Most of the humor in Taming of the Shrew is based on romantic conflict. Choose one of the many conflicts between two (or three) characters where romance is in the air. Looking at particular passages in the play, discuss how is humor generated by the situation and what sort of subtext that humor may or may not be concealing.
This is my first time actually reading "Taming Of The Shrew". I have watched some movies based on the novel (10 things I hate about you), and I knew what the book was about, but I've never actually read through it. I like it , but it's a little hard to follow, and some of the humor within it is hard to catch with the Shakespearean English.
One of the passages where humor is generated by the situation is when Katharina and Petruchio begin to bicker back and forth. There is humor in that fact that Pertruchio repeatedly refers to Katharina as "Kate" after shes corrects him by saying, " They call me Katharina". He knows that it eats at her, and is annoying but he does it anyway. From the start Katharina puts off this strong "independent woman", quick witted, sassy kind of persona. She is not used to dealing with men who are as quick to come back at her with the same attitude. She also tries to insult him by calling him a stool, and he comes right back with an "OK come sit on me then" comment. This conflict is just humorous to me because for once Katharina is getting a run for her money and she really doesn't know how to react to Petruchio's wittyness. This is a hint that Pertruchio is feeling something for Katharina. He enjoys the rise he gets out of her by getting under her skin.
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