The Significance of Gender Roles in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun

Men had the authority to say whatever they wanted to, no matter what it was. Although they were allowed to do a lot more that women, they were also allowed to say a lot more than women. Men did not really have boundaries when it came to speaking. They were allowed to speak their mind and have an opinion. Men could speak to and about women in a disrespectful and derogatory way. Women were also allowed to have an opinion, but they were not allowed to express it to others. Women were voiceless. They were deprived of their right to speak. The title itself, The Taming of the Shrew, already proves how strong men were compared to women during that time period. If a woman wanted to speak their mind, they would be criticized and judged. They would gain a bad reputation because women were expected to listen to men and follow their commands. However, Katherine did not like that. Instead, she spoke her mind and refused to do certain things. As a result, nobody liked her. They viewed her as a “fiend of hell” (I.i.90). A man would not be called that though. On the other hand, if a man did the same thing, no one would care. “Much more of shrew of thy impatient humour.” (III.ii.29) This proves that even the woman’s father would call their daughter a “shrew”. This was also normal

Gender roles dictated the distribution of power in ‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ exploring the perceptions of male and female roles in the 16th Century. The theme of gender roles is relevant to all situations that progressed in the play as decisions, opinions and behaviour of both males and females was influenced by their gender. The play specifically infers the discrimination of women in society and how their roles differ significantly from males. Thus, the play contrasts and compares characters that abide and do not abide by the unyielding values and ideals for men and women. A woman’s role was to take on all domestic responsibilities, ensuring the comfort of any male, her husband in particular. A woman’s appeals were her beauty and her passive, submissive nature to her husband. Katherina immediately establishes her rebellion to expectations and

Throughout time there has always been the conventional rule that women must be submissive to their husbands and are expected to tend to the domestic responsibilities within the household (Bender 46). However in modern society, women are as outspoken and independent as men and the negative backlash of such behavior has lessened. Women work alongside their male counterparts and are now able to receive the benefits that were once kept from them by a dominating male society. Although gender roles have been challenged and refined over the course of the twentieth century, main characters, Katherina from “Taming of the Shrew”, and Carol in “Oleanna”, nonetheless portray the exceptions or even the extremes, of feminine independence and superiority

In many literary examples women are in pushed to change themselves in order to be the person society expects them to be. This change was the result of constant ridicule revolving around the idea that men, in fact, are superior to women in many ways. Overtime these judgements against women have become less of an issue, however are still relevant. Women are as capable as men of being independent and valuable, but because they are subjected they still fall vulnerable to oppression by society which changes their view of themselves so they act in different ways in order to please society.

In order to understand the agency of women in these plays, it is also important to consider the social context in which the plays were written. Although the reign of Queen Elizabeth I provided the opportunity for the increase of women’s rights, there was still much progress to be made. In fact, women were often very reliant on the means of either their fathers or their husbands. Although women did have access to education, it was not education as we understand it

On the The Taming of the Shrew’s very surface, it is seen as a misogynistic attempt to enforce gender roles and stereotypes by showcasing the transformation of a fiery, free-spirited woman to a silenced, subjugated wife. The play revolves around the two protagonists, Katharina and Petruchio, as the pair battle over psychological domination. The residents of Padua perceive Kate as a devious and hateful woman towards the beginning of the play, earning her the seemingly well appropriate title of a “shrew”. Evidence of her unkindly disposition is seen in 1.1.69-71 by Tranio and Lucentio, two men new to the area, as they observe a scene unfold from afar. Tranio refers to Kate as “stark mad, or wonderful froward,”

The plot of this tale, The Taming of the Shrew, is centered around the human sexuality theme, in which it insinuates whether a character is good or evil. The play is a comedy about a woman managing with how she is required to act in society even though she is a madwoman and has her own opinions. Even though the play ends with her in the role of the ‘obedient wife’, Katerina might still have shrewish qualities in her. In the beginning of the comedy, there is an undeniable conflict between the two sisters Bianca and Katerina.

Viewed from a modern perspective, The Taming of the Shrew is a play presenting a story of a marriage full of inequality and abuse. Therefore I agree that it is very difficult for a modern audience to feel comfortable with it, as inequality and abuse are not things we find morally acceptable in today’s society. At the ending of the play, the men bet on whose wife is the most obedient and whoever’s will “come at first when he doth send for her shall win the wager which we will propose.” Petruchio wins, as Katherine is the only wife that obeys her husband’s command, such a stark contrast to the beginning of the play where she is presented as unruly and Petruchio has to work hard to tame her – he warns her in Act 2 Scene 1; “I swear I’ll cuff

There are several scenes throughout the middle acts in which the reader can tell she is slowly breaking—one example would be her (admittedly reluctant) agreement with her new husband during a road trip. Eventually, she finds herself weaker than the man in her life, and concedes… “What you will have it named, even that it is,/ And so it shall be for Katherine.” (4.6.22-23) She deliberately recognizes this small portion of power over her, and this proves to be one of the first instances in which Shakespeare is most likely noting how the female will bends under the will of a man. As the play progresses, Petruchio’s power over her grows immensely, and the power divide between the two characters is deepened back to the natural state that would take place given the time of authorship. The rising action finally peaks during the final scene of the play, when three male characters call out to their subservient wives; “Let’s each one send unto his wife,/ And he whose wife is most obedient/ To come at first when he doth send for her/ Shall win the wager which we will propose.” (5.2.66-69) Only through direct obedience can these women show that they are of any value to the men they serve. When Katherine proves to be the most obedient and womanly (according to the principles of the era), she goes even further and displays her newfound wealth of knowledge on the topic of her subservience. Her speech encapsulates what they play has been telling the audience all along-- this is how the world of the play functions, with the men on the top of the hierarchy and the women below, and any deviation from this natural order will be corrected. “Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,/ Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee” (5.2.146-146-147) Shakespeare writes this speech to prove that even the most wild and disobedient of women must

One prominent and useful school of criticism is gender criticism. While its roots date back to the late 1800’s, this literary theory gained more awareness during the 1950’s and 1960’s. At this time women’s rights activists campaigned for equal treatment in the workforce and in political realms and the world of literature became aware of its own patriarchal influences. When a critic examines a text using gender theories they have a number of different directions they can allow their thoughts to go, but ultimately it will focus on how the text reflects the patriarchal ideologies and traditional of the authors’ (as well as the current) society.

Abuse, forced marriages, acting proper, and not having a say in anything, these were all

Women in our society are constantly judging other women. Even if it’s not intentional, it's human nature to have preconceived notions about others. We tend to categorize people into different groups and compare them to others. However, humans are complex and cannot be labeled by one specific archetype. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare takes place in Padua, Italy and tells the story of Kate, the daughter of Baptista Minola, a wealthy businessman. Kate is outspoken, quick-tempered, and prone to violence. Especially, against any suitors whom may try to marry her. Kate’s anger and rudeness disguise her sense of jealousy and insecurity toward her sister. That cause her to lash out at those around her. Kate is an independent individual and does not rely on anyone but herself. This is a stark contrast to many women of the time period who heavily relied on the men around them for their well being. When Kate meets Petruchio, she is completely against the idea of marrying him. However, she changes her mind and decides to go through with the wedding. Throughout their marriage, Petruchio manages to subjugate Kate into becoming the classical archetype of a loyal wife. The complete opposite of her once independent nature. Before Kate married Petruchio she is different from a loyal wife by being independent, outspoken, and quick-tempered. By the end of the play, she transitions into a loyal wife by becoming dependent on her husband, servile, and submissive.

Shakespeare's Presentation of the Female Character in the Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew explores the role of women in Elizabethan times. Shakespeare uses many themes and imagery in the play and this essay intends to explore how Shakespeare presents the female character in the Taming of the Shrew. The Elizabethans believed that a peaceful and tamed house wife was a good wife. This view is supported by The goodie and the Baddie an Elizabethan text giving advice on how to be a good wife.

Gender roles are something that we, as a whole, have struggled with and will continue to struggle with. From the settler days to the modern times it seems that each gender has a certain part they must play. Whether the roles are temporary or something we cannot deny because of our DNA, gender separation is a part of our world. It only makes sense that we would be faced with the gender controversy in the pieces of literature we read as well.

In literature the image of women in fiction has undergone a change during the last four decades. Women writers have considerably moved away from traditional portrayals of enduring self-sacrificing women, towards conflicts, female characters searching for identity, no longer characterized simply in terms of their victimized status.