Taming Of The Shrew Research Paper

In the play Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare includes several appeals of pathos, ethos and logos. In the last passage of the book, Katharina speaks out to all of the characters with a speech. Katharina describes how she has changed into a person who looks to her husband as her lord, her care taker. The characters who listened to her speech seemed impressed on how she has finally changed her rude attitude and how she obeys her husband Pertruchio’s every word.

Examine the different ways in which Shakespeare presents the attitude towards marriage in the play, ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’

Katherine acts aggressively toward Gremio and Hortensio. She tells them “To comb your noodle with a three-legged stool and paint your face and use you like a fool” (I,i,65-66). This shows how Katherine rebels against what an ideal wife is. Traditionally, a female should be submissive, and obedient, to her husband, or potential husband. However, by the way Katherine first speaks with Petruchio, it is obvious that she refuses to speak to him with respect. She constantly insults him (II,i,190-281). In fact, she even strikes him at one point (II,i,233). Katherine’s stubbornness makes her less highly valued among suitors. This is an issue for Baptista because, at the time, marriage had one main purpose: financial gain. Baptista essentially sells off his daughters by negotiating dowries and dowers. He only approves the marriage between Bianca and Lucentio after Lucentio’s father assures the payment (II,i,417-421). This symbolizes that money has more importance than his daughters. It is for this reason that Petruchio favors Bianca over Katherine. Bianca is a more valuable asset to him than Katherine. He mistreats Katherine because she is unable to get married, and Bianca cannot get married until Katherine does (I,i,50-51). Therefore, Katherine is stopping Baptista from receiving the payment that comes with his daughters’

The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and has weathered well into our modern era. For all the praises it has garnered throughout the centuries, it is curious to note that many have considered it to be one of his most controversial in his treatment of women. The "taming" of Katherine has been contended as being excessively cruel by many writers and critics of the modern era. George Bernard Shaw himself pressed for its banning during the 19th century. The subservience of Katherine has been labeled as barbaric, antiquated, and generally demeaning. The play centers on her and her lack of suitors. It establishes in the first act her shrewish demeanor and its repercussions on her family. It is only with the introduction of the witty Petruchio as her suitor, that one begins to see an evolution in her character. Through an elaborate charade of humiliating behavior, Petruchio humbles her and by the end

The characterization of Baptista being a cruel father is especially inaccurate when describing him. At the beginning of Act 1, scene 1 when Katherine tied up Bianca and Baptista barges into the predicament, the reader views the only scene where Baptista acts with rage against his daughters: “For shame, thou holding of a devilish spirit! Why dost thou wrong her that did ne’er wrong thee?” (Shakespeare 75). However, these words of rage against Katherine are justified since she has just struck his fairest daughter Bianca. Even with such justification, Baptista doesn’t strike Katherine and

Petruchio conforms to the gender role of being a masculine man who is supposed to control his woman. In the play, he speaks of his shrew-taming abilities countless times in the play in order to assert in masculinity. Petruchio decides to “tame” his love pursuit, Kate. This taming involves violence, starvation, and sleep deprivation. Nowadays, this so-called “taming” would be considered domestic abuse because Petruchio’s tendencies are abusive in nature. J. R. Mahalik described masculine conformity as “…conformity to masculine norms is defined as meeting societal expectations for what constitutes masculinity in one’s public or private life.” This is relatable to Petruchio’s conformity since he is comparing his masculinity to the other men in the play. Petruchio easily gives in to his gender role in order to control his woman and impress those around

This violence is an intrinsic aspect of a shrew. There is evidence of Petruchio’s violent nature even before he meets Kate in the way he talks to people and the way he treats his servants. In his first appearance, Petruchio threatens to beat his manservant, Grumio, for not knocking correctly on the gate and for misunderstanding him (Shakespeare). Additionally, when Petruchio scolds or beats his servants, Kate comes to the rescue (Shakespeare). This reversal of roles, Petruchio being volatile and obtrusive, while Kate is gentle and mild, depicts how Petruchio is much more of a shrew in his ornery behavior.

In addition, Petruchio’s taming has taken away her unique confidence and forced her to change into a woman that accepts the patriarchal norms. Moreover, since Katherine follows the “good girl” definition, it proves Petruchio’s taming plan worked. Likewise, when they finally reach the banquet, Katherine asserts herself as a changed woman who conforms to the social norms. She gives a long speech describing her newly found views: “Even such a woman oweth to her husband,/ And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour,/ And not obedient to his honest will,/ What is she but a foul contending rebel,/ And graceless traitor to her loving lord?/ I am ashamed that women are so simple/ To offer war where they should kneel for peace” (V.ii. 160-166). In this ironic speech, Katherine urges women not “to offer war where they should kneel for

The Taming of the Shrew perfectly demonstrates how Shakespeare connects all classes to his plays. Anyone of a lower class can relate to being thought of in harsh and mean ways, so when the Lord in the induction of The Taming of the Shrew says (regarding Christopher Sly), “LORD: O monstrous beast, how like a swine he lies!/ Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image,” thoughts trigger in their minds (Shakespeare Induction. 33-34). To relate to those above lower class citizens, Shakespeare shows how powerful men get along and help each other sustain their power while also showing how the women supported no other than their husband (Thorne 53).

In The Taming of the Shrew, Katherine ends up conforming in the end to society’s outline. She ends up saying, Such duty as the subject owes the prince, Even such a woman oweth to her husband; And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, And not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel. ”(5.2.171-175) The normally vivacious Katherine, now gives a speech to other girls, about how they should treat their husbands as royalty, and

Petruchio has taken Katharina under his wing but he has to now deal with her vulgar language as well. He isn't scared by her usage and seems to give it back to her with the same attitude. Showing, " PETRUCHIO: What, with my tongue in your tail? nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman. KATHARINA: That I'll try. (She strikes him) PETRUCHIO: I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again. KATHARINA: So may you lose your arms: If you strike me, you are no gentleman; And if no gentleman, why then no arms. PETRUCHIO: A herald, Kate? O, put me in thy books! KATHARINA: What is your crest? a coxcomb?(Act 2, Scene 1)." From this it is proof that they have arguments but with clever language that is funny and interesting. Also, usually during this time women didn't speak like this to anyone and she is different. Petruchio and Katharina will legitimately love one another by the end of their battles between one

Women and men’s role in Elizabethan society is completely different to modern society. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare shows exactly what the attitudes were like. For example, the scene when Katherina is fighting with her sister because Bianca has a number of suitors waiting for her but she refuses to tell Katherina which one she prefers. Katherina gets angry and aggressive towards Bianca because she doesn’t give her an answer, Katherina starts to attack Bianca. Their father enters into the room and says “For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit! Why dost thou wrong her that did ne’er wrong thee? When did she cross thee with a bitter word? Baptista is expressing why Katherina would

Their arranged marriage, based on the agreement between Katherine’s father and Petruccio, bonds in the extreme sense. During the arrangement Katherine was present, but had no input in the matter. The fact that Katherine denies Petruccio to be her husband and they are wed anyways, suggests that it did not matter as much when a woman opposed her marriage to a man. In this time period a woman’s input was overlooked, especially living in a patriarchal society. From a 21st century perspective, having an arranged marriage seems to not make for a happy life, even in the time period of Shakespeare. At Katherine and Petruccio’s wedding, Petruccio arrived very poorly dressed, almost homely looking, he deprived Katherine of food, clothes, and sleep, and argued with her until she agreed with him. All of these circumstances do not call for a happy marriage. However, in the fifth act of TOS, Katherine brings hope to light that she can be happy, even in her situation of an arranged marriage. When she gives the speech to her sister, Bianca, and the widow, the reader gets the sense that she is now “tamed.” Although, the marriage was arranged and Katherine does not seem happy, she leaves the reader thinking that there can be hope for happiness when you meet in the middle. Petruccio has the pleasure of having an obedient wife while Katherine gets to keep her witty

Also, another leading character in the Merchant of Venice was controlled by her father, Jessica. But she couldn't be controlled, she eventually did what she wanted and proved to be a modern woman. Similarly, in the Taming of the Shrew, Kate is expected to marry the man her father, Baptista chooses and she has no freedom and choice of her own will. However, in the Taming of the Shrew, Kate is also being called property by her husband, Petruchio. Petruchio says that, "She is my good, my chattels, she is my house, My household stuff, my field, my barn, My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything;" Not only her father but her future husband doesn't respect her and calls her everything but his wife. Almost all of the woman in Shakespeare's play were treated as property, here you can see Portia and Kate, this clearly means that Shakespeare also agrees with this type of behaviour towards woman and that is why he always shows this behaviour towards the main female protagonists of the play. This type of behaviour towards woman was very common and both these plays have similarly shown how.

Shakespeare first challenged class and gender roles by showing how the man is the boss. In Shakespeare’s play, Baptista controls everything that happens within this family. For example in the play when Baptista finds a suitor for Kate he insists on meeting the father of the suitor because he thinks that Petruchio is just marrying for the money. “That is, not to bestow my youngest