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The Taming of the Shrew Analysis. Essay Example, 707 words
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The Taming of the Shrew is a story about a woman who is crushed by many people in many ways. Kate is crushed by how her father treats her, and by how Petruchio treats her soon after their marriage. From a different person's perspective though, she still seems to be crushed by being put out as a shrew. Along the way, Gremio, Hortensio, and Tranio thought of Kate as crushed because she is a shrew. Since their expectations of a woman is to be obedient and quiet, they believed that she was crushed because she does not meet those expectations. In act one of the book Baptista walks in and tells the boys, “That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter Before I have a husband for the elder. If either of you love Katherina, Because I know you well and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.”(17). After he said those words Gremio started of by saying “She’s too rough for me.”(17). Then Hortensio says soon after “No mates for you Unless you were of gentler, milder mold.”(17). Then Tranio says “That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.”(17). As soon as Baptista offered them Kate to be their wife they started saying she is a shrew, crazy, and that she is rough. They see her as a …show more content…
After Petruchio and Kate get married, they arrive at Petruchio’s house. In Act four of the book, Kate exits to go to her room, and when she does, Petruchio tells his plan to Grumio. He starts off by saying “Another way I have to man my haggard, To make her come and know her keeper’s call, that is, to watch her as we watch these kites That bate and beat and will not be obedient. She eat no meat today, nor none shall eat. Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not, nor tonight she shall not.” (73). He states to Grumio that he plans to tame kate by starving her and not letting her sleep at all until she is obedient. In him proceeding with his plan he makes Kate seem crushed by how he is changing her
When everything seemed to be going well for the Wescott family, the author describes one of Katherine’s fit by saying, “Katherine was crying and moaning, her hands clutching her chest, and she was panting as though the Devil himself had chased her home” (GodBeer, 14) Although Abigail did not always believe she was telling the truth, and did not really trust her. Her and her husband, Daniel, wanted to get to the bottom of what was really wrong with Katherine. It was believed to be Daniel and Abigail’s moral obligation to take care of Katherine according to the church. Throughout the first chapter many of Kates fits happened, and there were countless witnesses, such as Ebenezer Bishop and other neighbors. Surprisingly as more attacks happened, Kate started calling out certain community members name and had stranger fits. These neighbors witness Kate scream, “Goody Clawson, turn head over heels…Now they’re going to kill me! They’re pinching me on my neck!” (GodBeer, 28) With many more attacks, and neighbors witnessing it firsthand the question of who was tormenting her became the
She knew that if she told the truth Mrs. Weinman would now think she is an untrustworthy person. Since Jenny had to call Mrs. Weinman due to the destruction Kate caused she feels as if Kate ruined her job chances of future
The short story, The Shrew: Sharp Tongued Ts’ui-lien is a comical piece about conformity and societal expectations. Within the story we are introduced to a young woman with the disposition to talk relentlessly, and with a need to have all of her ideas heard. However, the societal expectations are stifling and are focused on obedience of tradition and decency. Through comedy, Ts’ui-lien upsets the balance and need to remove herself from society completely as the only viable solution for others to deal with her strong personality, the only solution that allow her to remain unchanged and unconfirmed to the demands of the society. Through this, the story’s position on the place of societal norms in this culture become clear, fall in line or remove
Different Interpretations of the Relationship Between Kate and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew
Kate and The Taming of the Shrew describes the progression of the outspoken and headstrong Kate, wife of Petruchio, as she gradually transitions into an almost perfect example of an archetypal loyal wife. This classic female archetype can be expressed through blind and ignorant support of their husband without any personal opinion or any priorities and objectives other than to satisfy the needs and desires of their husbands. While Kate begins possessing traits that oppose the loyal wife archetype due to her strong willed personality, her shift to obedience. However she continues to think with cunning strategy throughout the entire play, regardless of her weakened mental state caused by Petruchio limiting her food and sleep.
In the beginning, a lot of what we learn about Kate comes from what other people say about her. In Act I, she is only seen briefly and she speaks even less, but our picture of Kate is pretty clear. Shakespeare, sets up a teaching lesson, helping us to see the mistakes of our own judgment. When Baptista announces that Kate must marry before Bianca may take suitors, Gremio describes Kate by saying "She's too rough for me" (1.1.55). Later in the scene, Gremio reiterates his dislike for Kate, claiming she is a "fiend of hell" (88) and offering that "though her father may be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell" (124–126). He finishes by saying that to marry Kate is worse than to "take her dowry with this condition: to be whipped at the high cross every morning" (132–134). Hortensio, too, is quick to add to the situation, calling Kate a devil (66) and claiming that she is not likely to get a husband unless she is "of gentler, milder mold" (60). Tranio, Lucentio's servant, is perhaps the only man in this scene not to talk ugly about Kate, claiming she is either "stark mad or wonderful froward" (69).
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.
A long time ago, a drunken man fell asleep outside an alehouse. This man, Christopher Sly, was discovered by a mischievous lord who took him into his home. The witty lord then convinced Sly that he was a lord, as well. The lord then put on a play for him. The play, The Taming of the Shrew, was about the two young daughters of Baptista. The youngest daughter, Bianca, wished to wed but her father, Baptista, would not allow this until his eldest daughter, Katherina, was married. Under normal circumstances, it would be easy to find a husband for Katherina with all her beauty, but all her beauty was covered by her shrewd personality. By this time Bianca's suitors were growing very impatient, so they decide to team up and find a husband for Katherina. In jest they mentioned their plan to a friend, Petruchio, who surprisingly agreed to marry Katherina. All her beauty and wealth were enough for him. Katherina reluctantly was wed to Petruchio and she was taken to his home to be tamed. With Katherina out of the way, Bianca was now allowed to marry Lucentio, who offered her father the highest dowry for her. In the final scenes of the play, Katherina proves that she is tamed by winning an obedience contest at a dinner party. Katherina is now even more in accordance with her wifely duties than Bianca. A fare is a type of comedy based on a ridiculous situation. The Taming of the Shrew, an eminent example of a farce, is the first of three farces written by Shakespeare.
The Taming of the Shrew is mainly about the character Katherine but is also a little bit about her sister Bianca. Katherine is a rude and violent woman while her sister is quaint and polite. In this play Bianca is not allowed to marry until her sister has. So two men who want to marry her come up with a plan to get Katherine married. They found a crazy suitor for her and set them up. While this was happening Bianca got a third suitor. After Katherine was wed Bianca was courted to one of the three gentlemen and was wed behind her fathers back. After Katherine was married her husband tried to tame her and succeeded. Read the book to see what completely happened and to find out who finally tamed the shrew.
Tragedy, irony and modernism are only a few interpretations of the valued play The Taming of the Shrew by the respected writer William Shakespeare. However, one of the most intriguing and popular of these analyses is comedy. Shakespeare is recognized for writing several plays with comedic genres, a few of which include Much Ado About Nothing and The Comedy of Errors. Comedy, being a complex genre, is composed of many different concepts. This particular play can be interpreted as a Shakespearian comedy, a screwball comedy, a farce, or slapstick.
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
Kate’s behaviour already in the scene contradicts Petruchio ‘If I be waspish best beware of my sting’. Kate is saying that if she is wasp like then he should be scared of her. As she is portraying this kind of behaviour Shakespeare makes it obvious he’s lying. Kate is notorious for her temper and is frequently referred to as a shrew.
Patrick and Petruchio’s desire to date Kat or Katerina is influenced by money. In Taming of the Shrew Hortensio mentions that Katerina is a shrew, but Petruchio does not care because she is wealthy. Petruchio could have easily found another woman, but with money involved, Petruchio does what he can to “win” her love by attempting to talk with Katerina and eventually takes his time to try and tame Katerina. “When Petruchio first meets Baptista, Petruchio inquires about the dowry, once Baptista replies, Petruchio immediately demands to sign the contract.
Kate Chopin was a Victorian writer; whose writing manifests her life experiences. She was not happy with the principles of the time, because women had fewer rights, and they were not considered equal to men. Afraid of segregation from society, people lived in a hypocritical world full of lies; moreover, Kate Chopin was not afraid of segregation, and used her writing as a weapon against oppression of the soul. Marriage was an oppressor to Chopin, she had been a victim of this institution. Being a victim of marriage, Chopin's "Story of an Hour," is an expression of her believe that, marriage is an institution that oppresses, represses, and is a source of discontent among human beings.
Ever since people started to settle into their way of living, certain expectations over a certain culture is shaped by what the elders pass down. Over generations, the culture slowly changed yet it shapes to what makes society for what it is and what is expected to come from people in that certain time period. So how does this change occur within these generations? In The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, it becomes evident that the older generation influences the younger generation and proves what is expected from its time, especially when it comes to family.