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Similes
Definition of Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, relating his or her innermost thoughts and feelings as if... read full definition
A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, relating his or her innermost... read full definition
A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself... read full definition
Act 2, Scene 1
Explanation and Analysis—Tranio's Plan:
In this important (albeit short) soliloquy at the end of Act 2, Scene 1, Tranio shares vital information with the audience, informing them of his plan to improve Lucentio's station in the eyes of Bianca and her father:
TRANIO: A vengeance on your crafty withered hide!
Yet I have faced it with a card of ten.
'Tis in my head to do my master good.
I see no reason but supposed Lucentio
Must get a father, called “supposed Vincentio”—
And that’s a wonder. Fathers commonly
Do get their children. But in this case of wooing,
A child shall get a sire, if I fail not of my cunning.
This soliloquy brings the audience into the loop, foreshadowing the fact that Tranio will later attempt to bring in an actor to play Vincentio. In a comedic play like The Taming of the Shrew, foreshadowing is often more of a direct reference to future actions than a murky insinuation about cosmically fated events. Shakespeare did not choose to mix comedy with tragedy, or history, or pure drama in this play, but chose the principally comedic route; as such, he does not need to build suspense through foreshadowing, and can deploy this device with slightly less subtlety.
Explanation and Analysis—Petruchio's Plan:
In Act 2, Scene 1, Petruchio delivers a soliloquy in which he reveals his plan to win Kate over. By soliloquizing in this manner, Petruchio clues the audience in to the fact that his behavior will change as he attempts to woo Kate:
PETRUCHIO: I’ll attend her here
And woo her with some spirit when she comes.
Say that she rail; why then I’ll tell her plain
She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
Say that she frown; I’ll say she looks as clear
As morning roses newly washed with dew.
Say she be mute and will not speak a word;
Then I’ll commend her volubility,
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence.
If she do bid me pack, I’ll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week.
If she deny to wed, I’ll crave the day
When I shall ask the banns and when be marrièd.
But here she comes—and now, Petruchio, speak.
It is clear in this passage that Petruchio views Kate's aggressive personality simply as an outer shell he must penetrate rather than as a reflection of any essential nature. This mindset, revealed in Petruchio's soliloquy, is foundational to his relationship with Kate and the play's associated interest in the act of hiding or revealing one's identity. Petruchio is able to shift Kate's perspective because he views her as a complex human being with the ability to embody a wide range of emotions. He sees through the performativity of the "shrew" persona Kate projects.
Related Themes:
Act 4, Scene 1
Explanation and Analysis—Grumio's Weariness:
At the beginning of Act 4, Scene 1, Grumio complains about his weariness, soliloquizing to the observing audience. In this passage, Shakespeare utilizes tactile imagery and hyperbole to further provide the audience with insight into Grumio's character:
GRUMIO: Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and
all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? Was ever man so
'rayed? Was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make
a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now,
were not I a little pot and soon hot, my very lips might
freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth,
my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to
thaw me. But I with blowing the fire shall warm myself.
For, considering the weather, a taller man than I will
take cold.—
Grumio paints a vivid picture of his surroundings, conveying the skin-deep penetration of cold weather in the line "were I not a little pot and soon hot, my very lips might / freeze to my teeth." This statement makes use of tactile imagery and is also hyperbolic: it is highly unlikely that Grumio would be outside in such a ferocious and dangerous kind of cold. Nonetheless, this tactile imagery characterizes Grumio for the audience. He is a bit ridiculous—a character who overstates situations, confuses words, and provides comic relief.
