William Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew is a timeless classic that is written in context to the social assumptions of the Elizabethan era. Since it was first performed in 1593, there have been many adaptations of Shakespeare’s play, to match societal norms of when each text was composed. In 1999 Gil Junger directed the most recognisable adaptation of the classic when 10 Things I Hate About You was released. Although there are similarities between the two texts the director’s ideologies differ from each other greatly. Resulting in two very similar texts representing their respective era’s In both texts, it is evident that both Kat and Katherine are abusive and are the shrews of their respective texts. Kat is often using her voice …show more content…
In Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio’s materialistic attitude is unveiled when he expresses the importance of riches after his friend Hortensio tells of Katherina’s wealth. “If wealthy, then happily in Padua” (Act 1, Scene2). The importance of wealth is later apparent when Baptista chooses Lucentio when it is proven that he is wealthier than Gremio. Equally, Patrick also conveys the power of money in a modern day context, when he first accepts to take Kat on a date after Joey provides “generous compensation”. Status in Taming of the Shrew’s context seems to just coincide with wealth, yet in ‘10 Things I Hate About You’, status and popularity is viewed differently by the characters. In the introduction, the use of music differentiates Kat from the other stereotypical ‘blonde’ teenagers listening to a typical boppy teen song. The hard rock song associated with Kat lyrics states “I don’t give a damn bout’ my reputation!” to emphasise and mirrors Kat’s disregard and hatred of conformity to achieve …show more content…
In the play male characters, hold most of the power Baptista over his daughter, Petruchio over Katherina, representing the values of patriarchal society. The treatment of the female characters is now something we would see as degrading and sometimes abusive, especially when it comes to Petruchio’s method of ‘taming’. “She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house, my household stuff, my field, my barn, my horse, my ox, my ass, my anything, and here she stands. Touch her whoever dare, I’ll bring mine action on the proudest he” (3.2.219-224) Not only is this aggressive, it would be degrading to Kate. This also depicts the concept that the traditional male role will ‘rescue’ the female. In contrast, 10 Things I Hate About You has inverted many of the power roles in the different relationships. A major reversal is evident in the Lucentio– Bianca relationship. Within Taming of the Shrew Bianca exerts no power but in 10 Things Bianca ends up being the one whom ‘saves’ Cameron from Joey. Another major difference is the fact that Kat still holds the power in her relationship with Patrick. The changes that the feminist movement created from the mid-20th century has been reflected largely in this
Good morning/ afternoon ladies and gentlemen I am Gil Junger and I am present here today to inform you on how I appropriated the Shakespearean play "The Taming of the Shrew" into the modern day teen flick "10 Things I Hate About You" , whilst still being able to keep the key themes and values evident throughout the film.
Ten Things I Hate About You is a 1999 film based upon the play The Taming of the Shrew written by William Shakespeare in 1593. The storyline of these two texts is about a boy named Cameron (or Lucentio in the play) who falls in love with Bianca, a popular girl at his school. Due to her father’s orders, she isn’t allowed to date anyone until her older sister Kat (known as Katharina in the play) does. The trouble is, Kat is the opposite of Bianca - unpopular and not intending to date anyone any time soon. In an attempt to solve this problem, Cameron persuades Joey (both Hortensio and Gremio in the play), a wealthy boy who also has feelings for Bianca, to pay Patrick (or
William Shakespeare is a master of satire, and it is very evident in his work “The Taming Of The Shrew”. His use of exaggeration is impeccable, and he managed to make the entire work one giant parody. Through this satire, he makes a very important social commentary, using his influence to bring new ideas into people’s minds, and make them realize the flaws in their
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 feminist ideals and stereotypes of the more modern world.
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, deals with marriage. The ideas explored are primarily shown through the characters of Petruchio and Katharina. We are introduced to the trials and tribulation's which present themselves in their everyday lives. The characters bring up a traditional concept of male domination. Through the play we see the need for domination through Petruchio, and the methods he uses to dominate. While these ideas of male domination have remained a constant throughout the years, however recently there has been a change toward equality.
10 Things I Hate About You takes William Shakespeare’s classic play, The Taming of the Shrew and manages to make it relevant to a modern audience. The story remains the same with the younger sister, Bianca, not allowed to have a relationship until her older sister, Kat, does. They did maintain several original scenes and even used several direct quotes from the original play. The writers have eliminated some of Bianca’s suitors and changed the way Kat is tamed to appeal to a modern audience. Shakespeare would have agreed with the casting of the movie. This movie may turn Shakespeare’s work into a teen comedy but it maintains many of the elements that made the play such a hit.
Henderson, Diana E. “A Shrew for the Times, Revisted.” Shakespeare the Movie II, Popularizing the Plays on Film, TV, and DVD. Eds. Burt, Richard and Boose, Lynda E. New York: Routledge, 2003. 120-139. Print.
In Shakespeare's, "The Taming of the Shrew" the relationship between the sisters Katherine and Bianca appears to be strained with rampant jealousy. Both daughters fight for the attentions of their father. In twisted parallel roles, they take turns being demure and hag-like. Father of the two, Baptista Minola, fusses with potential suitors for young Bianca and will not let them come calling until his elder, ill-tempered daughter Katherine is married. The reader is to assume that meek, mild-mannered, delicate Bianca is wasting away while her much older, aging, brutish sister torments the family with her foul tongue. Katherine seems to hold resentment toward Bianca. Her father favors Bianca over Katherine and keeps them away from each others' torment. When gentlemen come calling, Bianca cowers behind her father and Katherine speaks up for herself. "I pray you sir, is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?" (1.1.57-58) Bianca and Katherine dislike each other feverishly. Katherine torments Bianca with words and physical harm. She binds her hands, pulls her hair then brings her forth to her father and the gentlemen callers. Bianca denies liking any of the visitors and portrays herself an innocent that merely wants to learn and obey her elders. She says, "Sister, content you in my discontent to your pleasure humbly I subscribe. My books and instruments shall be my company, on them to look and practise by myself." (1.1.80-84) Because Katherine speaks freely and asserts herself she is labeled as "shrewish." When Hortensio describes her to Petruccio, he spews out that she is "renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue." ( 1.2.96) He gilds the lily further by clearly telling of her fair fortune if suitable man comes courting and wins her hand in marriage. Petruccio sees dollar signs and rushes onwards in grand dress and fluently gestures to court the gracious "Kate." When he first begins his ritual of winning the family and Katherine to his love, he is seeking his fortune in her dowry. The mention of her being at all undesirable does not put rocks in his path.
"The Taming of the Shrew - Literary Elements." Peel District School Board, 8 Sept. 2010. Web. 23 May 2014
A very prominent theme in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is society's double standards of men and women. In the play, Katherina is a very free-willed, independent woman who wishes to follow her own path in life and is not dependent on a man for her happiness. Petruchio is also free-willed, independent and speaks his mind freely. However, where Petruchio is praised for these characteristics, Katherina is scorned and called names. Petruchio is manly and Katherina is bitchy for the same traits.
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a play that is ahead of its time in its views toward gender roles within society. Katherine is a woman who is intelligent, and is not afraid to assert her views on any given situation. She is paired with another obstinate character in Pertuchio. The Marriage formed between the two is a match made in heaven for two reasons. First Because Katherine is strong enough to assert her views, and more importantly, she realizes when she should assert them. The second reason the bond survives is that Petruchio is strong enough to accept the fact that Katherine has a mind and, more importantly he loves her for that reason. Petruchio cleverly weaves the relationship into the framework of society without compromising the integrity of the relationship. Petruchio does this by comparing Katherine’s at attitude to repulsive clothing. Carefully and calculatingly, Petruchio forges a relationship that is envied by all who witness it.
In the taming of the shrew, the play focused on two women in particular, Baptista's daughters, Bianca and Katherine. These women lived in this environment that gave men power for all their lives...
...st play, it is not sexist and demeaning towards women. Petruchio, Hortensio, and Lucentio may have bet on their wives compliance in some eyes, but after further analysis, they were actually betting on the trust between the couple. The reader must also take into account the time period the play was written in which was the 16th century, where women were usually not even allowed to go to school to be educated, and Bianca was having private tutors for her education. Kate was changed by Petruchio’s “taming” from the beginning to the end of the play, but at the end of the novel when Kate was called upon and made her speech, she was the happiest she had been in the entire story. There are however some sexist elements in the story, but just because there are certain characteristics of sexism in a play does not mean the play in itself is sexist and demeaning towards women.
When someone is a female their first thought should not be weak or nurturing, just as when someone is male their first though shouldn’t always be powerful. Unfortunately it has becomes so ingrained in societies mentality that this is the way that things work. The Taming of the Shrew is a past writing piece that expands on a mentality that is modern. The male gender cannot be put into this same constraint. Petruchio is the epitome of what society would describe a male as. He thinks he is in charge and always the superior to women. He expects Katherine to always do what he tells her to do, because he believes that is her duty as his wife. Moreover he should not be expected to do that for her. Furthermore, Bianca is what many would describe as the perfect woman. She is nurturing and she does not speak out against what she is told. When she does speak she always speaks like a lady. She exists merely for decoration in the home and to serve her husband. Katherine is the inconsistency in this stereotype on femininity. Her purpose in the novel originally is to rebel against this biased thought on female gender roles. Katherine is not afraid to speak out against the things that she is told to do. If she disagrees with something she will act on it and she is just as strong as the men in the novel; which is why many of the men actually fear her. Katherine is not submissive and does not believe that the only reason that she exists is to serve a husband. Katherine does not want to be just the damsel in distress, she wants to be in charge. At the end of the novel there is a switch in the personalities of Katherine and Bianca. This alteration provides the purpose of showing that gender is not something that someone can be confined in just because they were born a female. A woman can have many different traits and still be feminine. It is impossible to put femininity in a box because there are no real qualities for what
During The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare has used pleasure and pain in order to tell the story of Petruchio and Katherina’s courtship. This is problematic for modern day audiences, as they do not find the courtship methods that Petruchio employs to woo Katherina particularly comical. However, it could be argued that Shakespeare crafted The Taming of the Shrew precisely for this reason, to feature his views on patriarchy and to make the audience see what was happening through a new perspective. The Elizabethan audience would have been shocked at the methods used in order to achieve the taming, even though it was well within a man’s right to discipline his wife if she was deemed unfit. From the very beginning of The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare indicates that this play will not follow traditional rules of decorum, and that it is intended to both give pleasure and cause pain in order to make both Elizabethan and modern audiences take note of his underlying message.