The document provides an analysis of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. It discusses how the play explores universal themes of gender roles and social hierarchy that have continued through different time periods. While the play was written in the Elizabethan era, it addresses issues of gender inequality that women still experience. It also examines how the story focuses on Petruchio taming Katherine and forcing her into submission through his control over her actions.
1. The Taming of the Shrew Essay
The Taming of the Shrew
As she screams at her father Katherine says "What will you not suffer me? Nay now I see She is
your treasure, she must have a husband; I must dance barefoot on her wedding day, And for your
love to her lead apes in hell" (Shakespeare 35). Katherine knows that her father favors Bianca
because she is a goody two shoes of daughter. Kate expresses her feelings of having to be married off
first because nobody in town wants her as a wife. Kate does not believe that she should be offered
as a wife and then backed up with a dowry. She is quite opinionated about this, with no fear of who
knows or not. Katherine's views and beliefs of marriage and life set her apart from other women in
Padua. Women, such as...show more content...
I must, forsooth, be forced to give my hand opposed against my heart unto a mad–brained rudesby
full of spleen, who wooed in haste and means to wed at leisure. I told you, I, he was a frantic fool . .
. Now must the world point at poor Katherine and say, "Lo, there is mad Petruchio's wife, If it
would please him come and marry her!" (54)
In this passage Katherine is first subjected to Petruchio's plan for taming her. Angered by his
actions she tells the townsfolk of her objection to this marriage. Kate believes that she should be in
love with whom she wants to marry, but this is obviously not the case with Petruchio. She explains
that he will make an awful husband due to his actions and his motive for even marrying her in the
first place. She is embarrassed on her very own wedding day and is ashamed of Petruchio.
After the wedding is over, Kate and Petruchio return to his home in the country. Petruchio begins
to tell his servants all about his plan for Kate. He explains "Another way I have to man my
haggard, to make her come and know her keeper's call: that is, to watch her, as we watch these
kites that bate and beat and will not be obedient" (70). Referring to Kate as a hawk that will obey
its owner's request, he knows that she will eventually obey his request just as the bird obeys. By
keeping close watch over her actions Petruchio will have say on what she can or cannot do. This
will teach her to become submissive to
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2. The Taming Of The Shrew
In order for two comparative texts to develop ones understanding of shared themes and ideas they
must over come the boundaries of differing contexts and explore the strong parallels between them.
Shakespeare's play "The Taming of the Shrew" (1590–1592) was composed during the Elizabethan
era in contrast to Gil Junger's "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) set around 1990s America.
Although the diverse time periods their correlating plots are indicators of appropriation and
pronounce an intertextual relationship. Both of these texts explore universal themes of gender roles
and social hierarchy. Gender and roles is a prominent parallel throughout the two texts exploring the
stereotypical standards that have been long withstanding in society. Likewise, society has developed
the concept of social hierarchy to categorized people into different groups based on political, and
socio–economic status. These themes have significant relevance to society and have reoccurred
through to present day. Despite the differing context and era, an understanding of the corresponding
ideas in these texts may be developed a comparative study.
In their lifetime it is common for a women to experience challenges arising from gender inequality.
Through these texts this continuing problem is displayed in two contrasting time periods, being
substantial to their plots. Issues related to gender are immensely important in "The Taming of the
Shrew", which centers on Petruchio "taming" Katherine and forcing
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3. Taming Of The Shrew
Taming of the shrew fun facts:
When people first read The Taming of the Shrew the romantic comedy they didn't believe that
shakespeare actually wrote it. Taming of the Shrew is about a play within a play that takes place
somewhere around the italian renaissance but there wasn't a set place for the Taming of the Shrew.
Also out of the two main characters Katherine and Percutio there is no protagonist. Another fact
about The Taming of the Shrew is that the first print of the play was in 1623.
Characters in Taming of the Shrew.William shakespeare used characters multiple times in many of
his plays.
A character well know in others Percutio a main character in Taming of the Shrew but a smaller
character in other plays including Romeo and Juliet.The...show more content...
A place he wouldn't recognise. Then the people that took christopher told him he was a lord.
They dressed him like one and treated him like a lord.Telling him he had riches and the rest of his
life was a dream. He starts to slowly figure things out when he is told some people are coming to
perform a play for him.( The taming of the Shrew).When it's finally time to perform the play lots of
different people come into or are introduced to the play. Lots of very rich people that arrive with
many servants and things to brag about.One special person that comes into town is a lady by the
name of bianca which a main character at the time Lucentio fell in love with her the first sight he
had of her. She comes to the town trying to marry her daughter. So it would be very hard for
Lucentio to get Bianca to fall in love with him so he becomes Bianca's tutor. Meanwhile one of
Lucentio's friends Tranio is pretending to be Lucentio by dressing up like him and acting like him
so he can get with Bianca's Daughter.
History:
A study done by a few scholars was done and they decided that the Taming of the Shrew originated
from a story just called The Shrew. That dated back earlier that shakespeare's version did. They
started to investigate further into which play came first and they decided the shrew would have had
to come first because some of the lines from The Shrew the earlier play. Were almost identical to the
ones in The Taming of the Shrew. Television and play
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4. Taming Of The Shrew Essay
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare might appeal to Kalidasa because this play can
be used to show the Hindu puranas and respect toward the deities. Kalidasa's name means the
"servant of Kali" which can suggest he is a follower of the deity Durga, who evolves in the form of
Kali to destroy the demons. In the Taming of the Shrew, Katherine can represent the deity Durga/
Kali to reveal the two side of a female character. According to Hinduism, goddess Durga is the
main force behind creation, preservation and destruction; similarly, a female like Katherine can
very destructive by punishing her sister and being rude to her father. However, that same women,
Katherine, can create a beautiful family bond and preserve the relationship with the force of love
and affection. Furthermore, this play can be used to teach lessons toward the Indian society to treat
women with respect and not consider them to be part of secondary status because of gender
division or sexism. It can reveal to...show more content...
On hand, this play can be used to improve the treatment of women, on the other hand it can be
used to reinforce the gender role separation. For example, throughout the play Katherine was
compared with wild animals, who need to be domesticated as Petruchio says "I am he am born to
tame you Kate, and bring you from a wild Kate to a Kate Conformable as other household Kates."
Based on this quote, Petruchio compares Katherine to a wild cat who is out of control and need to
be taught the boundary of life. This particular section can send a role division message that women
born to be submissive and they need to be tamed if they do not fit the prescribed societal role.
Kalidasa lived around 5th century, when women were not treated equally, this play can catch
audience's attention as a way to reinforce their gender role
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