Overview

Shakespeare lived during a time when ideas and practices around marriage and social classes differed greatly from what we experience today. Marriages were not usually based on love, but rather they were business arrangements meant to strengthen two families’ wealth and position. The social class a person was born into dictated almost every aspect of his or her life, and it was almost impossible to move to a higher social class on one’s own. This handout will provide students with important information about these topics, and it will also provide insight as to why Shakespeare chose Italy for the setting of The Taming of the Shrew. Allow time for discussion and debate in your classroom on the subjects covered.

Downloads

  • The Importance of Marriage, Location, and Social Classes