ABSTRACT
TheTamingoftheShrew ItcontainsmanyechoesofMarlowe(cf.Boas,91-8),butitis incrediblethatMarlowewouldmimichimselfsocrudely.Did ShakespearehaveahandinAShrew?TheSlyscenesandothers mightsuggestthat;soASlzrewmaynotbesomuchthesourceplayasShakespeare'sfirstshotatthetheme.PlayedbyPembroke'sshort-livedCompany(I592-3)AShrewseemstohave beenperformedforHensloweonI3June,I594,butpossibly theHensloweplaywasTheShrew,andChambers'ssummary maybecorrect,that'AShreworiginallybelongedtotheAlleyn Company,thatitwashandedbythemtoPembroke'sinI592 andrecoveredinI593,thatitwasallocatedtotheChamberlain'sonthereconstitutionofcompaniesinI594,andthatthey ratherhastilybasedTheShrewuponit,soldtheoldbookto theprintersinMay,andplayedthenewoneinJune.'(W.Sh. 1.327.)
TheTamingqftheSlzrewhasthreemainelementsallpresent inAShrew:I.TheInduction,withtheadventuresofSlythe Tinker;2.TheWeddingandTamingofKatharina;3·The Wooingofhersister.Thesearelinkedinideabecauseallcontaindiscussionoftherelationsofthesexesinmarriage.Both playsdealwithdifferentwaysofwooingandholdingawife, andportraydifferentkindsofwivesandhusbands.TlzeShrew becomestherebyadramawithmoresocialandintellectual substancethanTheComedyqfE"ors,butinpresentingshrewishnessandpreachinghouseholdmoralityitresemblesthatplay. Moreoveritdevelopsthedeviceofputtingthemainactionheretheplayproper-intoaframeworkofdifferenttone, namelytheSlystory.
