male characters in the play call her attractive. This view of Katharina is similar to that of Sly in the induction. As he is lower-class he is not expected to act upper-class and speak articulately, and part of the humour for the audience is Sly succeeding in acting like a lord. Katharina and Sly are similar as they are only accepted when they disguise their personalities.

This mass disguise adopted by such a large amount of characters in the play is reflective of the play as a whole. Essentially the play is unrealistic as it is a play within a play. When Petruchio addresses the audience in the piece of dialogue, "He that knows better how to tame a shrew, now let him speak tis charity to show", Petruchio has formally addressed the audience. He has broken the boundaries and made it clear that this play is not reality. This speech by Petruchio does more than just do that; it actually questions the audience about what they would do if they were in the same situation as he is. We are being asked to assess ourselves, to see how we would react in situations like the one Petruchio is in, and he is, in fact, accusing us all of deceit. We are all deceitful in some ways, we are all hiding something from someone else.

What Petruchio was talking about was the kind of deceit with Lucentio, and Hortensio trying to get close to Bianca. Hortensio loses Bianca due to deceit and that is why Petruchio addresses the audience and asks, "He that knows better how to tame a shrew." It is implying that we all get our own way by deceit in some form or another.

Bianca mistakes Petruchio and Hortensio for lower class teachers due to their appearance. The fact that they managed to deceive Bianca into thinking they were lower class just by changing their presentation reflects the point Shakespeare is making throughout the play.

I think Shakespeare uses disguise to show us that it is not appearance, or presentation that define class in the play it is a characters mastery and use of language that does this.