The evolution of societal labels on each person and their roles in a family over centuries must be deciphered and understood. The Taming of the Shrew written by William Shakespeare in the 1600s orchestrates marriages of Katherine and Bianca, the daughters of Baptista. Many believe that Katherine behaves similar to a shrew out of hate she has for the world while Bianca follows the modest customs of the time. Upon further examination, the reason for these differences reflect on how past events change their perspectives in life. In literature, the importance resides not only in understanding why the characters act and speak the way they do, but also understanding how their actions correlate to society; therefore, in order …show more content…
In the article, “The Household: Authority and Violence,” The household’s depiction relates to a “small model of the larger society” (201). The stereotypical father runs his household in a way that prepares his children for a successful public life. His duty as a father remains to protect his children, which sometimes seems to appear as control. A father’s protective authority over his children, especially his daughters, may increase their chance of life’s prosperity, but all people react to discipline and love differently. In the Shakespearean time, the father’s control portrayed his love and care for his children and …show more content…
As a submissive daughter, she realizes Baptista’s control sprouted from the love he has for her. To explain how a child should act in a family, Katherine A. Sirluck establishes, “In the family, the child is assigned the role of the unsocialized, original human being, needing guidance, moulding, and strict discipline in order to meet the requirements of the community.” Bianca reacts to Baptista with obedience, for she knows her father’s goal remains to prepare her for adulthood. By the end of the play, transformation in her marriage reveals the lack of submission to Lucentio, her husband. When Lucentio sends his servant, Biondello, to request for Bianca, he returns with her response, “Sir, sends you word That she is busy, and cannot come” (5.2.87-89). Bianca transforms from complete submission as a daughter into a wife with more