Exploring Sexuality In "Taming Of The Shrew"
Human sexuality underlies many of the happenings of "Taming of the
Shrew." It affects the conflicts, theme, and resolution of the play. It
becomes evident throughout the play that sexual behavior denotes whether a
character is thought of as good or evil (not necessarily good evil as meant in
conventional terms, but rather as a "nice" character versus a "waspish" or
"mean' character).
In the beginning of the play, there is an obvious conflict between Kate
and her sister, Bianca. This conflict stems from the fact that their father
favors Bianca, as well as the fact that Bianca has many suitors, while Kate has
none. Kate's father, Baptista, tries to persuade some of Bianca's suitors ...
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coy around her
admirers, and yet is almost intentionally mean to Kate. For instance, Bianca
knows that it hurts Kate to have no suitors while she (Bianca) has several.
Bianca uses this to hurt Kate. When Kate tries to find out which suitor Bianca
really likes, Bianca swears that she won't take the suitor that Kate likes. She
casually offers Kate whichever suitor she wants. Kate is enraged by this
because she knows that the only reason that Bianca has suitors while she has
none is because Bianca plays the sexual flirtation game.
When Kate gets a suitor of her own, Petruchio, there is a lot of sexual
tension in their relationship. At their first meeting, they exchange a barrage
of sexual comments:
Petruchio: Why, what's a movable?
Kate: A joint stool
Petruchio: Thou hast hit it; come sit on me.
Kate: Asses are made to bear and so are you.
Petruchio: Women are made to bear and so are you.
(II, i, lines 196 - 200)
Also, Petruchio decided before he ...
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'pointed times, but learn my lessons as I please myself. And, to cut off
all the strife, here sit we down" (III,i, lines 16 - 21).
Hortensio and Lucentio accepted this reprimand from Bianca, however, had Kate
reprimanded them in the same way, they would have talked amongst themselves
about the fact that she was waspish. This again is a product of the perception
of good and evil that Bianca and Kate personify.
The final scene is affected by sexuality and its tie in to the
perception of Kate and Bianca as good or evil. In this final scene, the men -
Lucentio, Hortensio, Petruchio, and Baptista - are sitting around a table
talking. Kate, Bianca, and the Widow are in the next room ...
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Exploring Sexuality In "Taming Of The Shrew". (2004, March 28). Retrieved November 19, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Exploring-Sexuality-In-Taming-Of-Shrew/5301
"Exploring Sexuality In "Taming Of The Shrew"." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 28 Mar. 2004. Web. 19 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Exploring-Sexuality-In-Taming-Of-Shrew/5301>
"Exploring Sexuality In "Taming Of The Shrew"." Essayworld.com. March 28, 2004. Accessed November 19, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Exploring-Sexuality-In-Taming-Of-Shrew/5301.
"Exploring Sexuality In "Taming Of The Shrew"." Essayworld.com. March 28, 2004. Accessed November 19, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Exploring-Sexuality-In-Taming-Of-Shrew/5301.
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