Acts 3, 4 & 5 of Taming

For Thursday, we were suppose to read Act 3, 4 & 5 as well as A Merry Jest of a Shrewd and Curst Wife. For A Merry Jest, I don't have much to say. Like we talked about in class, I definitely think reading it makes Taming seem less harsh, which is pretty impressive because Taming has some pretty intense moments. I'm also really interested in Shakespeare's dropping of the mother in A Merry Jest. Why is there no mother in Taming? We talked about that having the mother there gives motive to Jane or Kate for being shrewish, and without a mother, we can't really say why Kate is how she is. Well, maybe we can blame Bianca, but still, there's less of a direct answer. Dr S pointed out that mothers are very rare in Shakespeare's work, and when they are present, they are pretty nuts. I think having Kate have a mother would completely change the dynamic of who Kate is. I'm not sure that I would want to add a mother, but it's interesting to think about.

As for the acts we were supposed to read, I think Scene ii of Act III is one of the most difficult scenes for me to swallow. It's certainly a scene that makes me sympathize with Katharina. Like we talked about in class, the wedding day is the wife-to-be's day, and Petruchio completely strips her of that, and it's heart breaking. Kate says,

Now must the world point at poor Katharina
And say, "Lo, there is mad Petruchio's wife,
If it would please him come and marry her!" (III.ii.19-21)

And then there's the matter of his wedding garb and the condition of the horse he rides in on. I certainly think the horse is symbolic. But of what? I think the horse can be read as a serious threat to Kate, saying look how far I'm willing to go with this taming. Or I think it can be read as something that makes an idiot of Petruchio. He can't take proper care of his horse, which during the period would certainly be a reflection of his capabilities (or lack there of) as a husband. So, I think that can go either way. I prefer the second, I guess, just because I'm always looking for a way to save Kate and make Petruchio out to be the stupid ass (that he is).

While we're on the subject of Petruchio's horse, I guess I should say I thought Robert gave a very nice presentation. I thought the years of experience he has showed in comparison to my attempt to present a lesson. It was a great learning opportunity for those of us who have yet to teach, though. I think he did a really good job making it relatable to his audience of high school students. I can see them thinking the tricked out cars are hilarious, and that engages them, which is really what impressed me. Through something so simple, Robert found a way to hook them into a conversation about Petruchio and about how value is determined based on appearance. It was good.

I also really like Katelyn's lesson, because she was touching on some issues that really interest me. Do the clothes make the man or does the man make the clothes? And I've said man intentionally, because, as we notice in class, it's only the men in play who are able to visibly have disguises. I think that certainly comments, though, on the role of women in the period. They weren't wearing masks, but they were certainly putting on the proper face, the face society wants (Bianca) or doesn't want (Katharina) to see. It makes me sympathize with the women in the play, because at what point are they relieved from their disguises? Are they even?

And I guess that gets to Allen's lesson about what happens when the masks come off. I think it's interesting in Act V that characters are so easily transitioned back from their disguised self to their "real" selves; whereas, Sly's transition back to "reality" would mean being put back into a gutter. And I think that's why there can't be an epilogue. We don't need or want to see the disenchantment of Sly. We don't want to see him descend the social ladder. We like where he is, especially is we're a poorer member of an Early Modern audience, who is coming to believe that drunken tinkers truly can be transmuted into lords that "smell sweet savor and feel soft things." Back to Allen's lesson, though. I think Allen bit off a huge chunk by talking about disguises. It's so hard to talk about them because there is just too much to talk about. The whole play is about disguises. But I think Allen did a good job of it, and I think his lesson play would translate amazingly into a plan of attack on the play as a whole.

Anyway, I'm sad Taming is done and gone. It's my favorite!

Ah, I need to talk about today's, Thursday's, acting class. Things definitely got better today. I was nervous when I had to recite my line, but I managed, as we all did I think. Better than that, though, the acting out of the scene as a class was so much fun. I honestly can't remember the last time I had that much fun in class. Something about the fact that it's a comedy, that I could hear Ms M laughing as we ran around our makeshift stage, made me feel less like an idiot. In days previous, I've been to afraid of looking stupid to really go from anything, but that was the point of this scene. We didn't have the pressure of too many line (Thanks real actors!), so we were able to just try to be funny with our bodies, which was great fun for me. This is the first exercise that I can really say I want to use if I were teaching Shakespeare. There have been others that I'd consider using, but this one I really want to incorporate, because it just opens people up and allows them to let out the funny/ silly that's inside of them. I really think everybody has a funny side, it's just a matter of getting it out, and this exercise really did this for me. Great!