To Tame A Shrew
In Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, one topic that has been debated, interpreted, discussed, reinterpreted and adapted into different forms has been the character of Katharina, the shrew, and whether she was tamed, liberated, or just a good enough actress to make Everyone think she was in fact, tamed. In this essay, I will present arguments for and against each of these points, as well as discuss one television adaptation of Taming of the Shrew that presents Katharina not as the expected shrew, but as Petruchio's tamer.
There is evidence that supports Katharina was tamed by Petruchio. For instance, in the opening of the play, Katharina is very vocal and aggressive. Men, women and ...
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craves no other tribute at thy hands
But love, fair looks and true obedience;
Too little payment for so great a debt. (5.2.146-154)
In looking at this outtake of Katharina's speech, it can be seen that she has been tamed by Petruchio's actions throughout the first four acts. It is difficult to take Katharina's message here and say, "She is still the same person." Her monologue reveals that she now sees it is her duty to respect her husband and to be submissive to him. Her speech leads the audience to see that this duty of the wife is one that is a repayment to the husband for all the hard work he does to support her, a debt that the wife could never possibly repay.
Reasons why Katharina might not have been tamed can be found in the fact that the play takes place in what seems to be just a few days. One must ask the question: Is it possible to cause such a great change in a person's behavior in such a short amount of time as this? It is very unlikely that it is possible, since ...
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what can I do for thee?" Instead, she forces the other women to be obedient to their spouses, still showing some of the fearful aggressiveness at the beginning of the play.
I see this as evidence that Petruchio has liberated Katharina in a sense that she no longer needs to be brash and aggressive at all times, but more she can use her assertiveness for her husband's advantage, and more importantly for her own advantage, as when dragging in the two women. In other words, together, they made a great team with Petruchio's great wit and ability to play word games at the drop of a hat and Katharina's strong will and stubbornness. I find that they no longer use these on each other, except ...
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To Tame A Shrew. (2008, October 30). Retrieved December 22, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/To-Tame-A-Shrew/92256
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"To Tame A Shrew." Essayworld.com. October 30, 2008. Accessed December 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/To-Tame-A-Shrew/92256.
"To Tame A Shrew." Essayworld.com. October 30, 2008. Accessed December 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/To-Tame-A-Shrew/92256.
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