William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay

William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew In the beginning of â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†, some say Shakespeare portrays Katherina as a very shrewish figure. Others may argue that she is not shrewish but just a very strong willed person. At the end of the play some people say she is transformed into a very kind and gentle person, while again others will argue that she is not â€Å"tamed† but just putting on an act to â€Å"show up† her younger sister Bianca, whom has always been more beautiful and charming. Kate is â€Å"like a wasp, like a foal, like foal that kicks from his halter; pert, quick and determined, but full of good heart.† 1. This statement made by one author, shows clearly that he does not see her as shrew-like, even at the†¦show more content†¦Petruchio starts to tame her from the very first time they meet. He stays calm when she yells and does exactly the opposite of what she expects him to do. He continues his taming at the wedding by acting even worse than she does, a nd in a way, he paints a portrait of her for her to see. He believes that if she sees the way she acts by repeating her actions, that she will want to change, to be more pleasant. I think she acts the way she does in part because she doesn’t realize what she does and to people and doesn’t fully know why people call her the shrew. By repeating how she acts Petruchio not only tames her but he wins her love. Even on their wedding day Kate is still furious and does not want to marry Petruchio. She begins to declare that she will NOT marry him, but he cuts her off and gives her a kiss. Then he will not even let her stay for her own wedding dinner. I believe that this is all part of his plan to tame her. In the end of the play, some may say she is tamed, while others will say she has just plainly fallen in love. But any way you chose to look at it, she is definitely a changed person. When the other men call for their wives, they send back a reply stating that they are busy and just plain ignore their husband’s commands. On the other hand, when Petruchio beckons Kate all of the men expect her to yell and scream as she always did. But to their surprise obediently came immediately. She evenShow MoreRelated William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew845 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew could either be seen as offensive or acceptable to women dependant upon the era of which they lived (16th century-the period of Shakespeare, or the 21st century). Act 4 Scene 1 is a main focal point to debate whether the play is seen as offensive to women. In Shakespeares time, women were not treated humanely but more like objects. Men were seen as the superior sex of which had complete control over women and couldRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of1100 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, is an embodiment of the context in which the text was shaped, the Renaissance. The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. 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William Shakespeare critiques the patriarchal social structure by ironically employing the manipulative stance Petruchio takes towards winning Katherine as his wife by charming her with words and manipulating her psychologically, and then taming her after their marriageRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay750 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew In the play the taming of the shrew I will be discussing about Katherine Petruchio’s behaviour towards each other through words, body language and stage craft. In the Elizabethan times men kept women as possession the women had many hard times coping without freedom limited to what they could do out side also women were accompanied by men at all times because they were thought as being vulnerable. 1ST meeting: Read MoreEssay on Kate in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1760 Words   |  8 PagesKate in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Katharina or Kate, the shrew of William Shakespeares The Taming Of The Shrew is sharp-tongued, quick-tempered, and prone to violence and violent outbursts, especially to anyone who tries to win her love. This is shown from the beginning in Act One with the scene among Hortensio and Gremio and her. When Gremio proclaims her too rough Read MoreMarriage and Relationships in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew2278 Words   |  10 PagesMarriage and Relationships in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Getting married in modern times is not something which is viewed as necessary. There are many couples that are together, but do not want to marry, because they do not feel they have to. Couples that do, can have a marriage almost anywhere they choose. Couples can marry in houses, shopping centres and even petrol stations. Anywhere you can get a marriage licence and a vicar, is seen as a place fitRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew as a Comedy Essay2463 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew as a Comedy The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare between 1589 and 1594, is a romantic comedy set in the Italian city of Padua. Since the play was written, the audiences idea of comedy has changed quite dramatically. In the fifteen hundreds, an audience would have enjoyed obvious, visual aspects of comedy such as we would see in a modern-day pantomime, whereas an audience watching the play today would also Read MoreKatherine and Bianca in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1844 Words   |  8 PagesKatherine and Bianca in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew shows two sisters: Katherina and Bianca, as two complete contrasts to each other. He used various techniques to achieve these effects. The same techniques are used for both sisters to show comparisons between their characters. Shakespeare created two different characters by making the outcome of the techniques very different from each other. Shakespeare has used the Read MoreRelationship of Petruchio and Katherina in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1323 Words   |  6 PagesRelationship of Petruchio and Katherina in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a humorous play which focuses on Petruchio and Katherinas relationship. It explores ideas of marriage including the impact of money in surrounding characters lives. This creates ideal opportunities for dramatic impact, which will vary in effect on the Elizabethan, and modern day audiences especially when various dilemmas are presented William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Over the past 400 or so years since Shakespeare wrote _The Taming of the Shrew_, many writers, painters, musicians and directors have adapted and reformed this play of control and subjugation into timeless pieces of art. In _10 Things I Hate About You_ and Kiss Me Kate from two very different times in the twentieth century, and paintings of Katherina and Bianca from the late nineteenth century, the creators of these adaptations have chosen to focus on the role of the two main female characters in the play. The ideas surrounding these women have changed through the years, from Katherina and Bianca simply being young women who deviated from the norm of Shakespeare’s time to women who embody†¦show more content†¦(2.1. 31-36) Katherina feels that if she does not marry before her sister, then she never will find true love, and thusly will never be happy. She dislikes the stigma that has been brought upon her by her unwillingness to settle down with any of the men who have been brought before her, and is angry with her sister even more for buying into what society has deemed as the right way to do things. These instances of the two sisters together are few and far between, almost to juxtapose the two characters even moreso than their very being in the play does. The fact that they eventually switch roles is another interesting point; Shakespeare presents one as a shrew and the other as the seemingly perfect woman, but he abruptly switches these roles in the last act, after all the action has been performed of the men taming the original shrew. The presentations of these two female characters in a cast full of men is the most poignant part of this whole argument; Shakespeare plays on the societal conventions to the point where he is able to show how they can also backfire on someone unintentionally. All of the adaptations that follow highlight the differences between the characters of the two sisters in this play, and while the eventual status of these characters changes somewhat; they still manage to showcase the difference between the feminine and the masculine aspects of the play. Throughout the years criticsShow MoreRelated William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew845 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew could either be seen as offensive or acceptable to women dependant upon the era of which they lived (16th century-the period of Shakespeare, or the 21st century). Act 4 Scene 1 is a main focal point to debate whether the play is seen as offensive to women. In Shakespeares time, women were not treated humanely but more like objects. Men were seen as the superior sex of which had complete control over women and couldRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of1100 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, is an embodiment of the context in which the text was shaped, the Renaissance. The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. Humanists advocated for the freedom of the individualsRead More William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay1159 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew In the beginning of â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†, some say Shakespeare portrays Katherina as a very shrewish figure. Others may argue that she is not shrewish but just a very strong willed person. At the end of the play some people say she is transformed into a very kind and gentle person, while again others will argue that she is not â€Å"tamed† but just putting on an act to â€Å"show up† her younger sister Bianca, whom has always been more beautiful andRead More Manipulation in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1567 Words   |  7 PagesManipulation in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew In The Taming of the Shrew, the concept of love is a means of emotional manipulation, and manipulation is nothing more than a means of control between men and women. William Shakespeare critiques the patriarchal social structure by ironically employing the manipulative stance Petruchio takes towards winning Katherine as his wife by charming her with words and manipulating her psychologically, and then taming her after their marriageRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay750 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew In the play the taming of the shrew I will be discussing about Katherine Petruchio’s behaviour towards each other through words, body language and stage craft. In the Elizabethan times men kept women as possession the women had many hard times coping without freedom limited to what they could do out side also women were accompanied by men at all times because they were thought as being vulnerable. 1ST meeting: Read MoreEssay on Kate in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1760 Words   |  8 PagesKate in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Katharina or Kate, the shrew of William Shakespeares The Taming Of The Shrew is sharp-tongued, quick-tempered, and prone to violence and violent outbursts, especially to anyone who tries to win her love. This is shown from the beginning in Act One with the scene among Hortensio and Gremio and her. When Gremio proclaims her too rough Read MoreMarriage and Relationships in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew2278 Words   |  10 PagesMarriage and Relationships in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Getting married in modern times is not something which is viewed as necessary. There are many couples that are together, but do not want to marry, because they do not feel they have to. Couples that do, can have a marriage almost anywhere they choose. Couples can marry in houses, shopping centres and even petrol stations. Anywhere you can get a marriage licence and a vicar, is seen as a place fitRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew as a Comedy Essay2463 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew as a Comedy The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare between 1589 and 1594, is a romantic comedy set in the Italian city of Padua. Since the play was written, the audiences idea of comedy has changed quite dramatically. In the fifteen hundreds, an audience would have enjoyed obvious, visual aspects of comedy such as we would see in a modern-day pantomime, whereas an audience watching the play today would also Read MoreKatherine and Bianca in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1844 Words   |  8 PagesKatherine and Bianca in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew shows two sisters: Katherina and Bianca, as two complete contrasts to each other. He used various techniques to achieve these effects. The same techniques are used for both sisters to show comparisons between their characters. Shakespeare created two different characters by making the outcome of the techniques very different from each other. Shakespeare has used the Read MoreRelationship of Petruchio and Katherina in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1323 Words   |  6 PagesRelationship of Petruchio and Katherina in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a humorous play which focuses on Petruchio and Katherinas relationship. It explores ideas of marriage including the impact of money in surrounding characters lives. This creates ideal opportunities for dramatic impact, which will vary in effect on the Elizabethan, and modern day audiences especially when various dilemmas are presented