Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew, focuses heavily on the character of Kate, the “shrew” of the story, and her transition from an unlovable, capricious hag to the image of a perfect wife. Surrounding this story of Petruchio and Kate are the comical antics of Hortensio and Lucentio as they scheme to conquer Bianca. Beyond this, we follow Tranio's efforts to pass himself off as a nobleman and continue to further Lucentio's plots by hiring the help of a wandering merchant. Even further from this, outside of the plot, is the rather strange introduction to the play in which a gentleman plays a prank on Sly, a worthless beggar, and makes him believe he is a nobleman. All of these stories have a very strong common theme underlying them. Almost all of the main characters are engaged in role switching, whether by their own volition or the actions of others. However, when all is accomplished, there is one character who has truly transformed into a new person. All the role swapping for plotting or pranking simply underlines Kate's genuine change in character. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The first change of roles, which gives a taste of what is to come in the main story, is the strange introduction of Christopher Sly. An unnamed gentleman finds him sleeping and has the brilliant idea to make Sly believe that he only imagined himself to be a beggar. The lord changes role and becomes a servant and the beggar transforms into a lord. This joke is indicative of the very first change of roles found in the actual story in which Lucentio becomes a humble schoolmaster and his servant, Tranio, takes Lucentio's place. However, the nameless lord's change of role, while temporary like that of Lucentio and Tranio, is simply a joke for his amusement. Sly is willing to step into his new role as lord and assume it permanently: "For my life, I am a lord indeed, / And not a tinker nor Chistophero Sly" (Taming of the Shrew Ind 2.70-71), but he is the object of ridicule, he is not part of the scheme. The story of Kate, Petruchio, Lucentio, Bianca and the others is enacted for Sly. This is perhaps yet another prank on the gentleman's part, attempting to show Sly a role-switching play to give him a clue as to what happened to him. It is never revealed whether or not Sly got the joke. The beginning of the main story introduces Lucentio and Tranio, the first characters from the play within the play to change roles. Lucentio does this, however, as a plot to win the love of the beautiful Bianca: “Let me be a slave, to reach that maiden” (1.1.216). His servant Tranio is not at all against it and admits, in fact, that he has the same idea: “Master, by my hand, / Our inventions meet and leap into one” (1.1.186-187). However, the obstacle remains in the form of Kate, who must marry before Bianca. Kate is portrayed in her true form at the beginning of the play. It's overbearing and nothing short of terrifying. Her transformation will not be sudden, like the roles that change around her, but it requires time and effort on Petruchio's part. Shakespeare makes it very clear that any change in her is nothing short of miraculous: “Thinkest thou, Hortensius, though / his father be very rich, that a man is so foolish as to be / married to hell?” (1.1.122-124) She, a bit like Sly, will never take part in plots or pranks, but unlike Sly, her change will be permanent and for the better. Hortensio and Lucentio appear in their altered roles as Bianca's guardians at the same time as Petruchio is introduced to Kate. Ironically, while Hortensio eLucentio both pretend to be guardians to woo Bianca, Petruchio becomes more like a true guardian to Kate in the ways of gentle feminine virtue. Hortensio's change of role does not end successfully. While attempting to write poetry as Litio the guardian and plead the cause of Hortensio the suitor, Lucentio has exposed himself to Bianca not as Cambio, but Lucentio. Hortensio recognizes that Bianca is growing increasingly fond of his rival Cambio/Lucentio, and makes plans: "If I once find you about, / Hortensio will be completely with you changing" (3.1.89-90). If Bianca doesn't seem supportive of his proposal, he considers simply moving on to another woman, a widow who wants his favor. Thus, Hortensio prepares to change roles once again, leaving behind his position as tutor.Lucentio and Tranio realize that in To complete their plan, they need a character to play the role of the father of Lucentio, Vincentio. Tranio, through a humorous deception, convinces a willing merchant, known in the play as a pedant, to take on that role. The pedant doesn't care since he is working his way up from a simple pedant to a rich and prestigious merchant: “Under all these circumstances I will educate you. / Come with me to dress as it suits you” (4.2.120-121). Therefore, the next role is taken on. The whole plan must end when Vincentio himself appears. However, much like Sly's situation with the lord, everyone except Vincentio himself insists on an alternative truth to what Vincentio knows to be true. As much as he insists on declaring himself Vincentio, the characters of Tranio, the pedant, Gremio, Baptista and Biondello are against him: «Deny him, / deny him, otherwise we are all lost» (5.1.98-99). ). However, Lucentio and Bianca emerge and resolve the issue by confessing everything. Petruchio and Kate, deserving of greater depth, are left for last. Much of their drama parallels the actions of the other characters, particularly in the roles taken on by the other characters. When Petruchio enters the scene, he is immediately marked as a good match for the annoying Kate. Petruchio is confrontational, demonstrative and stubborn. At first he sees Kate as a means to obtain wealth: "I come to marry her richly in Padua - / If richly, then happily in Padua" (1.2.73-74), but by the end of course he has discovered her better qualities and comes to truly love her. However, this is not so much a change in his character as in hers. Petruchio's change of role occurs after meeting and understanding Kate's nature and what is needed to face her. In fact, he takes on two different personas before finally returning to his true self. Likewise, Kate must change from her original, shrewish self, to a tormented, embittered woman, to a contented, kind wife. Petruchio's attitude towards Kate when he meets her is completely different from when he first marries her, as he is different once again. when he tamed her. When he first meets her, he refuses to be lured and considers her every harsh word beautiful: “Your virtues have spoken, and your beauty resonates, / Yet not so deeply as it belongs to you, / I myself am driven to woo you for my wife” (2.1.192-194). Perhaps by trying to unbalance her, he certainly manages to break her down to the point where she can no longer fight him. She is engaged despite her attempts to protest. This is a humorous parallel to the corny courtship of Lucentio and Bianca: “I read that I profess the Art of Love” (4.2.8). However, Lucentio is not playing a role when he speaks to Bianco in this way. Petruchio certainly is. His teasing sends Kate into a rage, but it also confuses her. He has found his partner and he doesn't know how. 1969.