Differences Between Taming Of The Shrew And 10 Things I Hate About You

Gender defined roles are continuously adapting to the new societal norms of the era. There is a surplus of historical events that have reimagined the traditional expectations of a man or women.

Gender roles have been a hotly debated topic in the most recent years, especially the role of women in society. Women have had set expectations that they are believed to conform to, which is shown in many pieces of film and literature. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald describes the life of a man in the upper class in the 1920’s, as well as women in the 1920’s. The movie The Princess Bride, written by William Goldman, visually explains the treatment and expectations of women, and especially focuses on the “damsel in distress” stereotype.. Roxane Gay’s “Bad Feminist” explains the stereotypes against women and ways women can come together and fight these constraints. Based on these sources, societal expectations take away from each individual’s identity, forcing women to conform to society's standards. In order to fight against these expectations, women have banded together and formed movements against these standards.

Clearly there are many similarities between the book and the movie but also some distinct differences. Despite this, “The Taming of the Shrew”, is a timeless story of deception and love that has passed the test of time again and

To make a modern adaptation of a highly recognised 16th century play, one would have to have a perfect mix of both similarities and differences between the two, integrating elements from both eras. Junger, the director of 10 Things I Hate About You has managed to achieve this. By using many of the same characters and the same plot from Taming of the Shrew, he created a modernised appropriation of the Shakespeare play that incorporates aspects of teen society. The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You are similar in many ways, one way they are different however is how since the Elizabethan Era the nature and role of women in society has changed considerably.

The woman’s role in society had many changes during the era of WWII to the baby boom era. It went from the strong independent woman that can work in a factory to a house wife that takes care of the family to the final slightly dominant, but still dependent female. All of these different feminine mystiques were changed because of society and through indirect propaganda in TV shows and

The historical and cultural contexts of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew (TTS) and the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You (10TIH) differ exceptionally, resulting in the film’s expression of values unlike those expressed in Shakespeare’s original text. Shakespeare’s play was written during the Elizabethan era, during which the belief that men were superior to women was prevalent. This concept is centralised in TTS, through incorporation of a disputably misogynistic tone and the dominance of men consequently forcing Katherina into marriage and submission. In contrast, 10TIH, a modern film appropriation of TTS, largely challenges the values of Shakespeare’s play. It presents to

The theatrical play of ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ (1594) and the live action film ’10 Things I Hate About You’ (1999) are clearly similar in many ways (as the drama film is a modern adaptation of the classic Shakespearean text), these similarities can be recognized through themes which point out scenes, quotes and/or effects both text types share with each other. Themes include, Gender Politics/Roles, Romantic Relationships and Social Hierarchy (social status/class). The themes of Gender Politics and Social Hierarchy support the precisely represented similarities both text types share, highlighting the enduring provenance of these concerns over time.

The primary source that I have chosen to analyze is a scene from the movie Grease. This movie was released in June of 1978 and is about a so-called good girl named Sandy falling in love with bad boy greaser Danny over the summer. Once it’s time for class to be back in session, they find out they attend the same high school and challenges face them as to how they can rekindle their prior romance with the eyes of their friends focused on them. Sandy is the typical good girl who obeys the rules and does what she is told. She falls in love with Danny who is a polar opposite to her. So instead of the typical movie ending where the bad boy turns into a good guy for the girl he is in love with, the writers threw in a plot twist and it ends up being Sandy who changes the most. She alters from a goody two shoes into a “hot and sexy bad girl” as co-creator Jim Jacobs states in an interview about the meaning to the ending of the film. I think that this movie is a prime example of the way gender roles have been visualized among society for a very long time. Additionally, it also doubles as an example as to how gender roles have changed as well throughout the decades that have passed by.

The story of The Taming of the Shrew is one that raises important issues both in the Shakespearean text and in the modern appropriation 10 Things I Hate About You.

The next requirement for being a “true woman” was submissiveness. According to society men were superior to women by “God’s appointment.” If they acted otherwise they “tampered with the order of the Universe” (Welter 105). A “true woman” would not question this idea because she already understands her place. Grace Greenwood explained to the women of the Nineteenth Century, “True feminine genius is ever timid, doubtful, and clingingly dependant; a perpetual childhood.” Even in the case of an abusive husband, women were sometimes told to stay quiet

The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate about You are romantic comedies. Even though they are written 400 years apart, they have many similarities. The many similarities are because 10 Things I Hate About You was loosely based on The Taming of the Shrew. However, there are some differences in some of the characters. One character that stands out from both, The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You, is Katherine and Katarina. Both characters do not care what others think about them and both act like they do not like their men when they really do. Although there are many comparisons, there are also a few differences. One major difference is that they both play a different role in the taming sequence.

Throughout history, gender roles have been an important barrier in society. Women are forced to satisfy expectations established by men and society. “My Last Duchess,” by Robert Browning, focuses on the powerful Duke establishing certain expectations of the Duchess, and attempting to control her. Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, concentrates on Laertes establishing certain expectations of Ophelia, and seeking to control her. A Room of One’s Own, by Virginia Woolf, centers on societal expectations of Judith, and her father trying to control her. In all three texts, men have the ability to control women and have the freedom to do as they please. Women must conform to the expectations of faithfulness, attentiveness, and chastity.

During the mid 1800s, a true woman understood her limitations. This included, “ modesty, submissiveness, physical weakness, limited education, and complete devotion to [their] husband.” Any actions that threatened these norms had to be put to a stop. During the late 1800s, there appeared to be advancements in education and movements for women’s rights. Women were challenging the norms to become more independent. Many women did not want change for the consequences to come. But as soon as the film industry started, women culture began to reflect roles of main actresses.

	Today women have many rights. We can vote, work, and even voice our own opinions. In the past women were seen as mothers and housekeepers, always taught to respect, listen, and serve there husbands or the man of the house. In those days this was considered normal, therefore women had no choice but to obey and do as they were told. In Hamlet, Shakespeare portrays a similar relationship between women and men. He allows men to hold the higher position in the causing, them to treat women as lesser people and believed that women should listen to them and do as they were told.

In The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare reveals the flaws in gender and class roles by pointing out the flaws in when women always listen to men. For everyone that has strict parents or been in a relationship you understand these examples, the man(dad) is the boss, the women obey the man, and class roles are determined by society. Shakespeare challenges through many situations, the class and gender roles that are determined by society.