Power In The Taming Of The Shrew

Beyonce Knowles once said “Power is not given to you. You have to take it.” Power husbands have over their wives, power a father has over the suitors of his daughters, and the power a beautiful girl has over those who wish to marry her are evident examples of power in William Shakespeare’s play The Taming of The Shrew. Power is a double edged sword. Characters like Baptista Minola use their power benevolently, for the well being and success of his daughters. Other characters like Petruchio use their power in selfish ways, to get richer and even more powerful over more people in his life. Although power is almost always sought and won through wealth, its is also achieved through love. The relationship between Baptista Minola and his daughters

She has 3 men who wish to marry her, she is by far one of the most powerful characters in the play. Bianca is the best example of how love changes people, and the power the one being loved recieves. Lucentio, a “scholar” halts his studies to win the heart of his new found love Bianca. Lucentio tells Tranio “But art thou not advis’d, he took some care to get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?” (1.1.186 & 187). Lucentio plans to go undercover as a tutor to win over his beautiful new love. 2 of Bianca’s suitors, Hortensio and Lucentio, disguise themselves as tutors to become closer to Bianca, in the hopes of wooing her more intimately. While bickering Lucentio tells Hortencio “Preposterous ass, that never read so far to know the cause why music was ordained! Was it not to refresh the mind of man after his studies or his usual pain? Then give me leave to read philosophy, and while I pause, serve in your harmony” (3.1.9-14). While in a study session the two tutors begin to bicker over who gets the privilege of teaching the fair Bianca first. The 3rd of Bianca’s suitors, a rich older man, hires tutors (knowingly hiring Lucentio), attempts to find Katherine a husband so that he may soon marry Bianca, and offers up everything he owns. Grumio says “Nay, I have offered all, I have no more, and she can have no more than I have; if you like me, she shall have me and mine.” (2.1.381-381). The sheer

How power is between both main marriages that occur in the play’s plot are both fascinatingly different and show two entirely different types of marriages between 2 sisters. Also, the power one woman has over 3 grown men who are madly in love with her. The power structure is built on the basis of love, whether that power is good or bad. This is almost a feminist type play, which is very forward for shakespearean play (minus the domestic abuse). Beyonce’s quote stating that power must be achieved ties into what the character Lucentio does in his attempts of marrying Bianca, he achieves the power that is marriage. Power in modern times lies in success and money, though power in money is still a theme in the novel, power that is achieved and only achieved in a family is much more evident and