‟Tis Bargain'd 'Twixt Us”: The Reclamation of Kate in The Taming of the Shrew

Abstract

Using games as a theoretical structure helps to bridge the gap between Renaissance expectations and modern wishes concerning Kate‟s behaviour and Petruchio‟s treatment of her in William Shakespeare‟s The Taming of the Shrew, allowing us to recognize which of the two main characters‟ actions are for entertainment only and which are intended to produce significant and lasting results that benefit the players and contribute to the forward movement of the play. Two different game structures exist in The Taming of the Shrew. The sparks of sexual tension are the most readily apparent indication of the linguistic game, but an analysis of the underlying social games reveals that their relationship is largely about restructuring Kate‟s voice and actions in a more acceptable fashion for a Renaissance audience. The key difference is that, while society and/or characters are unchanged by a recreation game, in re-creation games both are transformed in permanent and significant ways.