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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. What does the Latin word “regia,” used by Bianca in Act III, Scene I, translate to in English?

2. What does Petruchio claim “now is sharp and passing empty” in Act IV, Scene I?

3. What word from Act III, Scene I refers to the whole series of recognized musical notes?

4. Petruchio tells Katharina in Act III, Scene II, “Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee, Kate: / I'll buckler thee against” what?

5. Whose “dagger was not come from sheathing” according to Grumio in Act IV, Scene I?

Short Essay Questions

1. What schemes do Tranio and Lucentio reveal in Act III, Scene II?

2. Whom do Petruchio and Katharina encounter along their travels in Act IV, Scene V?

3. How does Lucentio go about revealing his identity in Act III, Scene I? How does Bianca respond?

4. How does Tranio convince the Pedant to agree to his disguise in Act IV, Scene IV?

5. Where do Petruchio and Katharina arrive in Act IV, Scene I? How is Petruchio’s behavior characterized?

6. How does Katharina respond to Petruchio’s delay at the wedding in Act III, Scene II?

7. What conversation takes place between Tranio, Lucentio, and Bianca in Act IV, Scene II?

8. Characterize the relationship between Katharina and Petruchio in the narrative. How is their relationship commonly approached in performance?

9. How would you characterize the Pedant in Act IV?

10. How does Petruchio win his argument in Act IV, Scene V?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the characters of Hortensio and Gremio in the play. How wealthy are each of these suitors? Does Baptista show preference of one suitor over the other for his daughter’s hand in marriage? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Personal Rivalries in The Taming of the Shrew

a. Discuss the rivalries for Bianca’s hand in marriage in the play. Who seeks to court Bianca? What plots do these suitors develop in order to achieve their goals?

b. Discuss the sibling rivalry between Katharina and Bianca in the narrative. Why does Katharina resent her sister? How are Bianca’s feeling for Katharina illustrated in the play?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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