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Women In The Taming Of The Shrew

971 Words4 Pages

The role of women in The Taming of the Shrew Throughout history, women have had very different experiences at different times. Some past societies had women who were warriors, powerful priestesses, and political leaders. At other times strict expectations have been placed on women, with (male) writers portraying them as inferior to men (McKeown, 2017). The role of women nowadays is completely different to what it used to be in medieval times. But we can find exceptions, just like in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew, where Katherina does not come up to her society's expectations. To understand Shakespeare's intentions, we need to look at the historical background of women's role. The beginnings of inequality between women and men, which lead to women being less important, were in the Bible (2017), where God told Eve, after being tricked by the snake to eat an apple: "You are going to suffer more during pregnancy, you are going to be giving birth to your sons in pain, you are going to desire your man but he will be your ruler. " In Europe, Christianity was the most dominant religion in ancient times, and when the priests taught the Bible, they as well taught women their position is lower than their men. Thanks to reigning power of Christianity during …show more content…

She is perfect for any man in the Renaissance time, thanks to her personality, education and wealth from her father. But then there is Katherina, who is vulgar, does what she wants and has a widespread -bad reputation. No man wants to deal with her, because she is not controllable, does not want to listen to anyone and only has her opinion, which is the only right opinion for her. There is no reason for anyone to marry her. However, Baptista will not allow marriage with Bianca unless Katherina is married. Therefore, there must be someone, who would accept her personality or would be able to change her manners to suit the Renaissance

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973 Words | 4 Pages

When it comes to the way modern society functions, somebody’s gender can influence the amount of respect given to them. This exact structure of power based on gender was in place during the English Renaissance era. This is when English poet and playwright, William Shakespeare, created his most famous works, where these ideologies of gender superiority are evident. He uses his plays to critique society and its flaws. In The Taming of The Shrew, the complex character of Katherine and her arranged marriage with Pertruichio makes a mockery of her true identity and develops the plot as well as the theme that misogyny and gender roles defined humanity in the English Renaissance era.

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793 Words | 4 Pages

Modern day communication and relationships were vastly different but, the movie really portrayed the “lovey-dovey” aspect of The Taming of the Shrew. The movies atmosphere and era helped with that portrayal. Seeing as women were not just property but more leaning towards as actual human beings and “almost” equal in standards to men. Leading into my final subject the role of women in these

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365 Words | 2 Pages

Women in the middle ages tend to be push aside as the Chaucer displayed in “The Knight’s Tale” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”. In the medieval system, people believed that women are to be educated by their husbands, that women are vicious, and therefore they believe men were always right. Women’s position in society was determined by the unfavorable attitudes of leaders. Women also was to seem to be following the Mother of Christ example to preserve their virginity. When the Wife of Bath was created there was no awareness of feminine desire for equality.

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1029 Words | 5 Pages

Baptista states that “Bianca must not be Wed unless Katherine is wed first”.  Hortensia and Gremio divide a plan to wed Katherine to Petruchio . On Katherine's wedding day Petruchio  refers to Katherine as “my goods, my chattels; she is my house, my household stuff, my field, my barn, my horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing”. To tame Katherine Petruchio abuses her. Junger’s film is baed on Kat Stratford and her sister Bianca who attended Padua High.

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510 Words | 3 Pages

Katherine’s final speech in The Taming of the Shrew is misogynistic. William Shakespeare's brilliant play, The Taming of the Shrew, has led to heated debates over its exhibition of gender roles and the treatment of women. At the root of this controversy lies Katherine's concluding speech, a sexist monologue that has left audiences divided. However, an analysis exposes sexism woven throughout the entirety of the play, extending way beyond Katherine's controversial speech. Katherine's final speech stands as a perfect example of the play's misogynistic undertones.

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491 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the entirety of the play, women are consistently seen as subservient and submissive to men, with their worth being determined by their ability to please and obey their ‘lords.’ Over

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1055 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout history, women have always been considered inferior to men. Women are typically supposed to stay home and care for the children, quieter than men, do not need an education, and are supposed to listen and do what they are told. The men are the ones in charge. They are “always at the top”, expected to work to provide for their family, and tell their wives what to do. When reading “Taming of the Shrew” by Shakespeare and watching “10 Things I hate About You” directed by Gil Junger, the stereotypes and gender role of Katherine (Kat) and the sisterly relationship between Katherine (Kat) and Bianca come across.

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919 Words | 4 Pages

Gender Roles Are the outrageous gender roles that were present in the Elizabethan era still in effect in today’s society? The play Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare and the movie “10 Things I Hate About You” shows the presentence of gender roles. In which Kat, the lead woman in 10 things I Hate About You and Katherine the lead women in Taming of the shrew get the lower hand, and is shown in very different ways in the play and the movie, as both result in the leading females to change in the end. These examples in the play/movie show how the male is the breadwinner and the woman to be more submissive as shown in today’s society. Male control over Kat and Katherine, the attachment that both women have towards the men and the pressured

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1910 Words | 8 Pages

Throughout history, men have always dominated. They never let a woman rise to power or have the same rights. This sexism has been ingrained in society for thousands of years, so much so that it has defined some of the most famous works of literature, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This play was written during the Elizabethan Era, an era in which a woman had all the power imaginable (Queen Elizabeth), and yet, women were still severely discriminated against. Women had no say whatsoever in their society; they were not allowed to vote and they had very few legal rights (Papp, Joseph, Kirkland).

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Posing as a tutor allows him to not only grow close to Bianca, but also to Baptista. Earning Baptista’s trust is essential to him gaining Bianca’s hand in marriage and her dowry. Although Bianca is highly sought after, Baptista favors her over her sister, Katherine, and thus shields her from potential suitors. Lucentio not only uses his disguise to deceive Bianca, but he is deceived. Lucentio attempts to be clever in order to “win” Bianca, but Bianca is not what she seems to be. All the suitors want to marry Bianca because she is beautiful and

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1569 Words | 7 Pages

The Elizabethan era was not an uprising point for women in history. The women were expected to fit into a roll, a roll of women who were obedient and never wayward. The Elizabethan era was a time where Shakespeare wrote his plays, because of that era, Shakespeare’s play’s would tend to emulate characters of the type of woman at that time. Women were not allowed extra schooling and they had to be completely dependent on a male, whether it being her father or her husband. It is no shock that Shakespeare’s depiction of women was the way they were.

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815 Words | 4 Pages

Like an auctioneer standing at the block, Baptista ‘sold’ his daughter off to the highest bidder. However, whether willing or unwilling, it was certain that Bianca was to be married off eventually. Because, unlike in modern society, women were considered ‘unfit’ to live independently and forced into marriages, as shown especially in Kate’s ‘taming’ by Petruchio. Because the society was entirely male-driven, both sisters “have no option but marriage and will be utterly dependent on whatever husband they can get” (Adney

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465 Words | 2 Pages

Ever wonder about gender roles in Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew? In Taming of the Shrew, the gender roles affect the characters in a rather negative way, and when they surface in the play, it’s rather shocking. This essay will discuss how gender roles affect the characters in what I believe is a negative way, and how they surface in the play. In this play, the men appear to have a particular idea on how all women should behave.

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1835 Words | 8 Pages

‘What is a real woman?’ William Shakespeare’s : Taming of the Shrew and Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales : The Wife of Bath’s Tale deals with the Middle Ages or medieval period lasting from the 5th to the 15th century. beginning with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and emerging toward the Renaissance (14th to the 17th century) and the Age of Discovery.

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1077 Words | 5 Pages

In The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, women are treated as objects and sexual entertainment. Women are defined by their beauty, social standings, and upbringing. What women want is control over men and to be defined by their wisdom and intelligence. Several female characters, two in particular, Alice and Alisoun support the strength of women and reject that fact that they are looked at as less than men. The women have little control over the men and they slowly gain their power by manipulating men and using their sexual desires to entice them, thus giving women more control over men which is very rare.

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