Disguised Men and Transformed Women in The Taming of the Shrew
A recurrent theme in Shakespeare's plays is the idea that things are not always what they seem. The Taming of the Shrew provides a good example of this theme. In this play we find many discrepancies between what seems to be and what is. We can find these incongruities at many levels as we analyze the three main plot lines of the play: The Induction, The Wooing of Bianca and The Taming of Katherina. Each of these subplots is based on earlier works of literature or folk tradition. Shakespeare is not alone in his choice of "false supposes" as a theme. According to The Shakespeare Handbook,
Shakespeare adopts the entire narrative [for the Bianca story]
complete with some stock characters and some pieces of staging,
from George Gasciogne's play Supposes (1566) a prose version of
Aristo's I Suppositi which is in turn a recycling of one of the
standard plots of New Roman comedy as written by Plautus and
Terence." (Fox, 97)
Each of Shakespeare's three story lines in the Taming of the Shrew contains examples of both people who pretend to be what they are not and those who become what they were not.
In the Induction for this play we meet Christophero Sly, a common tinker who is course and rough in both his language and behavior. His pedestrian station is codified in the usual Shakespearean way: he speaks in prose (Barron's Book Notes on the World Wide Web).* When he falls asleep, he is tricked into believing he is lord of the manor. As he starts to believe the trickery, he begins to change and becomes like that which he is "supposed" to be. At the moment of his realization he even begins to speak in verse, ...
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...s kicking and screaming child and starts kicking and screaming right along side him. While onlookers might find this bizarre, it gets the child's attention and reveals to him just how foolish his own actions are. By his actions then, the parent wins the child into a more reasonable attitude and behavior.
Works Cited
Barton, Ann. "The Taming of the Shrew." The Riverside Shakespeare 2nd ed. Ed. Dean Johnson et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. 138-141.
Daniel, David. "Shakespeare and the Traditions of Comedy." The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies. Ed. Stanley Wells. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1987.
Fox, Levi, ed. The Shakespeare Handbook. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1987.
Shakespeare, William. "The Taming of the Shrew." The Riverside Shakespeare 2nd ed. Ed. Dean Johnson et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. 142-171.
“The Grateful Dead”, Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone; Jann S. Wenner. Edition And publisher, 2014, web, 16 April 2014.
Connie, from “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, wants to rebel against her family. She uses her attractiveness to flirt with boys at the local restaurant behind their backs as a form of rebellion. She feels as though her family does not appreciate her; her father does not pay any attention to her and her mother constantly compares her to her sister, criticizing her every move and asking why she cares so much about her appearance. On one of her outings she sees a boy who she vainly chooses to ignore. Later he shows up at her house posing as her friend, calling himself Arnold Friend, and talking to her as though he is another boy she flirts with down at the diner and pretending to be her age. She subtly flirts with him at first, only realizing the danger when it is too late.
To what extent did the 18th amendment lead to the rise of organized crime? The focus of this study centers on those against prohibition whom sought out alternative forms of alcohol production; thus leading to the emergence of organized crime. To determine the extent of the 18th amendment’s contribution on the rise of organized crime, this investigation will examine how the amendment’s regulations led to the creation of an illegal market, corruption in government, and a vast criminal enterprise. The amendment itself and several other accounts will be analyzed for their purpose, value, and limitations in regard to the rise of organized crime due to the 18th amendment; an issue still prevalent in modern American society.
Paper money that was issued by the colonial government was a concern. Certain paper money could only be used for paying public debts, including military supplies or taxe...
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
The Great Depression era was a dark moment in history for American economic history, however often times we overlook the tremendous response from our federal government. President Roosevelt used the power of the presidency to pass several monumental pieces of economic legislation such as the Emergency Banking Act and the Glass-Steagall Act. Roosevelt’s administration also passed legislation that formulated various social programs such as the Public Works Program and the Federal Housing Authority. These programs were largely focused on providing temporary relief for American citizens. Furthermore, many Americans were employed to construct parks, roads, and bridges. World War II also played a big part in stimulating the American economy during this time period. Citizens at home were able to work on machinery and other military accessories to supply the troops during the war. Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration brought America through the most difficult economic time in its history and they ushered in pragmatic progressive economic policies.
...esigner Babies. Ed. Clayton Farris Naff. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, there are many instances of trickery and deception, which seem to surround the whole of the play.
Shakespeare, William. _The Taming of the Shrew_. The Riverside Shakespeare. 2nd ed. Ed. Dean Johnson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. 142-171.
Garner, Shirley Nelson. “The Taming of the Shrew:Inside or Outside of the Joke?” “Bad” Shakespeare: Revaluations of the Shakespeare Canon. Dickinson: Farleigh Dickinson U P, 1988. 105-19. Rpt. in Shakespeare for Students. Ed. Catherine C. Dominic. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 374-78. Print.
Thorne, Sherri. "Shakespeare: Advocate for Women in The Taming of the Shrew." Http://www.hsu.edu/uploadedFiles/Faculty/Academic_Forum/2003-4/2003-4 AFShakespeare.pdf. Henderson State University Department of English and Foreign Languages, 2003-2004. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
Shakespeare, William. “The Taming of the Shrew.” Ed. Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. The Norton Shakespeare: Comedies. By William Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Jay. Greenblatt. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. 175-244. Print.
William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is an interesting story that demonstrates the patriarchal ideas of how a marriage is suppose to be according to society, what is acceptable of a woman's role in a relationship. It's a story that has many things to show for it's been remade, and remade, even slightly altered to better relate to the teenage audience.
England, D., Descartes, L., & Collier-Meek, M. (2011). Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses. Sex Roles, 64(7/8), 555-567.
The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, is historical proof that flirting and temptation, relating to the opposite sex, has been around since the earliest of times. Because males and females continue to interact, the complications in this play remain as relevant and humorous today as they did to Elizabethan audiences. This is a very fun play, full of comedy and sexual remarks. It's lasting impression imprints itself into the minds of its readers, for it is an unforgettable story of sex, flirting, and happiness. The Taming of the Shrew remains as relevant today because of its relation to the age-old story of the battle of the sexes and dynamics of marriage, as well as the woman's struggle with both of these.