Gender Roles In The Taming Of The Shrew

Micah Sapp

5/29/18

4th period

Taming Of The Shrew

In Shakespeare’s play The Taming of The Shrew, the main character Petruchio tries to tame Katherine and force her to be an obedient wife in the midst of a series of comedic and bizarre moments. Throughout the play, the theme of gender roles is subtly woven in as sisters Kate and Bianca deal with the expectations of men and society. First, the women are expected to fall in line with the expected gender norms of the time--in the 16th century, this means that they are always considered not to be as much worth as that of a man. Next, the men support these gender roles in the way they treat women--with many men in that time period, especially in The Taming of the Shrew, that means that they force

Kate resists this idea by saying, “Father, be quiet. He shall stay at my leisure.” (3.2 212) Even though Kate has been forcibly wed to Petruchio, she attempts to gain back some control by claiming that the only reason Petruchio is staying is because she prefers it. This is a way that Kate is able to maintain control over her life, even when it feels like all other controls are being taken away from her. Meanwhile, Baptista eagerly waiting for Bianca’s long awaited wedding is glad to see that Katherine now has a husband. “Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones,” pointing out that he is relieved he no longer has to worry about his troublesome eldest daughter. This also shows more of the oppression in the time period, since women were considered to be property--first, the property of their fathers, and then after they were married off, the property of their husbands. (Baptista 3.2 235) In basically writing her off like this, Baptisa is confirming that Katherine has no control over what happens in her life now that she is a wife. This scene has a very strong impact on gender roles and what each gender’s role is, exemplifying man’s control over

The oppression is constant and systemic, and reflects the culture of the time. This applied to both sisters and how they showed resistance to this system. Bianca resisted this system by eloping with Lucentio, before Baptista worked out an agreement with “Vincentio,” the man pretending to be the groom’s father. “Hap with hap may, I’ll roundly go about her./It shall go hard if “Cambio” go without her.” ( Lucentio 4.4 103-104) This shows that even though Baptista wants to make out a deal with “Vincentio,” to cover financial obligations and other pieces of the marriage deal, Bianca was more concerned about marrying Lucentio, despite Baptista’s expectations. Katherine relentlessly defies the commands of men. “Call me your daughter? Now, I promise you/ You have showed a tender fatherly regard/ To wish me wed to one half lunatic,” (Katherine 2.1 281-283) Katherine is being forced to marry a madman by her father, and she is making sure Baptisa understands her feelings of anger and betrayal. Katherine’s defiance lasts for a long time but is slowly crushed by Petruchio’s taming, as he forces her compliance through physical and mental tactics. “What is your will, sir, that you send for me?” (Katherine 5.2 109) After resisting as long as she possibly could, she realizes that her punishments are worse than what would be happening to her then if she simply became “docile” like many people during this