An induction is traditionally "an introduction; preface or prelude," a definition which easily fits what Shakespeare is doing here. However, an induction can also be "a bringing forward of separate facts or instances, [especially] so as to prove a general statement." In many ways, this, too, is what Shakespeare is doing. The Taming of the Shrew's Induction leads us into the play proper, as the first definition suggests, but it does much more than that. In keeping with the latter definition, the Induction cleverly introduces several key themes such as identity, disguise, illusion, and reality which are developed fully in the play itself. Because we are introduced to these themes from the very beginning, we are consciously and unconsciously preparing ourselves to look for them as the action unfolds.
Although the Induction may seem merely a precursor to the play itself, it is more cleverly conceived than that. It invites audiences to consider individual identities and whether or not people can either impersonate others (generally of another class — inferior to superior or vice versa) or, in the case of Christopher Sly, be convinced that he is someone other than who he is. It is as if Shakespeare is winking to us from the play's onset, telling us we'd better be on the lookout because we'll soon find things are not quite what they seem! If we miss his early warning, we'll find ourselves duped, and the joke will be on us.
Because the story set forth in the Induction is not carried throughout the entirety of The Taming of the Shrew, it is often cut or minimized in performance. Such a decision, though, undermines some of the key messages of the play, especially those related to notions of identity and disguise. However, the lack of follow-through with the Induction is admittedly a fault of the play — at least in the version we have inherited. Scholars theorize that another version of this play no longer extant ended with a return to Christopher Sly, bringing the Induction full circle.
