Comparative Essay – Cue for Treason and The Taming of the Shrew
“Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest”[1]. There are many cases of tricks, treachery, deceit and deception used in both of the novels; Cue for Treason and The Taming of the Shrew, such as disguises, thievery and impersonations.
There were many disguises used in Cue for Treason and The Taming of the Shrew. The first example is when Tom Boyd and Peter disguised themselves as a peddler and his boy. The second example is when Kit, for the beginning of the book, disguises herself as a boy in order to get a job as an actor which, at this period of time, was a male profession.
We agreed that, for the time being, I should have my head be swathed in bandages, and pretend I’d been thrown from my horse. It was a hot kind of disguise for June, but I hoped I wouldn’t need to wear it for longer than a day or two.[2]
As Peter and Kit were from Cumberland, and that was where they were going to be doing their spy work, they had to disguise themselves. There were also many disguises used in The Taming of the Shrew. Both Hortensio and Lucentio disguised themselves as tutors in order to woo Bianca. Hortensio disguised himself as a schoolmaster by the name of Litio. Petruchio gave him this disguise in order win Bianca. Earlier, Lucentio disguised himself as another teacher by the name of Cambio.
Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace
And offer me disguised in sober robes[3]
and,
To old Baptista as a schoolmaster
Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca and And let me be a slave, t’achieve that maid
Whose sudden sight hath thrilled my wounded eye[4]
These two quotes illustrate when Hortensio and Lucentio both take on the disguises to woo and win Bianca. These are the examples from each book when someone disguised themselves as someone or something else.
Also, there were impersonations in both...