The Taming of the Shrew cover

The Taming of the Shrew

Rating 4.1
Word count
57K words
Chapters
25
ISBN
9787532771899

Tags

Summary

The Taming of the Shrew is an early comedy by Shakespeare, amusing and full of lively incident. It tells of a clever man who, by ingenious stratagem, succeeds in transforming a hot-tempered heiress into a gentle and virtuous wife. The vivid personalities and spirited dialogue leave a lasting impression.

Editor's review

The Taming of the Shrew is a controversial and vibrant early comedy by Shakespeare, written in the 1590s, the first great period of his dramatic career. On the surface it is a rough, boisterous tale: Katherina, a rich man's daughter, is branded a "shrew" for her fiery temper and sharp tongue—until she meets Petruchio, who is determined to "tame" her. Yet the play's value goes far beyond its farcical surface.

As an editor, I believe the key to reading The Taming of the Shrew lies in grasping its complex doubleness. On one hand, it genuinely reflects Elizabethan social attitudes and expectations of gender roles, in which a male-dominated, wife-submissive model of marriage embodied the mainstream values of the time. On the other, Shakespeare, with his genius, breathes extraordinary vitality and intelligence into the character of Katherina. Her "shrewishness" is in some measure a fierce rebellion against social constraint; and her final "taming" can also be read as a strategic compromise by which she secures personal space and respect within the established social rules.

This edition from Shanghai Translation Publishing House offers an accurate and finely literary translation that preserves the poetry and rhythm of Shakespeare's original while accommodating the reading habits of modern Chinese readers. The detailed notes and introduction help readers understand the cultural background, linguistic conventions and dramatic traditions of the Elizabethan age. To read this work is not only to enjoy a boisterous comedy but to enter an important gateway into Shakespeare's dramatic world, inviting us to ponder enduring themes of power, gender, performance and social role.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers with a budding interest in Shakespeare's plays who wish to begin with the comedies
  • Scholars and students of Renaissance literature, drama and social culture
  • Thinkers who enjoy exploring gender issues and power relations in classic works
  • Theatre lovers, especially those interested in dramatic structure and the art of dialogue

Not a good fit for

  • Readers expecting a simple love story fully in line with modern feminist values
  • Readers with no patience for the Elizabethan English language and cultural background

Reading tips

  1. Read the introduction or translator's preface first to understand the play's background and central controversies
  2. While reading, pay attention to the puns and irony in Katherina's lines to appreciate the character's complexity
  3. Read this play alongside Shakespeare's other comedies (such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night) to understand his early comic style

About the publisher

Shanghai Translation Publishing House China · Founded in 1978

Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 前言
  3. 剧中人物
  4. 序幕人物
  5. 序幕
  6. 第一景 乡村小酒店前
  7. 第二景 华丽的卧室
  8. 第一幕
  9. 第一景 帕度亚的广场
  10. 第二景 霍坦旭家门前
  11. 第二幕
  12. 第一景 室内
  13. 第三幕
  14. 第一景 室内
  15. 第二景 宅前
  16. 第四幕
  17. 第一景 彼特鲁乔的住宅
  18. 第二景 室内
  19. 第三景 彼特鲁乔家中
  20. 第四景 帕度亚,宅子前
  21. 第五景 大路口
  22. 第五幕
  23. 第一景 卢森修的寓所前
  24. 第二景 室内
  25. 考证

FAQ

Is The Taming of the Shrew a misogynistic work?
This is a central and complex question. On the surface, the plot does depict a man "taming" a woman, reflecting the limitations of its era. But many modern critics hold that Shakespeare subtly questions and parodies the gender norms of his time through Katherina's wit, Petruchio's exaggerated "performance," and the multiple possible readings of Katherina's famous final speech. It is more like a mirror that both reflects history and invites the audience to think critically.
What are the features of this edition?
Editions from Shanghai Translation Publishing House are usually known for the quality of their translations; this edition should offer a fluent, faithful and literary Chinese rendering. It very likely includes detailed notes explaining the linguistic difficulties, cultural allusions and dramatic conventions of Shakespeare's age, along with a scholarly introduction or afterword to help readers understand the text in depth.
Why is The Taming of the Shrew still widely performed and studied today?
Despite the controversy of its surface theme, the play's explorations of "performativity" (role-play, the playing of social roles), "the negotiation of power" (between the sexes and between classes), and "the power of language" are timeless. Directors and actors can endow it with fresh modern meaning through different interpretations and stagings, making it a prism that refracts the social attitudes of different eras.

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor of the Renaissance. Born in Stratford, he is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Antony and Cleopatra, and his sonnets. His plays span tragedy, comedy, and history, with vividly drawn characters and a poetic, rhetorically charged style that probes human nature and power with particular depth. Translated into many languages and performed worldwide, his works have had a profound influence. This site holds 187 of his works, including English-Chinese bilingual editions for comparative reading.