Introduction
William Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew was first composed in 1590 and published in 1898. The play’s main tone is light and humorous. However, its examination of more significant social issues, such as the proper relationship between husband and wife in marriage, lends it a more somber undertone. The play employs the techniques of the Italian Commedia dell’Arte, utilizing identifiable archetypes whose distinct qualities are evident in some of its characters.
Character Analysis Through Commedia dell’Arte Archetypes
Petruchio is the first character to fit the description of a Commedia dell’Arte figure. He exemplifies the archetype of Il Capitano (the Captain), or the braggart soldier. According to Commedia dell’Arte, Il Capitano typically appears as a vain, dishonest, and braggart soldier wearing a vivid outfit. He frequently plays the war hero, bragging about his heroic deeds, but the other characters tease him and play practical jokes on him (Commedia dell’Arte Characters). Accordingly, Petruchio is loud, noisy, eccentric, quick-witted, and often drunk. Like the archetypal Il Capitano, Petruchio is a comedic character with an exaggerated personality who frequently makes the audience laugh.
Furthermore, just as Il Capitano, Petruchio is deceitful, as his main reason for coming to Padua is to find a wife with a sizable dowry. The appearance of this character also meets the description of the Captain, as he is portrayed as wearing brightly colored and extravagant clothes. His vanity is another characteristic of Il Capitano, as he is portrayed as an irresponsible and greedy chauvinist who views marriage as a means of asserting dominance. Hence, the character of Petruchio exemplifies the archetype of Il Capitano.
Gremio is another character in the play who embodies an archetype from Commedia dell’Arte. At the beginning of the play, he is one of Bianca’s suitors, and this character can be categorized as a “Pantaloon” or Pantalone. The typical Pantalone is a shrewd man skilled in business, commonly an elderly merchant. In terms of appearance, Pantalones are often portrayed with a hooked nose and prominent eyebrows (Commedia dell’Arte Characters). Moreover, they are commonly portrayed as misbehaving around young women, trying in vain to gain their affection, and later being made into a laughing stock for this.
This behavior is evident in Gremio’s pursuit of Bianca’s affection, as he is outsmarted and outcompeted twice in the play. This also shows the other side of his Pantaloon character: he is a scheming man easily fooled by his greed (Commedia dell’Arte Characters). Appearance-wise, just like Pantalone, Gremio is shown having a hooked nose, prominent eyebrows, and wearing oversized, baggy clothes, including the iconic trousers, which are the namesake of the archetype. Thus, the shrewd but myopic character of Gremio is an archetypal Pantalone.
Conclusion
Hence, The Taming of the Shrew contains stock characters from Commedia dell’Arte. Petruchio exemplifies the archetype of Il Capitano with his extravagant clothing, vain, dishonest nature, and comic relief role for the audience. On the other hand, Gremio is a typical Pantaloon, a scheming and business-oriented person who is constantly outwitted by his opponents and is shown misbehaving in his pursuit of Bianca’s attention. Even Gremio’s appearance is archetypal, as he is depicted with the iconic features of a Pantaloon, including a hooked nose, bushy eyebrows, and baggy clothes. Hence, Gremio and Petruchio are perfect examples of Commedia dell’Arte stock characters.
Work Cited
“Commedia dell’Arte Characters.” Italy Mask. Web.