The Taming of the Shrew does not present major events such as Petruchio and Katherine's wedding or their travels home to Petruchio's estates. Characters fill in the missing events by relaying this information to each other through conversation. Before this happens, however, the audience members gain an element of mystery as well as humor as they try to imagine how the scene would have played out. Shakespeare intends for the audience members to find amusement as they imagine the scene in their own way. The absence of important events in the play brings humor and…
In Petruchio's long soliloquy after Katherine goes to her bridal chamber, he reveals his intentions to "tame" Katherine, the shrew. He intends to tame her as a falconer tames his falcon. He compares her to an untamed falcon - wild, stubborn, and unwilling. Petruchio reveals that he will try to starve Katherine and deprive her of sleep until she becomes obedient. Petruchio describes his plan as "a way to kill a wife with kindness;" he claims it will curb her madness and destroy her stubbornness.…
William Shakespeare captivates the audience in the comedic play The Taming Of the Shrew by raising awareness of gender inequality and the significance of money during the Elizabethan context. Themes of sexism and money are still relevant in today's society. The Taming of the shrew deeply explores the relationships of men and women creating opportunities for Shakespeare to confront the responder with questioning thoughts of the power of money and the view of sexism in the Elizabethan era. The beliefs of women and men in the Elizabethan times where very patriarchy, regarding the women as the weaker sex.…
Opposites and archetypes in The Taming of the Shrew The perfect woman, the perfect villain, the perfect stereotype, all highlighted and discussed in The Taming of the Shrew. Starting with Bianca, she is a very archetypal character; who embodies the characteristics of the Quiet Woman, the Virgin, the Good wife, and the Worthie. To counterbalance her Katherine is introduced, she acts as an opposite to Bianca. Kate embodies the Wanton Woman, the Unquiet woman, and the Effeminate Fool.…
World Literature: Shakespeare Unit During the 14th and 15th century there were many conflicts between the English and the British over land, and power. There were also conflicts involving the ultimate ruler (god) and the Kings of Land over who had power. Besides conflicts with each other and god, there were still women's rights issues. Both Saint Joan, and King Henry V are similar in which they both lack the rights of women.…
Throughout time, the moral standards and values of society and its members greatly changes, this in turn tremendously affects the perception of the actions performed by those in the past. Specifically in the perception of literature, the perspective in which it is viewed significantly influences how people understand them. If we look at literature written in the past through a modern lens while applying modern standards and values to it, much of the subject’s essence is lost in that translation because their is no attempt to understand what the writing meant when it was written, nor an effort to try and dig deeper for analysis of the writing. This is the cause of debate of the role that sexism plays in William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew.…
Introduction: Even though Shakespearean plays have existed for centuries, bringing forth both enjoyment for audiences and discussion for literary thinkers, and having been analysed, scrutinised and their very essence explored. This essay will attempt to create a vivid and fascinating exploration of Hamlet and the Taming of the Shrew, for emphasis the purpose of this essay is to traverse in the depiction of Shakespearean women. Chiefly the performance of these female characters on stage whilst using Judith Butler’s Queer theory as a basic theoretical framework. This essay will also attempt to address Shakespearean misogyny and answering the age old question of How far is Shakespeare's depiction of the female characters a result of Renaissance culture or his own personal beliefs.…
Their lack of personality is not what makes this a serious need for feminism, instead it is how Hamlet views these two women in his life and his abuse towards them in response to their lack of identity. What is important to understand is that women were viewed as lowly, emotional, and animalistic. Except this is not as accurate as Shakespeare leads his audience to believe. Men were the ones that put women in these roles of dependency and inconspicuous Stockholm Syndrome where submission is key and insubordination was punishable. This translated throughout all classes.…
Later on in the play Petruchio makes a bet with Hortensio and Lucentio. He says whoever’s wife comes to them when they are called upon will get 6,000 crowns. Hortensio and Lucentio’s wives don't come when they’re called upon. Katherine, however, is a different story. “What is your will, sir, that you send for me?”(Shakespeare.…
The sisters treat their father very differently and they treat one another very differently but the clearest of all is the way they treat their husbands. In Taming of The Shrew by William Shakespeare, Katherine and Bianca prove that no two sisters are the same in their behaviours, social interactions and romantic relationships. Katharine is considered a shrew by all the other characters in the play and she is an old, quick witted, careless woman. She is past the usual marriageable age and the way…
Right from the start of The Taming of the Shrew the reader is introduced to the concept of what means to be a “good” or “bad” woman in this novel. In a conversation between Katherine and Hortensio the audience can see this distinction, “Katherine: I pray you sir is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates? Hortensio: ‘Mates’ maid? How mean you that? No mates for you unless you were of a gentler milder mold” (Shakespeare 35).…
Comedic Devices in The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew is a romantic comedy that takes place in Padua, Italy, which was a prominent city-state during the Renaissance. The story revolves around two characters named Katherine and Petruchio who get married in a week’s time. In the play, The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare, plot development relies upon the use of comedic devices as the characters all do crazy things, like pretending to be tutors in order to woo a lover, or being absurdly unreasonable in order to tam a hot-tempered wife. The induction shows the beginning of the play where a drunk named Sly fell asleep and was found by a rich lord named Lord.…
under those circumstances, her reactions to the restrictions posed upon her were normal. They also made life easier for her; she could simply have fun and enjoy life. Her father's attitude was undoubtedly the main reason that she picked a man like Torvald to marry. Unconsciously, she was still seeking a father figure, a continuation of her childhood.…
One can express their love in various forms and to different extents. Today, individuals continue to utter their love to their partner even through rough situations. Shakespeare makes a lot of use of love amongst characters in many his plays. Throughout the play, The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, Lucentio and Bianca, Baptista, and Petruchio and Katherina express their love for one another romantically, filially, and platonically. Lucentio, the son of Vincentio, and Bianca, the daughter of Baptista express their love to each other romantically throughout the play.…
Revenge, death, and marriage are ideas that are completely different from each other, but are all some major themes that can appear in many stories or plays. They can be used as one theme, or be tied together with another to create an intriguing story. Hamlet is the story of a young prince who is seeking revenge on his uncle after he murders Hamlet’s father and marries his mother. The Taming of the Shrew tells the story of how Katherine, a wealthy shrew, is “tamed” by Petruchio, a man who marries her for money. William Shakespeare’s plays Hamlet and The Taming of the Shrew have some elements such as family relationships, roles of women in society, and marriage woven into their stories that make them different and similar in many ways.…