The Taming of the Shrew: Induction I and II

[Scheherazade]

We will be reading 'Induction I and II' during the first week of January (by the 8th).

Please post your opinions and thoughts on this part of the play here.

Induction I

Induction II

[Nightshade]

Well Ive never read this part before. I wonder why? I thought Id read the whole play. Anyway Im not perfectly sure anymore but it echos in a way what happens later doesnt it? What with whats his name pretending to be mad/poor.
Is it just me or does Sly's style of talking change halfway through Induction II when hes convinced he is who they say?

[Petruchio]

Personally, I love the play. We even did it in school and people loved it!
It has both comedy and teaches us a valuable lesson..........though only to those who wish to learn it!

[Petruchio]

well, if you are a true literature fan and are actually enthusiastic about reading Shakespeare then you will like it!
But if you just reading coz you have to, then its no use.

[Silv]

The Induction so far is quite interesting, already setting the stage for mischief on the part of the real Lord and his servants. Some questions that came to mind though, is the Lord's intent for deceiving Sly. Does he do this regularly for amusement, or only for Sly since he despises "swine" of Sly's kind? That was what I thought, but wasn't sure of. His purpose is also not really known at this point, but it's something I'd like to see

Is it just me or does Sly's style of talking change halfway through Induction II when hes convinced he is who they say?

Hehe yeah, I noticed that too. I think it's because after hearing of all the things he has access to (riches, food, and a pretty lady!) he changes his attitude considerably out of greed. At that point I don't think he's really convinced yet that he's a Lord, but he can't be bothered about it either. This is obvious from his disregard of how to address his Lady, and how he finally decides to settle for just "Madam wife", an unconscious and impatient compromise between the upper-class formalities and his lower-class upbringing - all he wants is the awesome stuff that comes with being a Lord.



//Edit:
Also, as I was reading I found the need to lookup several colloquial terms used, so I thought I'd post up what I came across as it may be useful to anyone interested:

Glossary
• paucas pallabris
In Modern Spanish, pocas palabras means “few words.”
• denier
a small, obsolete French coin of little value.
• third-borough
constable.
• “Breathe Merriman—the poor cur is embossed”
“Let the dog, Merriman, breathe. The poor dog is foaming at the mouth from exhaustion.”
• diaper
a napkin or towel.
• “husbanded with modesty”
“managed with decorum.”
• overeying
witnessing.
• veriest antic
oddest buffoon or eccentric.
• buttery
a place where the food supplies of a household are kept; pantry.
• small ale
weak (and therefore cheap) ale.
• sack
any of various dry white wines from Spain or the Canary Islands, popular in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
• conserves
a kind of jam made of two or more fruits, often with nuts or raisins added.
• cardmaker
maker of cards, or combs, used to prepare wool for spinning.
• “on the score”
“in debt.”
• bestraught
distracted.
• Semiramis
a queen of Assyria noted for her beauty, wisdom, and sexual exploits: reputed founder of Babylon: based on a historical queen of the ninth century B.C.
• welkin
the vault of heaven, the sky, or the upper air.
• course
hunt the hare.
• Adonis
in Greek myth, a handsome young man loved by Aphrodite: he is killed by a wild boar.
• Cytherea
Aphrodite.
• sedges
any of the plants of the sedge family often found on wet ground or in water, having usually triangular, solid stems, three rows of narrow, pointed leaves, and minute flowers borne in spikelets.
• Io
a maiden loved by Zeus and changed into a heifer by jealous Hera or, in some tales, by Zeus to protect her: she is watched by Argus and is driven to Egypt, where she regains human form.
• Daphne
a nymph who is changed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo’s advances.
• Apollo
the god of music, poetry, prophecy, and medicine, represented as exemplifying manly youth and beauty: later identified with Helios.
• “present her at the leet”
“bring accusation against [the Hostess] at the manorial court.”
• Amends
recovery.

[Virgil]

Oh great, this has gotten started. I've got a large reading list going right now, but I will read this shortly.

[Nightshade]

I forgot the word never in my earlier post changes the meaning considerably.
hey silv that is useful

[papayahed]

The Induction so far is quite interesting, already setting the stage for mischief on the part of the real Lord and his servants. Some questions that came to mind though, is the Lord's intent for deceiving Sly. Does he do this regularly for amusement, or only for Sly since he despises "swine" of Sly's kind? That was what I thought, but wasn't sure of. His purpose is also not really known at this point, but it's something I'd like to see

I'm wondering the same thing, why go to all the trouble of decieving Sly....Kinda mean really.

[Nightshade]

How to ask questions without spoilers??

[Redzeppelin]

The induction raises one of the key issues of Taming: identity - who am I? Is who/what I perceive myself to be true? Shakespeare's comedies thrive on mistaken identity/disguise, but often the MI/D is a choice a character makes (with some exceptions like in Midsummer Night's Dream); here, we have a character being told who he is and he accepting it. The question is, why does Sly accept his proffered identity?

[Nightshade]

Because its more sociallbly and personally desirable?

[Redzeppelin]

A distinct possibility - but we have to ask if his decision is rational: would we do the same? If you woke up in a 5 million dollar mansion and were told it was yours, would you accept that identity as easily as Sly accepted his?

[Nightshade]

how much do I want it??

[Redzeppelin]

Agreeing to something because you "want" it is different from accepting that something as true. Granted, I guess we could debate as to whether or not Sly actually believed he was who he was told he was, or if he just went along with the game.

[Silv]

The induction raises one of the key issues of Taming: identity - who am I? Is who/what I perceive myself to be true? Shakespeare's comedies thrive on mistaken identity/disguise, but often the MI/D is a choice a character makes (with some exceptions like in Midsummer Night's Dream); here, we have a character being told who he is and he accepting it. The question is, why does Sly accept his proffered identity?

Nice bringing this key issue up - wouldn't have thought of it otherwise.

I think I agree with Nightshade on this one - Sly accepts his proffered identity (for now, anyway. not sure what happens later on) because he wants direct access to a Lord's life.

Also, he has nothing to win by denying he's a Lord, nor does he have anything to lose by agreeing that he is a Lord. He only stands to gain, therefore he did what was logical in this situation and just decided "go with the flow".