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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Christopher Sly claim to hail from in Scene II of the Induction?

2. Whom does “the shrew” refer to in the play?

3. Who does Tranio (in disguise) claim is his father in Act II, Scene I?

4. What is the name of Petruchio’s recently deceased father in the play?

5. What word from Act II, Scene I means leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Christopher Sly? What events surround him in Scene I of the Induction?

2. What does Petruchio announce after his meeting with Katharina when Baptista returns in Act II, Scene I?

3. What takes place between Katharina and Bianca in the opening of Act II?

4. What characters (in disguise) are introduced in Act I, Scene II?

5. What is an “induction”? What is the subject of the Induction in The Taming of the Shrew?

6. How would you characterize Tranio’s performance in his disguise in the play?

7. How does Petruchio describe his plan for dealing with Katharina as he waits to meet her in Act II, Scene I?

8. How is Katharina’s character established as “shrewish” in Act II?

9. What plot do Lucentio and Tranio concoct in Act I, Scene I? What is their objective with this scheme?

10. Where are Lucentio and Tranio traveling in Act I, Scene I? What conversation do they overhear in this scene?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characters of Katharina and Bianca in the play. How old are these sisters? How do their relationships with their father differ? How does Shakespeare effectively use contrast in illustrating Katharina and Bianca?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the characters of Lucentio and Tranio in the play. How does Shakespeare’s language and style of speech indicate the character traits of these individuals in the play? What indications are there in the text regarding the characters’ appearances? How old are Lucentio and Tranio?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the importance of dowers and dowries in the marriage contracts of sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe. How accurate is Shakespeare’s depiction in the play? What is the dowry agreed upon for Katharina? How much does Petruchio offer as a dower?

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