Pre-Show Classroom Activity

Invite students to analyze the implications of The Taming of the Shrew‘s title, and explore the problematic nature of gender roles during Shakespeare’s time. 

As always, please note that some steps of the activity may be condensed, eliminated, or extended based on the needs of your classroom. 

Wait, Did You Say “Taming”? Highlighting Misogyny in The Taming of the Shrew

Activity Preparation

• Supplies:
  • Gender in The Taming of the Shrew handout (one per student)
• Set-Up:
  • As needed, review the quotes in the handout to clarify meaning. Consider utilizing No Fear Shakespeare or another resource to help students, but be sure to give them a chance to grapple with the language on their own first. 
  • There are four quotations provided. Consider starting with a teacher model and then releasing students to partner on the second two, and then having students attempt the final quotation on their own. Alternatively, students may engage with all four quotations through group work. 

This activity will take approximately 40 minutes.

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Learning Sequence

1. Ask if anyone is familiar with the play The Taming of the Shrew; invite them to share what they know or think it is about. Then, ask students to consider what the title means. (~2 minutes) 
2. As appropriate, clarify that the word “taming” refers to the domestication of an animal, making it less powerful and easier to control, and a shrew is a small mammal with a pointed snout. The word “shrew” has come to be an insult for women who stick their nose where it doesn’t belong, and who are otherwise ill-tempered and aggressive. Therefore, this play will deal with the objectification and dehumanization of women, specifically in the context of marriage (a husband’s control over a wife). (~10 minutes) 
3. Distribute the Gender in The Taming of the Shrew handout, and/or display each of the four quotes from The Taming of the Shrew out of context. Have students identify what they think the quotes mean, either by summarizing or paraphrasing in modern-day English. Then ask why these quotes could be considered problematic. (~15 minutes) 
   • As needed, refer to this key for some guidance on why each quote is problematic:
     1. Referring to a woman as a treasure, something valuable to be possessed, rather than an individual.
     2. A list of allusions that imply a wife is nothing but another household possession.
     3. Comparing marriage to taming a wild animal.
     4. Reductive/overly traditional gender roles.
4. Prompt students to discuss the following in a small group or as a class. (~13 minutes)
   • When paraphrased into modern-day speech, could these lines comfortably exist in the media in current-day America? 
   • Who could get away with saying these things, and in what context? 
   • How are these archaic quotes about marriage and gender roles relevant today, if at all?

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• This activity aligns with the following standards:
  • Illinois Arts Learning Standards 
    • Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
    • Anchor Standard 8: Construct meaningful interpretations of artistic work.
    • Anchor Standard 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
  • Common Core State Standards 
    • CCSS.ELA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
    • CCSS.ELA.RL.3  Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
    • CCSS.ELA.RI1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
    • CCSS.ELA.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

Posted on November 18, 2025 in Learning Guides, Productions