1. Judge 1
Nikki Judge
nikki.judge.writes@gmail.com
(406) 827-5016
Permanent Address: 553 Prospect Creek Road
Thompson Falls, MT 59873
Shakespeare – Relevance in the Age of Sexual Equality
A Modern Look at Taming of The Shrew
Although he lived in the age of exceedingly powerful women (Catherine Medici, Elizabeth I,
Mary Queen of Scotts) it would not be unreasonable for anyone to suppose that there were no lessons for
the newly married couple in the works of The Bard. However,is that actually true? Consider, for
instance, Shakespeare’s enjoyable romp through a new couple getting to know one another, Taming of the
Shrew. Dated to 1593 (just five years after the success of the Spanish Armada and at the height of the
reign of Her Majesty Elizabeth I of England) the play is a sojourn through relationships. Yet the play is
set in the tone of the mindset of the Elizabethan Era; is any of that cultural conditioning appropriate
today? Dealing with one of the most misunderstood parts of human interaction – the relationship between
a man and woman, lessons for modern marriage can be found through a feminist literary exploration of
Shakespeare’s comedic gambol through relationships and marriage, Taming of The Shrew
According to feminist theory, western civilization is male centric because it is rooted in a
patriarchal ideology wherein the elements that create the culture are geared towards a male-centric control
of the culture. A relative new-comer in literary theory, feminist criticism challenges this male-centric
view. One of the primary questions of feminist literary theory is how the relationships between men and
women are portrayed, with so much of literary theory showing the male being the more positively shown
in a story line. In Shakespeare’s play the shrew to be tamed, Katherine, is given short treatment by her
new, and arguably loving, husband, Petruchio. On its face, it appears to show a man bent on taming a
shrewish woman to be his wife – yet never does Petruchio strike or cause physical harm to Katherine. He
twists situations and turns loving care and protection into a fine art of coercion and manipulation. Yet,it
appears that his strong personality is well met in the dark and fiery Katherine.

2. Judge 2
Khaled M. Shuquair, in his 2014 work “Matrimonial Relations in Shakespeare’s The Taming of
the Shrew:The Machiavellian Husband/Ruler,” states at page 21 “The patriarchal power, manifested in
the father figure, is depicted as failure. Katherine’s revolt against patriarchal authority is seen as the main
cause for the disorder at Baptista’s house.” Consider though, is it really Katherine that is the creator of
the household upheaval; should not the lack of leadership and parental guidance and direction from
Baptista also hold for more consideration? Does Baptista not incur this situation where he creates it by
dealing with his daughters in such a way that one sister is perhaps underservedly favored over the other,
not necessarily because she truly does have a more docile character so much as because she acts like she
is the dutiful and meek daughter. Whereas Katherine, who is acting more true to her nature and rails
against what she feels are injustices, is called a shrew, even “Katherine the curst” (1.2.130). Her sister,
however, is held as the font of womanly virtue and is referred to as “fair Bianca” no less than seven times
by her arduous suitors. Yet, it is Katherine marries as her father commands, though she likes it not and
Bianca elopes to marry her tutor Lucentio/Cambio without her father’s permission. Viewing this from the
patriarchal perspective, it is Bianca in fact that is the more disobedient daughter. Katherine wed as her
father bade her though she may not have chosen such a groom while Bianca, contrary to her father’s
wishes, and for as much as she knows, runs off to wed a man and has no wedding contract to protect her.
As pointed out by Shuquair the picture of the strong ruling patriarch is made a lie before the end of the
first act.
A new understanding of the eternalness of the relationship between husband and wife of the 16th
Century can be found to have relevance in the modern era. The glory of and the story of relationships
between men and women have enthralled layman and scholar alike for time immemorial. Wars have been
fought over it, and peace has been purchased at the price of a marriage between the heirs of warring
neighbors or countries. Love and how it is experienced and expressed is an important part of our culture.
However,in the modern world a woman has what is considered a much stronger place. Although there
were women of stature during Shakespeare’s time that ruled in and of their own right, they were the rare
and unusual exception. The norm was a woman who was expected to accept her husband’s sovereignty

3. Judge 3
over her as head of household. At this time in history, a woman was chatteland her husband’s word was
law over her. As Petruchio tells the men “She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house/ house
household stuff, my field, my barn, / my horse, my ox, my ass,my anything (3.2.236-239). Yet, the
byplay between man and wife crosses the centuries in Kate’s final speech at when she is seen to possibly
have won Petruchio’s heart with her words to Bianca and the Widow.
A little talked about important issue within the play is that everything is not as it seems. First, we
are told of the fair Bianca and the shrewish Katherine, yet by the end of the play we see that it is
Katherine that is the dutiful wife while Bianca is more the shrew not coming to her husband’s summons
in Act 5. Second, there are the suitors for Bianca’s hand who use impersonation to be nearer their desire
wherein Hortensio disguises himself as the teacher Litio and Lucentio takes on the guise of Cambio.
Both these men are using subterfuge to woo the fair Bianca and to be close to her even though her father
has opined that Katherine must be well set first before he will allow the “fair Bianca” to marry.
Continuing the theme is Biondello’s masquerade as Vincentio, Lucentio’s father. A new proposal is that
Petrochio and Katherine are the only two who actually remain true to their natures. Petruchio blatantly
states “I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; / If wealthily, then happily in Padua.” Simply put, Petruchio
is set to find a wealthy wife while he is in town and that is all he needs to seal his happiness. Katherine,
for her part, while she becomes the affable wife, willing to follow her husband’s lead, she is still capable
of showing her shrewish nature as when she chides her sister and the widow for not answering their
husband’s summonses. The couple that appears to have found a partnership that is true and of mutual
benefit and respect,is that of the Katherine and Petruchio.
Most feminist literature is quick to point out Petruchio’s poor treatment of Katherine, and that his
treatment of her is abominable is of no argument. However, given the social construct of the time, his
treatment of his new wife may not really be the horrendous abuse decried by so many. When he is first
told of Katherine he is not told of a woman of dark beauty. Rather Hortensio tells him “Her name is
Katherina Minola, / Renowned in Paua for her scolding tongue (1.2.100-101).” Yet, Grumio, in his aside
to Hortensio opines “O’ my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do

4. Judge 4
little good upon him (1.2.109-110).” This could be construed that both Katherine and Petruchio are both
people of high temper and strong emotion and well suited for one another. Petruchio is even quick to
point out that he does not fear her temper or her tongue as he tells Hortensio “Thou know’st not gold’s
effect.” Jajja’s comment that “…Shakespeare has strengthened and reinforced patriarchy and its values
in this play in every sense of the word” could be countered with the argument that the values were
positively displayed int eh creation of a couple that appears to be a good match.
Petruchio does not abuse Katherine with battery, and, for that time does less than his legal right
as her lord and master, yet each act he takes in her “taming” could be construed as steps to make her
adjustment to married life with him faster. As a strong and brash personality himself, does Petruchio see
in Katherine a woman who can be his match? Petruchio sees that Baptista does not run his home in a
manner than earns him respect,for a man with a shrew for a daughter is not much of a father. At a time
when a man’s wife or daughters were his property as when the play was written, it is not unreasonable to
postulate that Bapista would not be a sympathetic gentleman to those of Shakespeare’s era,just one step
above a cuckold. Yet, Petruchio comes to the Baptista’s house with the appropriate courting words about
Katherine. It is not until she begins the verbal jousting with him that Petruchio begins to use measures
that the modern critics have called abusive and horrendous.
From his willful abuse of Kate’s words during the exchange with the haberdasher
(4.3.63-85), to his dispute with her over the question of the time (4.3.182-190), and
finally, to his avowal that the sun is the moon and the moon is the sun (4.5.1-16),
Petruchio plays the writer, direction, and actor of his own play, encouraging Kate to
“suit” her obedience “like in every part” (Sonnets 132.12) and thus to embrace a behavior
suitable to her new station.”
Quoted from her 2013 work, Tartamella not only uses the word “abuse” in her work for Petruchio’s
treatment of Kate,she indicates how he is encouraging her to “embrace a behavior suitable to her new
station.” Petruchio is as intractable as he is ingenuitive in his taming of Kate. He does not appear to
“strike” first, but if she acts in a manner that is untoward, he is quick to find an appropriate “punishment”
for her actions, mainly by keeping her emotionally off balance. Additionally, throughout the entirety of
training Kate,Petruchio is constantly telling her he is doing it out of love. Rather than the farce modern

5. Judge 5
society has interpreted those words of love to be, the lines read well intended when given earnest feeling
to them. With his training of his shrew Petruchio creates a marriage that, when viewed in the context of
its time and Katherine’s final speech,is based on the true merits and societal values.
Katherina’s speech at the end of the play can be considered a statement for a woman submitting
to her husband (at a time when a woman was not much more than chattel), or a demonstration of the
dedication to the partnership that is expected in a modern marriage. When she speaks so strongly to her
sister and the newly remarried widow:
Such duty as the subject owes the prince,
Even such a woman oweth to her husband
And when she is forward, peevish, sullen, sour,
And not obedient to his honest will,
What is she but a foul contending rebel
And graceless traitor to her loving lord? (5.2.171-176)
She is merely espousing the accepted rationale of the times. She is also showing all assembled that it is
she, Katherine, who is the better wife. Petruchio’s parting comment of “We three are married, but you
two are sped / ’Twas I won the wager,though you hit the white, / And being a winner, God give you good
night.” Here Petruchio thumbs his nose at the two men who at the beginning of the play talked so poorly
about Katherine before they met.
Many of the play’s concepts are salient in the modern era. Part of Shakespeare’s charm was his
ability to deal with concepts that go to the core of what it is to be human, the things that have not really
changed in the last four hundred plus years. The battle of the sexes continues to wage across the nearly
half-millennia since Shakespeare put quill to paper with many of the same issues cropping up in the battle
now as then. To enumerate just a few: First would be the warning to all men and women that shrews do
not marry well and do poorly in their station in life. It is only after she submits to her husband’s will that
Katherine is afforded good treatment. Second, all may not be as it seems when it comes to love. The
“fair” Bianca is sought after by many for her fine and womanly qualities, demure and sweet,but it is a lie.
As she proves to be the daughter who disrespects her father’s authority by running off to marry a man
without his approval, and subsequently refuses her husband’s summons. To further enumerate the point,

6. Judge 6
should not have Lucentio seen that Bianca would prove rebellious to him if she would be so rebellious to
her father as to marry him without Baptista’s consent. At least Kate married where and when she was bid
– though her husband to be showed to the wedding as a fool. Third, the partnership that should and needs
to exist between a husband and wife for their mutual benefit should be of mutual consideration. In their
marriage Katherine and Petruchio find a proper balance and mutual benefit – he finds the dowry he hopes
for to have the rich wife he needs to make him happy while she finds a man that will champion her and
not call her “curs’t.” Fourth, people should be matched according to their temperament. Lucentio
receives his heart’s desire thinking she is meek and mild, but loses in the end. Hortensio fares worse,
marrying the rich widow he finds and his wife openly challenges him. Both Petruchio and Kate are
granted strong personalities by Shakespeare and yet their connection is shown to be the one that wins out
in the end.
With his adept character development in showing us just enough and not too much so that we
may fill in the gaps with our own imagination, Shakespeare creates a piece that when viewed from a
feminist literary perspective can still impart understanding to the foibles and strengths of matrimonial
relationships. In a world where divorce is commonplace and relationships ebb and flow with the ease of a
summer breeze, The Taming of The Shrew has lessons to teach modern couples and relationships. One of
the most important aspects of a relationship between husband and wife is honesty and being true to
oneself. As Shakespeare tells us in his tragedy, Hamlet “And this above all: to thine own self be true.”
(1.3.84) In the raucous twists and turns in The Taming of The Shrew Shakespeare shows us lessons about
people, their motivations, and relationships that are important and relevant in the modern era. By
applying his own theory of being true to oneself to his main characters Petruchio and Katherine – by
allowing them to be true to their character he ensures their relationship is on more solid footing – he
displays the respect and partnership enviable for any modern relationship.

7. Judge 7
WORKS CITED
Jajja, Muhammad Ayub. "Women in Shakespearean Comedies: A Feminist Perspective." Journal of
Educational Research 16.2 (2013): 34-44. ProQuest. Web. 24 Jan. 2015.
Shakespeare,William, Barbara A. Mowat,Paul Werstine, and Folger Shakespeare Library. The Tragedy
of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Simon & Schuster paperback ed. New York: Simon & Schuster
Paperbacks,2012.
Shakespeare,William. The Taming of the Shrew. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Folger
Shakespeare Library ed. New York: Simon&Schuster, 2009. Print.
Shuqair, Khaled M. "Matrimonial Relations in Shakespeare's the Taming of the Shrew: The
Machiavellian Husband/Ruler."English Language and Literature Studies 4.3 (2014): 18-
27. ProQuest. Web. 24 Jan. 2015.
Tartamella, Suzanne M. "Reinventing The Poet And Dark Lady: Theatricality And Artistic Control In
Shakespeare's "The Taming Of The Shrew." English Literary Renaissance 43.3 (2013): 446-477.
Academic Search Alumni Edition. Web. 24 Jan. 2015.