Shakespeare in Three Steps: The Taming of the Shrew

Product Description

“To become intimate with Shakespeare in this way is a great enrichment of mind and instruction of conscience.”—Charlotte Mason

Now you can help your students become familiar with Shakespeare’s imaginative stories, memorable characters, and brilliant lines in three simple steps:

1. Read the story.
2. Hear the script.
3. Watch the play.

Shakespeare in Three Steps: The Taming of the Shrew provides everything you need:

• A well-written story version of the play by E. Nesbit—a classic narrative that has been providing a wonderful introduction to The Taming of the Shrew for decades.
• The complete script of the play with helpful notes to explain unusual terms or add to your understanding of Shakespeare’s stories, characters, and lines. When you purchase a printed version of Shakespeare in Three Steps, you will also receive the e-book version in PDF form so you can easily make copies of the included script for your students.
• An outlined plan for walking through the script, divided into manageable portions with quick recaps, scene introductions, and summaries that will guide you each step of the way. We highly recommend using the excellent audio dramatization from Arkangel Shakespeare for this step, so students can hear the lines delivered masterfully from the very beginning.
• Script highlights, featuring well-known or just ponder-worthy lines, that will gently introduce the Bard’s genius and cultivate an appreciation for his wonderful way with words.
• Parental advisories to give you a heads-up on scenes that may contain material inappropriate for children.
• Helpful lists of the characters in the scenes and the number of lines each one speaks, so you can assign parts knowledgeably for reading sessions or acting roles.
• Candid reviews of several video recordings of the play to save you time previewing and help you select an appropriate presentation for your students to watch and enjoy.

The Taming of the Shrew

Recommended for Grades 6–12
Comedy

Summary: Baptista, a wealthy man in Padua, has two daughters who are famous throughout the city. The youngest, Bianca, is famous for her beauty and mildness, but the elder daughter Katharine is more famous for her temper. No matter how many men ask for Bianca’s hand in marriage, none of them dare approach Kate the Curst, and Baptista refuses to allow anyone to marry Bianca until Katharine is wed. At last, in desperation, one of the suitors finds a man who is willing to woo and marry Katharine. This man’s name is Petruchio, and he is afraid of no woman, so long as there is a sufficient monetary reward. He presents himself as a suitor and, despite Katharine’s rages and arguments, manages to secure her father’s permission to marry her and singlehandedly undertakes to tame Katharine and make her see the folly of her fiery ways.