How Does Shakespeare Use Deception In The Taming Of The Shrew

Throughout the Taming of the Shrew, the idea, and action of deception become prevalent within the analysis of the main characters. A maze is created through the deception of the character’s behavior and the elaborate exchange of clothing and roles. The plot of the play revolves around how the characters disguise themselves and pretend to be other people, all in order to gain the favor of a girl. Shakespeare uses deception and blindness to fuel an environment of humor and dramatic irony to create a comedic play for his audiences.

Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses deception to increase the level of dramatic irony within his viewers. The play begins with deception, a lord brings a drunken man into his home and uses servants to convince

that same drunken man that he is a lost lord and has finally returned home. “This induction, which at first sight appears irrelevant, dramatizes a recurring theme in all of Shakespeare’s comedies and the central theme of this play: the deceptiveness of appearances” (Mazzeno). The idea is that if one is made to look like something and is told that they are a particular person, then they should believe it, “Sirs, I will practice on this drunken man. What think you, if he were conveyed to bed, Wrapped in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers. A most delicious banquet by his head, and brave attendants near him when he wakes, would not the beggar then forget himself”(IND. Sc.1)? Deception is used to deceive not only one's self but others around them as well. Shakespeare uses deception to add a hint of humor to his play but also to add an underlying message that can be found at the conclusion of the play. Another example of the play that shows deception is the wooing of Bianca. Four men, Lucentio, Hortensio, Tranio and Biondello are all disguised as different people, each part of a plan to woo Bianca, “Enter Gremio; Lucentio (disguised as Cambio), Petruchio with Hortensio (disguised as Litio), Tranio (disguised as Luentio) and Biondello (disguised as a servant)” (Act. 2 SC. 1). All of these men are dressed as others, they want to become someone else other than themselves. The audience knows that these men are not who they seem, adding to the humor and irony of the play.
The title of the play conveys the message that the following piece of work contains elements of disguise and deception by referring to Kate as a shrew. The deception of character in the main plot between Petruchio and Kate strengthens the confusion as to whom Shakespeare is characterizing as the real shrew. The reader is first lead to believe Shakespeare regarded Kate as the shrew due toward her attitude, rude, angered and indifferent, toward everyone. “Petruchio: Come, come, you wasp, I ‘faith you are too angry. Kate: If I be waspish, best beware my sting.”(2.1.207-208). This exchange between the two shows how quick-witted Kate is and how other characters might see her, as a dangerous animal. Later, however, after Kate and Petruchio are married, the reader can discover that the real shrew of the play is Petruchio. Through observing Petruchio’s actions toward Kate, it can be concluded that Petruchio’s attitude toward the world is more self-serving than Kate’s is, “He is unabashedly selfish, materialistic, and determined to be his wife’s lord and master”(Mabillard pg. 1). This view of the world, the notion that everything is about him, and specifically his concept of the relationship between a man and a woman exemplifies his shrewdness.
Blindness is another aspect of the play that contributes to the humor and irony of the play. The other characters know Katherine as a shrew, a bad-tempered or mean-spirited woman. Her father is trying to arrange a marriage with a suitor but with her attitude, he is finding it hard. One, man Petruchio, wanted to marry into a wealthy family and when he hears about Katherine, he decides she will fit his plan. He choose to be blind to her behavior and attitude, only caring about what he might gain, “Be she as curst and shrewd as socrates’ Xanthippe or worse, She moves me not, or not removes at least affection’s edge in me, were she as rough as the swirling Adriatic seas. I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; if wealthy than happily in Puda” (Act. 1 SC. 2). He could care less if she was bad tempered, or that she did not invoke any feelings within him, it was all about the money and status he would receive. He was blind to the fact that she was actually they type of wife he was looking for. Lucentio was the blindest of all through. The play explores the moment when the two lovers are joined in marriage and shows how their disguises unintentionally facilitated their romance. In the end of the play, one can concur that Lucentio has this image of love ingrained into his mind, but that his conception of love was unable to withstand the trial of time, “Lucentio’s theatrical love, attractive though it is, appears unable to cope with the full range of problems and considerations facing married couples in adult life”(Champion). It seems as though Petruchio’s notion of love through his, “disturbing, flamboyant pragmatism” (Champion), was the one that produced a happy marriage above Licentious marriage. During the wedding scene, Petruchio makes a bet with his fellow gentlemen, seeing who had the most control over their wives and which one’s wife respected her husband the most. It is Kate who answers her husband's call, “Kate: Whatever my husband asks becomes my will. Lucentio: Here is a wonder if you talk of a wonder. Hortensio: And so it is: I wonder what it bodes. Petruchio: Peace it bodes, and love and quiet life” (5.2. 115-118). This quote shows how blind everyone was toward Kate’s attitude toward the world. They all see her as this unchanging shrew, who will never create a happy life for herself and for anyone whom she might marry. In the end, however, she proves everyone wrong by answering her husband, a feat none of the other wives completed. Blindness can make us see what we want to see and not what truly is in front of us.
Blindness and deception may not be the most common ways to create dramatic irony and humor, but Shakespeare manages to incorporate both into his play giving it a deeper feeling.

The audience is privy to all the scenes, that’s what makes the play possible. The audience knows what is going on when the characters themselves do not. As each character disguises themselves, the audience can follow along which creates the humor aspect of the play. “His characters are manipulated into situations which are humorous and as a result mistaken identity or absurd confusion ensues. Thus, the characters are revealed only in terms of what they do”(Champion). As the play continues more deceptions seem to occur, and one begins to ponder whether Shakespeare meant for a deeper meaning in his plays. Once might conclude that he was trying to prove that sometimes being yourself does not always work at first, but in the end being yourself is what truly matters. Katherine never pretended to be anyone but herself, despite the horrible things her peers said about her. In the end, she found a loving husband that loved her for her. To truly be oneself, one has to fully accept whom they are inside and out. Shakespeare was trying to convey this message to his audiences through his

plays.
The Humor of the play is expressed through the oblivious deception and comedic sparring through the use of words within the play. Throughout the entire play, it is a constant back and forth with insults thrown between Kate and Petruchio, “Asses are made to bear, and so are you”(2.1. 196), a line said by Kate to Petruchio to show her clear distaste for him. This quote is humorous because she is directly trying to be argumentative saying the first thing that comes to her mind as a response.
As for deception, the ultimate deception that has occurred is the fact that historians have doubts whether Shakespeare actually wrote his plays or not. Anti-Stratfordians have come to believe that Shakespeare was a pen name, used to protect the identity of the true author, who for some unimaginable reason did not want the credit for their work or could not take credit. Shakespeare was believed to have been a poorly educated man whereas the man or woman who wrote these plays was a well-educated, wealthy scholar, “William Shakespeare lacked the education, aristocratic sensibility, or familiarity with the royal court that they say is apparent in the works”(Gordon). Deception can be found all throughout history, one just has to look for it.