sure, she must have a husband: I must dance barefoot on her wedding day" (A. II S. 1 L. 36-37), makes it obvious that Baptista favors Bianca. In terms of plot, Shakespeare devises the plot to resemble a situation comedy. Although the subplot is more romantic, both the subplot and the main plot revolve around the principle of a favoristic father who is outwitted by his child and her lover. The representative characters, the gullible suitor accompanied by the cunning servant, add comic relief to the not so humorous subplot. In terms of writing style, Shakespeare uses three main comical means to produce his humorous effects. Katherina's statements and Petruchio's replies show verbal humor. " I knew you at the first you were a moveable" " Why, what's a moveable?" "A joint stool." " Thou hast hit it; come sit on me." (A. II S. 1 L. 218 - 221) Petruchio's odd behaviors when disgusted by his meal shows the use of action comedy. The comedy of physical appearance is exemplified when Petruchio arrives at his wedding hours late and foolishly dressed. These three literary elements prove that Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is a farce.In conclusion, farcical elements in The Taming of the Shrew are exemplified through Shakespeare's characters, plot, and writing style. Through the literary elements, the crude physical actions by the characters, and the slapstick humor the classification of the play as a farce would be correct....
