Sample Close Reading Analysis

Bailey' 1'Molly'Bailey'Ms.'Gelso'British'Literature'4'December'6 th ,'2013'A'Close'Reading'of'The$Taming$of$the$Shrew:'Induction.ii.47G73'In'lines'47'through'73'of'the'second'scene'of'the'induction'of'William'Shakespeare’s'play'The$Taming$of$the$Shrew,'Christopher'Sly'is'tricked'into'thinking'he'is'a'noble'lord'instead'of'a'common'tinker,'establishing'the'blurred'line'between'reality'and'illusion'as'one'of'the'major'themes'of'the'play'as'a'whole.'Shakespeare'achieves'this,'in'part,'through'the'use'of'imagery.'Art,'whether'it'be'in'the'form'of'a'painting'or'a'play,'has'the'ability'to'confound'illusion'and'reality'for'the'viewer'or'audience.'This'is'reinforced'when'the'servingmen'and'the'real'lord,'posing'as'an'additional'servingman,'describe'the'paintings'they'could'bring'to'Sly'should'he'wish'to'have'them.'In'the'painting'of'Adonis'and'Cytherea'(Venus),'the'marsh'plants'(“sedges”)'“seem'to'move'and'wanton'with'[Cytherea’s]'breath,'/'Even'as'the'waving'sedges'play'wi’th’wind”'(Induction.ii.50G1).'Even'though'a'painting'is'a'still'scene,'the'visual'image'of'the'sedges'“mov[ing]'and…waving”'appeals'to'the'audience’s'sense'of'sight'and'brings'the'painting'to'life'(Induction.ii.50G1).'Another'painting'is'described'as'featuring'“Daphne'roaming'through'a'thorny'wood,'/'Scratching'her'legs'that'one'shall'swear'she'bleeds”'(Induction.ii.55G6).'The'visual'and'tactile'imagery'used'in'these'lines'emphasizes'the'fact'that'when'one'observes'art,'even'if'one'knows'it'is'illusory,'one'can'still'be'moved'and'can'still'see'a'certain'amount'of'reality'reflected'in'the'work'of'art.'A'painting'cannot'move'or'give'a'physical'feeling'to'the'viewer,'but'the'servingman’s'description'makes'it'

Bailey' 2'seem'real'enough'that'the'viewer'could'“swear'[Daphne]'bleeds”'(Induction.ii.56).'Additionally,'the'imagery'of'these'lines'may'not'be'what'convinces'Sly'that'he'is'a'lord,'but'the'imagery'may'encourage'the'audience'to'wonder'the'extent'to'which'art'can'reflect'life,'making'Sly’s'situation'of'being'tricked'all'the'more'humorous.'Even'if'he'thinks'he'is'“a'lord'indeed,”'he'still'asks'for'“a'pot'o’th’smallest'ale”'(Induction.ii.73).'By'asking'for'cheap'alcohol'after'declaring'himself'a'lord,'he'humorously'reminds'the'audience'that'the'play'is'an'illusion,'and'that'it'can'reflect'reality'only'to'an'extent.'The'audience'thus'might'laugh'at'Sly’s'foolishness'for'being'tricked,'but'it'can'also'recognize'how'easy'it'is'to'be'affected'by'a'work'of'art,'like'the'paintings,'even'if'they'are'known'to'be'illusory.'Shakespeare'artfully'uses'imagery'and'humor'in'the'induction'to'establish'the'complexities'of'the'way'in'which'art'represents'or'reflects'reality'and'affects'a'viewer'or'audience.'The'scenes'represented'in'artistic'works,'no'matter'the'medium,'are'illusions,'but'when'they'mirror'life'can'make'the'viewer'or'audience'reflect'upon'his'or'her'own'life.'''

Bailey' 3'Work'Cited'Shakespeare,'William.'The$Taming$of$the$Shrew.'2007.'New'York:'Modern'Library,'2010.''iBooks'file.'