The Taming of the Shrew is comedic in tone, with a lightly satirical edge. Though satire may not have been Shakespeare's intended product when he sat down to write The Taming of the Shrew, the combination of comedy and social critique (however nuanced or indirect it may be) will always suggest a satirical tone to the audience member or reader.
Often times, Shakespeare will inject his comedic tone into the play by having certain characters—intended as humorous figures—mispronounce or misspeak words. At the beginning of Act 1, Scene 2, for instance, Grumio uses the word "rebused" in place of "abused." In the same passage, Shakespeare plays with the double meaning of the word "knock," utilizing semantic variation as a source of humor:
GRUMIO: Knock at the gate? O, heavens, spake you not
these words plain: “Sirrah, knock me here, rap me
here, knock me well, and knock me soundly”? And
come you now with “knocking at the gate”?
In the above quotation, Grumio confuses the act of "knocking" on a door with the act of "knocking someone," or hitting them. Shakespeare makes a stylistic choice here and throughout The Taming of the Shrew, using double entendre to shape the humorous tone of the play.
