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The Theme Of Sexism In The Taming Of The Shrew

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In William Shakespeare’s “The taming of the shrew” is about two sisters and their love interests. Bianca is incredibly beautiful and has numerous suitors asking for her hand, and Katherine, is quick tongued and has been deemed as a shrew. Their father, Baptista, decides Bianca cannot be married off until Katherina is, thus Bianca’s suitors plan to ‘tame’ the shrew so they can finally attain Bianca’s hand in marriage. The play explores the themes of hate, sexism, love and how in societies eyes that the perfect wife is obedient. Although Katherine and Bianca are sisters their relationship is quite strained, Katherine feels envious of her sister’s beauty and status. Their relationship is filled with hatred from Katherine along with Bianca’s sense of superiority towards the other as their father is fonder of her, as she has numerous men courting her. In a general sense, the common rivalry between siblings is also often manifested in physical violence. This is portrayed in a specific sense in the play in Act II, scene I, where “the cruel Katherine” has bound Bianca's hands and is questioning her about suitors, when Bianca laughs at Katherine, Katherine hits her. Their relationship is filled with jealousy, and we only really get to see their growth once they both are getting …show more content…

Petruchio tries to manipulate Katherine by using techniques to “tame” her. “Eventually, she becomes so enraged that she hits him, but he continues the game just the same, saying that he will marry her whether she is willing: “will you, nill you, I will marry you” (II.i.263). Petruchio goes to Kate’s father and manipulates him into thinking that Katherine has consented to marry him, but Baptista when met with the truth from Katherine, does not believe her, as she may be his daughter, but Petruchio is a

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A Taming Of The Shrew, an interesting title that portrays the storyline that involves Katerina and Petruchio mainly. Their love story is not so straight forward, there 's certain sides that portray separate feelings and the play depicts how Katerina takes on her newly wedded man. understanding their tangled mess Shakespeare wrote, people of all different academic levels try and understand the hidden meanings, although there will never be a final conclusion to what he portrayed. Consequently, the side most students and professors side with is Katerina finally broke her mindset that she is the queen of all queens, that she is on top and no one can back her down, until she met her match Petruchio. As most people side with, Katerina met her match,

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The movie 10 Things I Hate About You directed by Gil Junger brought the story of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare back to life. This story remains relevant today through the main character of Katherine or the “shrew” and how the change of her personality, the change of her and her suitors relationship, and the change of her character in the plot creates a new story of different romances and creates a new stance on gender roles and misogyny take place within love. The modernization of this play changed this dramatic comedy of a mean and controlled woman written in the 1500s to a very well-known 1990s romantic comedy with a lead feminist character. The main character of a story can make or break keeping an audience’s attention.

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Petruchio's Deception In Taming Of The Shrew

809 Words | 4 Pages

This was all just an act that Petruchio was playing to “tame” Katherine. He wanted her to start acting the way she was supposed to, more like her sister Bianca who was the favored sister. He also had a goal of gaining some money because katherine was a part of a rich family. Katherine was very different than all the rest of the women when it came to gender ideals. She needed to be “tamed” and start acting like all the rest of the women.

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Petruchio's Treatment Of Women In The Taming Of The Shrew

594 Words | 3 Pages

Lastly he makes Kate believe everything he says no matter what, and when she agrees with him he calls her stupid, to make her submissive to him. This is his plan and it is a very cruel one. Petruchio

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Conversing with her father, Baptista, and Tranio pretending to be Lucentio, Katherine expresses her frustrations about marrying Petruchio before their wedding: “No shame but mine. I must, forsooth, be forced / To give my hand, opposed against my heart, / Unto a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen, / Who wooed in haste and means to wed at leisure” (Taming of the Shrew, III, ii, 8-11). Revealing the injustices of society, Katherine implies that men have total control over who/how they marry and that women are expected to comply with their will. Furthermore, Katherine’s description of Petruchio as “a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen” demonstrates the norm of men being able to be unrefined and sloppy, but if a woman were to have those qualities, they would be heavily rebuked for their lack of “lady-like” qualities like being submissive and modest.

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Shakespeare’s play celebrates Kates wit and fiery spirit even while reveling in her humiliation. The play can be used as an example for the views of marriage in the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the play could be sued as an example of what a wife was supposed to be like. Gossipy wives in the sixteenth and seventeenth century were to be submissive and were not to undermine the authority of their husband. The Taming of the Shrew emphasized, to the women of that time, that they would always end up being a submissive and dependent wife. On the other hand 10 Things I hate about you is more focused on the ideas of individualism, dating, and trust.

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When Petruchio decided that he wanted to marry Kate, Baptista warned Petruchio how Kate is and how she reacts to things. “Well, good luck! I hope you’re successful. But prepare yourself for some unpleasantness” (2.1.138). This quote shows how Kates father Baptista is telling Petruchio that he has to prepare himself for what’s coming his way from Kate, she’s like a ticking bomb that can explode at any time.

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It implies petruchio’s behavior is a mirror of Katherines and is horrible. Their entrance is led by Petruchio doing everything from Kate. Peter says that because he’s treating everyone the same way she treats them. While doing this Kate is slowly starting to realize how she acts and how that looks to everyone. Petruchio is killing her with her own act of everyday life and she’s what kind of imprint she leaves.

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The first time they met all they did was argue. For example, Petruchio asked her if her name was Kate, and she corrected him saying it was Katherine. After that he continued to call her Kate to annoy her. Even though Katherine didn’t want to marry him, her father (Baptista) let Petruchio marry her on that Sunday.

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Taming Of The Shrew Sexism Analysis

815 Words | 4 Pages

From Sexism to Social Reformation Many actions and ideologies of the characters in The Taming of the Shrew create an overarching conflict between comedy and sexism for most readers. Specifically, the relationships between the men and women introduce controversial topics such as obedience and love which must be questioned thoroughly. The conditions of Petruchio and Katherine’s marriage was more “traditional” in the sense that it was primarily patriarchal, and that Kate was expected to be subservient and obedient. While this is sexist, on the surface, this was not the intended meaning behind the works.

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“Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare is a comedy. This play which was turned into a book, was one of the few forms of entertainment in the Shakespearean era. All people both the nobles and the groundlings filled small theaters, with the nobles sitting in seats and the groundlings standing in the pit, come to see an entertaining show. Shakespeare had the challenge of needing to please everyone watching his play so that he and his actors get paid. One of the productions that he would put on is “Taming of the Shrew”.

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