The Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare - 1097 Words

From the societal struggles of women in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, to the story of Nora and her domineering and overbearing husband, Torvald, in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, the theme of oppression and mistreatment of women has been prevalent throughout literature. The play The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, examines this theme by detailing the female-pursuits of 3 men, Lucentio, Hortensio, and Petruchio, and their respective methods of â€Å"seduction†. While Lucentio lies in order to attract Bianca and Hortensio elects to marry a woman simply for her wealth, Petruchio, to the surprise of the other male characters, marries a foul-tempered and sharp-tongued â€Å"shrew†, Katherine. After their wedding, Petruchio, a selfish and volatile braggart, subjugates his wife’s temper by clandestinely subjecting her to sleep deprivation and starvation. By the end of the play, Petruchio seems to have â€Å"tamed† Kate, as s he is ludicrously compliant with his whims, and defensive of his statements. The question remains however, why did men in this society feel the necessity to assert their dominance in almost every realm of life? By examining the attitudes of the characters Hortensio, Lucentio, and Petruchio, the interactions between them, and the outcomes of their marriages, Shakespeare asserts that societal expectations of masculinity, rather than the nature of man himself, produce the attitude of overbearing dominance and is thus the cause of the mistreatment of women. InShow MoreRelatedThe Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare1316 Words   |  6 Pagespatriarchy, and have conquered in achieving a worthy opinion of their genders. In the taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare expresses the Elizabethan views of oppressive gender roles and the expectations of the submissive behavior of women. This play is about a man named Petruchio who is trying to tame a â€Å"shrew† Katharina .The play is misogynistic, which is apparent through the constant need for Petruchio to tame the shrew, Katherina, women’s dependence on men, and the ownership of women in the play.Read MoreThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare1321 Words   |  5 PagesFrom youth we have been showered with tales of true love’s kiss and of Prince Charming breaking the Evil Queen’s curse. Time and again, we are made to see the power of love. In the play, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† by William Shakespeare, the renowned playwright takes love deeper than just passion. Shakespeare goes under the surface of love, all the way to its core. The story truly begins as Baptista Minola’s two daughters are readied for marriage: Bianca the sweet and innocent; Katherina the shrewdRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare Essay1990 Words   |  8 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare was written in the latter years of the Elizabethan Era. In this play, Shakespeare looks at the themes of womanhood, patriarchy, courtship, and marriage, which are topics prevalent in Elizabethan Era. Amongst citizens, the topics hold strict beliefs in the public space. This play that illustrates a woman with such self-control and individualism, get forced into the life of a weak woman beholden to her husband. A once strong and domination female characterRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare1181 Words   |  5 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare will appeal to Kalidasa because mos t of his plays are based on Puranas and this play can be used to show the values of Hindu Puranas and respect toward the deities. Hindu Puranas, ancient Indian literature about myths and legends, like Mahabharata teach the society about deed, religion, respect, knowledge, and royalty. Kalidasa can use Shakespeare’s play to reteach Mahabharata’s values, since the play presents themes of wealth, gender role, religiousRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare1612 Words   |  7 Pagespast, women were oppressed because they were not allowed to work and control aspects of their lifestyle, such as working themselves, rather they were forced to marry and depend on their spouses. William Shakespeare chose to present this concept through Katherina’s character in the play The Taming of The Shrew. Throughout the play, Katherina is seems to be untamable due to the manner in which she is first introduced, her attitude changes too abruptly for it to be convinci ng, and that she is either puttingRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare Essay1596 Words   |  7 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, it is an epic battle of the sexes. In the era that this play was written (Elizabethan), women were told what to do, how to act, and who to be. That is why Katherine is such a fascinating yet confusing character in this play. In this piece, the protagonist Kate is very complex and has many different, unique sides to her personality, which is frowned upon in this time. Before Katherine even spoke in this play she was this horrible, shrewish girl. WhenRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare1255 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, it focuses on two sisters who must get married however, the oldest must get married first. Here, Shakespeare presents to the audience, Katharina Minola. Katharina is portrayed as an outspoken and stubborn woman. In the pla y, Kate cannot find a husband because of her aggressive personality, the men speak negatively about her and believe she is not a fit woman to marry. Although, in the play it may seem like Kate will never find a husbandRead MoreTaming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare Essay2088 Words   |  9 PagesPetruchio’s Change In the play Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, many characters are reshaped and given new personality traits. Petruchio is known as being a cocky man who intends to help tame a shrewish young lady named Kate. There are many critics that believe Petruchio is solely obnoxious and a bully but through out his interactions with Kate it is shown that he truly cares about the well being of others. Of course at the beginning of Petruchio’s plan to tame a young ladyRead MoreEssay on The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare1088 Words   |  5 Pages The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, is historical proof that flirting and temptation, relating to the opposite sex, has been around since the earliest of times. Because males and females continue to interact, the complications in this play remain as relevant and humorous today as they did to Elizabethan audiences. This is a very fun play, full of comedy and sexual remarks. Its lasting impression imprints itself into the minds of its readers, for it is an unforgettableRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew889 Words   |  4 PagesIn many accounts, William Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew, is often criticized for its seemingly misogynistic themes; such as the thought of â€Å"taming† a woman, thus making her completely submissive to her husband. While in the opening of the play, Katharine, ill-tempered but seemingly impenetrable, gets pulverized by Petruchio’s contradicting her words, and also saying disgusting jokes in an int ense verbal arguement. In another example, one of the other main characters, Bianca, was bet on by several