The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare audiobook

The Taming of the Shrew

By William Shakespeare
Performed by Frances Barber, Roger Allam, and a full cast

Arkangel

The Arkangel Shakespeare Collection

Audio Theater

Format : Library CD (In Stock)
  • 2 Formats: CD
  • 2 Formats: Library CD

  • ISBN: 9781932219319

  • ISBN: 9780792729808

Runtime: 2.29 Hours
Category: Nonfiction/Drama/Performing Arts
Audience: Adult
Language: English
Sign In For Price

Summary

Summary

Love and wit conquer all in Shakespeare's sparkling comedy of self-delusion and disguise.

Padua holds many suitors for the hand of fair Bianca, but Bianca may not be married until her spinster sister, Kate, is wed. Could any man be rash enough to take on Kate? 

The witty adventurer Petruchio undertakes the task. While he sets about transforming Kate from foul-tempered termagant to loving wife, young Lucentio and his clever servant, Tranio, plot to win Bianca. 

Frances Barber and Roger Allam are Kate and Petruchio. Lucentio is played by Alan Cox.

Editorial Reviews

Editorial Reviews

“One of Shakespeare’s most enduringly popular and problematic comedies.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“The thorniest play in the canon, with the possible exception of The Merchant of Venice.” —The Telegraph (London)
“A lusty, witty, well-crafted comedy, The Taming of the Shrew abounds in vigorous, often ribald wordplay.” —Masterpieces of World Literature
“An early comedy whose particular strength is the vigorous control of its central relationship. Modern audiences must accept that Katharina is not the loser by her taming, though arguments about the possible ironies of her dutiful final speech will continue.” —The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English
“[Shakespeare is] challenging an audience’s expectations of how a woman is supposed to behave. What if, as a human being, she doesn’t want to roll over, as was expected in Shakespeare’s day? I actually think he’s championing the woman's rights.” —Edward Hall, English theater director

Reviews

Reviews

Be the first to review this product

Author

Author Bio: William Shakespeare

Author Bio: William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan and early Jacobean period, is the most widely known author in all of English literature and often considered the greatest. He was an active member of a theater company for at least twenty years, during which time he wrote many great plays. Plays were not prized as literature at the time and Shakespeare was not widely read until the middle of the eighteenth century, when a great upsurge of interest in his works began that continues today.

Titles by Author

Details

Details

Available Formats : CD, Library CD
Category: Nonfiction/Drama/Performing Arts
Runtime: 2.29
Audience: Adult
Language: English

1-800-621-0182

Serving libraries since 1987, Blackstone Library is your one-stop shop for audiobooks. We are dedicated to providing top-quality audio content, offering over 82,500 unabridged titles—with more than 1,000 new releases and 625+ exclusive titles added each month.

©2025 Blackstone Library . All rights reserved. Privacy Terms of Use Purchase Terms Cookie Policy ©2025 Blackstone Library . All rights reserved.