The first act of the play opens with Christopher Sly, a poor, drunken man, who is tricked by a lord, who orders his servants to take Sly to his house, dress him up in fine clothes, and convince Sly that he is a nobleman who has lost his mental balance for fifteen years. The lord invites traveling players to put on a show, The Taming of the Shrew, for Sly. The play, set in Padua, Italy, introduces Baptista Minola, an old, rich man with two daughters, Katherine and Bianca. Lucentio, a young man from Pisa falls in love with Bianca, the younger daughter, and wishes to marry her. Bianca, however, cannot marry until her older sister Katherine has been married. Hortensio, another of Bianca's suitors, tries to find a fitting husband for Katherine so that he can marry Bianca. Hortensio's friend, Petruchio, who has just arrived from the country, is impressed by the amount of money that he would receive as a dowry if he were to marry Katherine; he agrees to the marriage in spite of Katherine's shrewish nature. Petruchio sets a wedding date for Katherine and himself in the near future, although Katherine expresses her refusal. Petruchio departs for Venice in order to prepare for the marriage ceremony and in order to make a plan to tame the shrew, Katherine. He shows up late at his own wedding, he dresses in outlandish apparel, then rushes off to the country with his bride, leaving the wedding guests behind at the banquet. When they reach his house, Petruchio deprives Katherine of food, sleep, and material things. Then, he criticizes her, one fault after another. Katherine is left with no choice but to obey her husband and accept the sacrifice of a bed, fine clothes, and food. Petruchio is glad that his plan to tame Katherine worked. Once Katherine's wedding is planned, Baptista announces that the suitor with the largest dowry may have Bianca for a wife. Lucentio promises a large amount, but Baptista refuses to take his word until Vincentio, Lucentio's father, confirms the offer.
