방승희, 극중극의 효과를 통한 극중 관객의 인식
Seunghee Bahng, The Cognizance of On-Stage Audiences Caused by the Dramatic Effects of the Play-Within-the-Play in The Taming of the Shrew

Abstract

This study focuses on the dramatic effects of the play-within-the-play in The
Taming of the Shrew. The dramatic effects are the emphasis on the meaning of
the play by paralleling the actions and the confusion from the ambiguity of the
boundary between the play and reality. They could extend our cognizance of
reality and illusion.
The taming actions repeated in The Taming of the Shrew represents the play
by Lord, Petruchio, and Lucentio. Their making the play are intended to tame
Sly and Kate, and Bianca. Sly and Kate becomes on-stage audiences watching
the play-within-the-play. Their reactions are confusions paralleling with their
actions repeated and emphasized. We could especially see Sly's confusion
because of the playwright's intention caused by the effects from the
play-within-the-play. Sly's confusion, unlike the embarrassment of Kate, does
not distinguish the play-world from the real-world. He ignores the suggestions
which he could be controlled like Kate with watching the play-within-the-play
reflected on himself who he believes to be Lord. His reality made by illusion
was accepted itself in spite of the fictions. He takes itself as reality. The
relations to the play-world and the real-world are followed; The play is illusion
representing reality, and reality could be illusion like the play.
We can infer that Shakespeare used the play-within-the-play to intend to
take the dramatic effects from on-stage audiences watching it. The confusion of
Sly watching the play-within-the-play leads to that of theatre-audiences.
Shakespeare could insert the play-within-the-play as illusion, give the play
reality, arouse the confusion of on-stage audiences watching the
play-within-the-play, and spread the ambiguity into the congnizance of
theatre-audiences. It is thought that he implies our reality which we are
congnizant of could be changed into illusion consciously and unconsciously.

Key Words : Cognizance, on-stage audiences, dramatic effects, the play-within-the-play, theatre-audiences, confusion, reality, illusion, ambiguity, emphasis, repeat,
parallel, reflect.