How Does the Introduction of the Taming of the Shrew Effect the Rest of the Play?

The Induction to Taming of the Shrew allows the reader to be eased immediately in to an entertaining dramatic scene. The induction enters the audience in to an immediate dramatic issue as clear references to the sexist inequality of the 17th century. Christopher Sly poses the domination of men held within the Taming of the Shrew. In my own opinion I believe that Shakespeare immediately wants to grab the attention of the audience by introducing the play with such a ravenous character such as Sly. However, the actors of the play are also proposed with a dramatic problem at the very beginning of the play. However, a further opinion is that Sly, "O monstrous beast, how like a swine he lies" this reference highlights the disgust that the audience should feel for Christopher Sly which allows the audience to immediately perceive that men are weak and feeble. This view that men are not entirely powerful in the Taming of the Shrew is resonated later in the play; shown through the characters in Act 2 scene 1. The defiance of Katherina presents the audience that women will not lay down to the power of men, which in context to the induction transfers to the bar woman and therefore highlights the significance of the induction and the impact that women have on the rest of the play.

Another, overwhelming feature of the induction is the theme of disguise, this is heavily focussed in the induction as induction 2 emphasises this theme through the change of Sly. The induction shows the audience the plan to change sly "What's here? One dead, or drunk? See doth he breath?" the change from a drunkard to a lord however, the theme of disguise runs coherently well throughout the play with the view that the play is a comedy. Also, disguise relates closely to the aspect of love in the induction as women were often hidden/disguised by the male dominated society, but, this also poses an immediate dramatic problem for actors of the play in 21st century as women in the 17th century were often played by men and usually young boys. What's more, the use of disguise is enhanced by the induction and Sly meets the comic's expectations that an audience would expect. "Shakespeare's Festive Comedy" C L Barber (1959) emphasises the view point that the induction plays a crucial role on the rest of the play. He further states that although the character Christopher Sly is ignorant, he does however meet the comic expectations of the audience. Therefore, the so called importance of the transformation of Katherina becomes invalid as Barber states that if it is a play within a play then the change is merely fiction from the lives of the servants and lords and henceforth not true. In my opinion I believe that this view is to an extent true and that the transformation is merely covering the disguise and other themes within the play and have a major impact on the basis on which the play stands.

A much undermined view held within the induction and therefore in my personal opinion the rest of the play, is that of masters and servants. The basis on which the aristocracy in the 17th century lies is produced not without the help of servants and Shakespeare emphasises to great, yet silent, effect throughout the taming of the shrew. The observation of masters and servants highlights the context of loyalty and obedience which commonly, and in the play, is related to women and therefore the use of servants and masters can directly transfer to the common view point that women should be obedient and loyal to their husbands correlates to that of the rest of the play.
But, once again comical angles are fired in to the induction as a proportion of the induction is the talk of laughter and joke, on behalf of another. However, as with all of the themes of Shakespeare it has a layered meaning to the theme as this closely associates itself with an exempt view of change, this most clearly is exemplified throughout the play with the main characters upholding change and transformation. But, the induction clearly illustrates to the audience that change, of Christopher Sly, is crucial and that the rest of the play relies on the basic principal that is laid down in the induction is a continuation in to the play.
However, actors of the play may find masters and servants difficult to overcome especially if the actors were to contend with an audience from the 17th century, this is because women had little status in society and therefore poses a problem to actors at the time due to the inequality they are unable to allow the dominance of women over male servants which would cause controversy in this period. An article on "Women in Elizabethan Times" gives a different, more modern, approach to the view and highlights that all though women had little had very little status in 17th century society but states that although women were under suppression, much like servants of the time, but they had much worse conditions in "subsequent centuries" and therefore stresses the importance of anon going change that is expressed in both the induction and in the play. However, in my opinion the induction lays the foundation for this to be able to confide within the play and therefore has a critical impact on the rest of the play.

As shown before there is tension between the relations of the male and the female characters within Taming of the Shrew. The relations between both the male and the female characters is also included in the induction, this therefore gives an audience of the play an insight due to the significance of the argument between the Bar woman and Christopher Sly. In my own opinion the induction allows the audience to realise the roguish age in which the Taming of the Shrew and in a direct comparison to the title of the play, the induction allows the audience contemplate the arbitration of the thought of women in society being allowed a more dominant presence in society. However, I believe that this portrayal of women can be seen as degrading and for a play in the 21st century poses a critical problem for the audience as the status of women has since become much more influential and women have gained a more significant impact on the world.
This view is supported in "Shakespeare and the Nature of Women" as written by Juliet Dusinberre, showcases an expressionate view of male dominance yet ingeniously highlights that the change of Katherina is subdues and that and is more of a miracle. It states "Katherina's transformation is a miracle in the world where miracles happen, the theatre, where beggars are lords." Highlights the dream like quality of the play and is emphatic in its expression of the role that women had in society. However, I do not entirely agree with this perspective as there is no consideration of the hidden power of women in the play which, as the induction shows women can be powerful and aggressive also resonated in the play with the dominance of Katherina over the male characters. Therefore, I feel that the relations between the male and the female characters is not fully expressed as there is not enough scope from other writers to incorporate the view that women, did, have a crucial role in society and is exposed immediately in the induction which in my opinion relates in to the rest of the play.

The most constructive theme within Taming of the Shrew navigates the audience in to a conscious belief that all of the efforts in Taming of the Shrew are for the sake of love. Love is possibly the most identifiable theme throughout the play and also is a major link in the induction.