Taming Of The Shrew Research Paper

The Taming of the Shrew

William Shakespeare, an English poet, play writer and actor, is considered the world’s greatest dramatist of all time. One of his most famous stories is “The Taming of the Shrew”. One would say they loved the story but another could say they hated it. In this particular play, William Shakespeare focused on social status, happiness, and domestication. Whether we like it or not, social status still impacts us today regardless of how much time has passed. The higher the social status, the more expectations we, as humans, give. Expectations are enforced by family, friends and society. In this story, social status was everything. Baptista Minola wouldn’t give Petruchio the time of day if he didn’t know his father well.

Because Katherine did not act like a proper lady should of her social class, she was seen as the “ugly sister” between Bianca and herself. This alienation led her to be miserably unhappy. From the way that she is portrayed, some would say she deserves it. No one really knows what Katherine is honestly thinking. Those that just breeze through the book would just assume Katherine was always like that from the start, but if you read closely, you’d realize that the only person’s happiness at stake was Katherine’s. Sure, she doesn’t act like a lady, has no manners, and has this incredibly scary rage of jealousy that should deem her unlikeable at first glance, but there are always two sides to every story. In act two, scene one, Katherine and Bianca are in a heated argument over love. Baptista interrupts and saves Bianca in a heartbeat while Katherine sits by and watches. “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. Talk not to me. I will go sit and weep till I can find occasion of revenge.” (Act 2, scene 1) There are so many ways to interpret this scene. In one reading, you will hear the jealousy coming out of Katherine’s mouth; her words adding to her shrewish personality, making her even more unlikable. The fact that she tied Bianca’s hands