The comparison of William Shakespeare play and the appropriated film “10 things I hate about you” allows you into the world were stories last forever but views presented by them cant. Most of Shakespeare plays have been turned into movies for the people of today as to please a wider audience and this play is no exception. “10 Things I hate about you” directed by Jill Ganger is an adaption of the play Taming of the Shrew. Although change of settings and characteristics, the themes are still carried through. The most important themes, I think we can all agree, is Social Status which is still very important for the people of today as it was centuries ago. Stereotype which plays a large part in the real world to where we are quick to judge and …show more content…
finally conformity vs independence. Status has always played an important role in society during the ages, social status being so significant it forms the basic foundation of this play’s plot. If we didn’t know any better we would find Shakespeare’s taming of the shrew unrealistic when it is in fact informing and relevant to that time frame. As the people belonging to that era were judgmental followers relying on courtship and business to gain power. Status was not only a comfort and assured way of a happy life style in the 17th century but the 21st too. We may go about it a different way, but the evil of money and greed is always tempting and present. Still in the 21st century we know the importance of such notions,however, it does not have as much influence as in that time. Then, It helped business and formed deals, which earned money, giving you a better status and thus the cycle repeats. This making it easier to avoid poverty and disease which was so common back then. Petruchio is looking for a rich wife for this exact reason. Our first insight into the greed of Petruchio is when we hear him say “I came to wive it wealthy is Padua.” In the films Patrick is dating Kat for the same reason, money. Stereotype was used consistently in the play, reeling in big audiences and today in modern movies we have kept the tradition alive. In the film, Bianca cared most about having whatever she wanted just like her play version who received anything she wanted. At first glance, Bianca Strathford, seemed like the perfect modern day girl. She was innocent and collected assumed by the slow motion camera watching her chat happily in a girly preserved dress. The camera soon zooms in on her and the audience overhear her conversation. You now know that she is superficial and trivial. On the other hand, Skakespears Katerina does not care and is a very exaggerated stereotype. She is as rough as she is sharp-tongued and represents a terrible wife of the 17th century. As soon as she meets Petruchio they have an argument laced with expletives. However, 21st century Kate is still level headed and only has a few witty and rude remarks. You really see the contrast in the sisters personalities when Kat says “You don’t always have to be who they want you to be, you know”. and with this Bianca replies “I happen to like being adored, thank you.” In both performances you have a pretty girl, rebellious one, sidekick, strict parent, egoistic fool and a helpless lover. During the beginning of the movie you also have an introduction scene of the cliques of the school. It was obvious, as soon as Kate slid out of her 1964 Dodge Dart GT in the beginning of the film, that she was a unique and independent girl with the idea of conformity out of sight.
In the film she is seen as a feminist who acts as if she couldn’t care and “angry girl music” is played as soon as a scene is focused on her. Although from different times and place both female characters are seen as feminist in there respected time. Katherine of the 17th century has a great sense of individuality but her actions were not welcomed by the audience of that era. “My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break.” When Katerina states this she is telling all that she will speak from the heart and do as she wished. She is reluctant to marry just as the 21st century Kate is very disgusted at the idea of dating. Kat even went as far as to say “Have you seen the unwashed miscreants that go to that school.” In the play Katerina has no freedom and is forced to go along with expectations, finally giving in in the end. Kat is angered when her individuality is taken away from her. She is especially mad when her Dad does not agree with her choice in college. Although Kat has more individuality over Katerina as she has a different dress sense and opinions that are not constantly getting her in serious trouble but all Katerina has is her ability to scare away man to get back at her
father. Furthermore, there are some similarities between the movie and play, some lines even managed to come through such as Katerina's thought on Petruchio/Patrick “Hates him with the fire of a thousand suns”. Yet It still changed drastically. The idea of appropriating the film instead of going word for word is smart on Gill Jangers part. If the idea of men being the superior gender had been carried out audiences would be outraged. Values are different and infirmity has a whole new definition so it is only fair that a new script and relationship is brought on set instead of a script that was from an all together different time. Kat does not give a damn about her reputation and that idea is fine to a modern audience. Kat is allowed to think whatever she wants but Katerina is forced to be tamed because the idea of a women in control would cause a riot among the Shakespearian people. There are also themes that are not in the play e.g. romance plays a bigger part in the film then in the play. This would have been to please the people this movie would have appealed to most, pre teen girls to adults. However, this movie itself was not from this century. the movie was made in the late 20th century. The music in the film may be outdated and this generation would probably prefer Beyonce who believes both music and Feminism is empowering. In the shift from 17th century England and 20th century America, view points and the foundation of power, individuality change. Although themes have transcended through the ages, it still does not have the exact same reaction from the audience. Laughter is still ensured when watching the play but in between the giggles are gasps of shock, as people find the treatment of Katerina disgusting. We can never be sure of what the future holds but the advance of human knowledge should hopefully lead us forward. Then every person no matter what race, religion or gender should be looked upon with an eye of equality and respect. No matter what time we watch a film made now or in future we will have the same plot as the film the only difference will probably be the use of technology in future adaptions.
This is a lesson that is still relevant today. Though the acting and dialogue seem to appeal to an older audience, young viewers can still enjoy and learn from this play. Prejudice, suspicion, and thoughtlessness are as prevalent as ever. For any problem, humans will look for a scapegoat. The War on Terror seems to bring similar feelings as those around during the Cold War.
From the beginning of Kat’s life, she was at odds with her environment. When she was a child, she was Katherine, a doll like representation of what her mother wanted her to be. As a teenager she was Kathy, a representation of what she believed others wanted, “a bouncy, round-faced [girl] with gleaming freshly washed hair and enviable teeth, eager to please and no more int...
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.
In this piece, it can be translated that women would be considered a rebel if she is rude and shrewish to her husband. In all, wives are objects to their husbands, and must do all that her husband says. This limited Katherine’s identity because it took away her personality of being a shrew, and turned her into something she wasn’t; kind and
Kathrine knew that she was meant to do so much more than to sit around and let other people play the game, this thought of equality was instilled in her young by her father who said to her ‘"Cheerleaders cheer for other people, You want people to cheer for you. The game is on the field. Life is to participate, not to spectate."’(ESPN). This stuck with her through life, she was a fighter and when she knew it was time to run her race Kathrine remember this and it pushed her through even at her weakest, and most vulnerable of times. Men didn't understand that she or any women was much more than a housewife, Katherine throughout her life dealt with this conflict. Katherine when explaining how women were treated in that time said "Let me paint you a picture about the status quo for women when I was growing up, we have a box here, and a woman's job is to mind the house, her husband, take care of the kids and be feminine and domestic." (ESPN). This is so significant because you can see how women were oppressed by this statement and how she had used her strength and pushed through the oppression not only by word, but by force and you can see this when she was physically harmed during Boston. While running Boston as I just stated she was physically attacked by the
This play has many themes of patriarchy concerning the roles of males and females in a marriage, the authority of fathers over their families, husbands over wives, and men over women (Bloom 13). In the title alone, there's the indication of the husband over the wife, the "taming" of the shrew (16), and the word shrew that is chosen to describe Katherine is somewhat demeaning. In modern day society there is no such boundaries put on women. There should not be one party who overpowers the other one. It is a marriage, a bond that is shared, and each should be respected in the same way. Today, women and men are equals in a marriage, or at least in the United States. Women are no longer as oppressed as they once were. This play is rather primitive on the views of women in society.
Characterization plays an important role when conveying how one’s personality can disintegrate by living in a restrictive society. Although Kat is slowly loosing her mind, in the story, she is portrayed as a confident woman who tries to strive for excellence. This can be seen when she wants to name the magazine “All the Rage”. She claims that “it’s a forties sounds” and that “forties is back” (311). However the board of directors, who were all men, did not approve. They actually “though it was too feminist, of all things” (311). This passage not only shows how gender opportunities is apparent in the society Kat lives in, but also shows the readers why Kat starts to loose her mind.
“The Taming Of The Shrew” by William Shakespeare is a work of satire created to criticize the misogynistic outlooks of the 16th century. With this play, Shakespeare is trying to say that the idea and role of women in his society is deeply flawed and should be fixed, as well as to make other social commentaries, such as on the treatment of servants. Through exaggeration and parody, Shakespeare makes society look silly.
Her personality is strong and she is independent, unlike most women. This makes her unattractive to most suitors and gains her the label of shrew. She demonstrates her personality in the beginning of the play: "I pray you sir, is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?" (1.1 57-58). Shakespeare uses the characterization of Kate to demonstrate the defiance against traditional gender roles and how Kate almost immediately speaks out for herself, unlike her sister Bianca. In addition, Kate describes her future husband as a "mate," unlike how most women would describe their lovers. Moreover, Kate is educated: "I 'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear: I wis it is not half way to her heart; But if it were, doubt not her care should be to comb your noodle with a three-legg 'd stool and paint your face and use you like a fool." (1.1 61-65). Shakespeare uses the characterization of Kate to demonstrate how she defies traditional gender roles by being the only person to speak in iambic pentameter. This demonstrates her intelligence unlike many women. In addition, Kate doesn 't enjoy receiving orders from others. When her father leaves with Bianca and tells Kate she may stay, she gets angry. "Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take and what to leave, ha? (1.1 103-105). Shakespeare uses the characterization of Kate to
"10 things I hate about you" produced by Gill Junger is a modern telling of Shakespeare's "the taming of the shrew". Although with both texts being produced in separate decades they still manage to show the same themes and issues. The film "10 things I hate about you" explores the ideas of peer pressure, individualism and trust with the use of setting, camera angles and costumes. Ultimately "10 things I hate about you" has exhibited a Variety of themes which could potentially aid teenagers into making correct decisions.
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.
In this marriage Katherine has no power. She is verbally abused by Petruchio and denied what she needs. As said in the article,“ Kate is transformed after enduring the irrational world of Petruchio 's country house, where she is denied food, sleep, and fashionable accoutrements of her social class” (Karen 263). Katherine is tamed and she praises and respects him now that she is tamed. At the end of the play, when Katherine and Petruchio are at the wedding, Katherine is the only woman out of all at the wedding that actually listens to her husband when they all call their wives. Katherine ends up giving them a speech and telling them to respect their husband: “Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head thy sovereign, one that cares for thee And for thy maintenance commits his body” (Shakespear V. ii . 162-164). She respects who he is and all the work that he does for her. Petruchio has the power in marriage because she respects him and his
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
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.
In summary, William Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew, explores the context in which he wrote it, highlighting some of the most prominent ideals and values of the Renaissance period in 17th century Europe. The play explores the inequality of power between genders, loyalty and obedience and the importance it plays in relationships and the social repression of females. These contextual elements, combined with the elements of fiction writing (characters, plot, theme, setting and style) work hand-in-hand to create a text laced with moral and social questions, satirical criticisms of the Renaissance and Shakespeare’s personal views of women.