Love is power. Love is deception. Love is social status. Love is humiliation. Love is all these things and more in the comedy hits; Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I hate about you. However, one question that often gets thrown around is whether the films are an exercise in misogyny or a love story about a man liberating a woman? After viewing both films, I don’t want to solely focus on a simplistic or one-sided notion. Furthermore, I will point out that it’s not only a man liberating a headstrong woman, rather, it’s both Petruchio/Patrick and Katharina/Kat who liberate each other in societies that don’t take too kindly to indifference or people who are slightly crazy.
My first viewing of 1967 film revealed how Shakespeare, the original …show more content…
Once in his home, Petruchio’s behaviour is confronting as he wails and screams at his servants for cooking the incorrect food, as well as ripping and destroying new clothes intended for Katharina. People might view this behaviour as misogynistic, however, I interpret this a clever comedy as it highlights power struggle between the main two characters as they try to assert their dominance in the relationship. Moreover, in the penultimate scene of the film, Petruchio places an unwise bet, however, his fears soon turn into elation as his gamble comes to fruition as Katharina implores her sister and friend to be more obedient to their husbands. What the audience learns here is that both characters need rescuing in certain parts of the narrative and needed each other to be successful in a society built on status and money. Shakespeare’s masculine dominated society during the Elizabethan era was cleverly turned on its head as femininity was revealed to be crucial to the desired outcome for the main characters.
Conversely, 10 Things I Hate About You, a film directed by Gil Junger, is a teen cult classic based on Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. The plot is based heavily on Shakespeare’s original set in Elizabethan times, but has been heavily adapted to suit a 1990 's society. The film explores …show more content…
While her sister, Bianca, is popular and the apple of most boys’ eye. Like in Shrew, a bet is made whereby popular jock, Joey, enlists the help of resident bad-boy, Patrick, to woo and court Kat, so he can take Bianca to the prom. In complete contrast to The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You promotes female independence and control when choosing a male love interest, giving the feminine characters more power and choice. Although set in a time of feminine power, the film still yields to traditional views on dating and the archetypal ‘knight in shining armour’ that every girl should find. However, like in Shrew, as the film progresses, the masculine characters are shown to have weaknesses and can only be truly liberated by a strong feminine
My first viewing of 1967 film revealed how Shakespeare, the original …show more content…
Once in his home, Petruchio’s behaviour is confronting as he wails and screams at his servants for cooking the incorrect food, as well as ripping and destroying new clothes intended for Katharina. People might view this behaviour as misogynistic, however, I interpret this a clever comedy as it highlights power struggle between the main two characters as they try to assert their dominance in the relationship. Moreover, in the penultimate scene of the film, Petruchio places an unwise bet, however, his fears soon turn into elation as his gamble comes to fruition as Katharina implores her sister and friend to be more obedient to their husbands. What the audience learns here is that both characters need rescuing in certain parts of the narrative and needed each other to be successful in a society built on status and money. Shakespeare’s masculine dominated society during the Elizabethan era was cleverly turned on its head as femininity was revealed to be crucial to the desired outcome for the main characters.
Conversely, 10 Things I Hate About You, a film directed by Gil Junger, is a teen cult classic based on Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. The plot is based heavily on Shakespeare’s original set in Elizabethan times, but has been heavily adapted to suit a 1990 's society. The film explores …show more content…
While her sister, Bianca, is popular and the apple of most boys’ eye. Like in Shrew, a bet is made whereby popular jock, Joey, enlists the help of resident bad-boy, Patrick, to woo and court Kat, so he can take Bianca to the prom. In complete contrast to The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You promotes female independence and control when choosing a male love interest, giving the feminine characters more power and choice. Although set in a time of feminine power, the film still yields to traditional views on dating and the archetypal ‘knight in shining armour’ that every girl should find. However, like in Shrew, as the film progresses, the masculine characters are shown to have weaknesses and can only be truly liberated by a strong feminine