Analysis of Taming of the Shrew and the Zefferelli film

             Shakespeare's play, "The Taming of the Shrew," continues to be enjoyed over 500 years since it was composed. It remains popular because aspects of the play keep changing to suit the current society. The film "The Taming of the Shrew," by Franco Zefferelli, has been modified to suit the 1960s. However, though many aspects in this appropriation have been reworked, the fundamental themes of deception and disguise remain as inherent to the human condition as ever and ultimately this is what will intrigue and draw readers to this comedy for years to come.
             Zefferelli's version of "Taming of the Shrew" is in the form of film. It was produced in the 1960s when the 'battle of the sexes' was being waged most vehemently, and thus it was a time ripe for another interpretation of this much-loved play. Obviously, the medium of film was unheard of during Shakespeare's time and offers a great number of dramatic devices that can be used to convey Shakespeare's message of deception in human relationships. Transforming the play by Shakespeare into a visual form of a film also makes the play more appealing to the younger audience.
             Most of the play's humour and its thematic core comes from the way in which characters create false realities by disguising themselves as other people, a device first introduced in the induction. Initially this is accomplished by having Christopher Sly believe he is someone he is not and then by having the man play performed for him. By putting 'The Taming Of The Shrew' in a 'play within a play' structure, Shakespeare immediately lets the audience know that the play is not real thus making all events in the play false realities. In addition, almost all characters in the play take on identities other than their own at some point of time during the play. Sly as a king, Tranio as Lucentio, Lucentio as Cambio, Hortensio as Litio and the pedant as Vincent
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