Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew

Relationships have differentiated greatly in the last few decades. Equal rights has become the slogan to bettering people all around the globe, however, there wasn’t always times when it was this way. From the beginning of time people have thought they were better than others. During the Industrial Revolution the Europeans believed they were better than others. Theories like Social Darwinism have been stated to justify the actions associated with one group or race believing superiority to another. Throughout time relationships have been affected because one person is “better” than another. The relationships in The Taming of the Shrew are accurate portrayals of relationships in the time period and how power in said relationships was divided.

One relation that since early times has been taken advantage of is the relationship between master and servant. The relationship is strained because Servants must listen to their master. Typically the servants are poor, a “less developed race” (according to Social Darwinism) and/or part of the lower/peasant class. The masters can abuse the power because the servants must comply. Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew abuses the power of his servants to teach Katherine a lesson. He makes them prepare a lavish meal, and then throws it in a rage. Petruchio also acts like a tyrant to his servant and the tailor when preparing a gown for Katherine. He yells at the tailor because he dislikes the style, and to his servant for ordering such dress, even though he really doesn’t have complaints with the dress. He abuses his power with his servants just as a point. Although the power is abused, it is still necessary in this particular relationship. If a master had no power, a servant would not really be a servant. However not all master/servant relationships are like this. Vincentio raised Tranio and was like a master to him yet Tranio betrayed Vincentio for his master Lucentio. On one hand Tranio was being a loyal servant in trying to help Lucentio marry Bianca, but he also betrayed Vincentio by claiming to have never met him and even to send him to jail! The power of Vincentio is undermined by his servant Tranio. The Taming of the Shrew provides and insight to the power and how it is used in master/servant relationships

Another unequal relationship would be father and child. Children have to listen to their parents without complaint. Parents can easily abuse their power by not listening to the child’s needs or wants.