ipl-logo

The Role Of Katherina In The Taming Of The Shrew

590 Words3 Pages

Favorable Transformation During Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, Katherina’s transformation from the shrew to the perfect model of a wife teaches how women in Shakespeare’s time had to tailor themselves to meet men’s standards rather than being accepted for who they are. In today’s world a woman like Katherina would be a role model to young girls but then she was deemed intolerable. Throughout The Taming of the Shrew Katherina alters her personality drastically to become favorable. According to some men, women were supposed to follow men’s orders and fit all the stereotypes while belonging to a rich family. In Katherina's case they only saw her money as an attractive feature. No man wanted to marry someone who would be able to …show more content…

Despite her prior tag of the shrew, Petruchio manages to change the views of the men and the behavior of Katherina. She expressed to her sister and the widow that her “husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper”. Katherina went as far to say that she was “ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace” which goes against her previous beliefs harshly (Shakespeare 5.2.85).
Katherina being “tamed” was considered an accomplishment to Petruchio who was patted on the back for transforming the “curst shrew” into his faithful wife (Shakespeare 5.2.86). After Katherina was the perfect wife Petruchio placed bets on her and used her as a trophy. Publicly kissing and giving orders to Katherina made Petruchio feel like a manly man who would not be swayed by a woman. After all women “are bound to serve, love and obey” (Shakespeare 5.2.85).
Katherina’s transformation in The Taming of the Shrew is a great example of the expectations for women in the past. Instead of being welcomed and popular for having a backbone women were shot down until they believed they were less than men. Today women are not asked to change themselves to be submissive to men but to be strong and confident in

Show More
Related

  • Essay Comparing The Taming Of The Shrew And Othello

    2005 Words  | 9 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s two plays, Othello and The Taming of the Shrew patterns of domination and submission are explored in relation to the shared issue of gender and power contained in each play. In Shakespeare’s time, women were expected to carry themselves a certain way to maintain the honor of their families. Shakespeare writes Othello and The Taming of the Shrew in the Elizabethan era which readers can see by the way the male figures in the plays see their women as property than human beings. By writing from the Elizabethan point-of-view, it effects the way each play is perceived as behavior previously seen as acceptable may now be viewed as unacceptable from a feminist perspective. For example, in The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio dehumanizes Katharina’s character which results in Katharina’s submission to her husband, Petruchio.

    Read More

  • Kathrina's Behavior In The Taming Of The Shrew

    330 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Taming of the Shrew, Kathrina's behavior is subdued when Perturchio mirrors her attitude to his servants and to Kathrina herself. " First, Petruchio acts like a "shrew" on his wedding day and throughout the honeymoon so that Kate can see what her bad behavior looks like in another person. This involves a lot of yelling, swearing, the abuse of hapless servants, and erratic and cruel behavior toward Kate." During the span of time that Pertruchio acts in the same manner as Kathrina he portrays a lot of fury and "colorful" language. " 'Tis burnt; and so is all the meat.

    Read More

  • Petruchio's Relationships

    823 Words  | 4 Pages

    Both examples are reflections of the time period that they take place in. While Katherine is completely controlled by Petruchio, Kat can be herself while dating Patrick. 10 Things can be thought of as proof as to how far women have come from Taming of The Shrew Women were being treated as “privileged slaves”, and now they’re just as important as men are. Women aren’t only used for reproductive purposes, as they were in the Shakespearean era. Women will continue to be an important part in our society, as well as many others around the

    Read More

  • How Does The Taming Of The Shrew Conform

    178 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Taming of the Shrew consistently showed women being forced into conforming into the pre-established norm. Throughout The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, conforming to male ideas of how women should act was forefront as the most important thing a woman could do. Katherine originally portrayed herself as a cold, aggressive wench that everyone despised. Petruchio starved her out and showed his dominance until Katherine would finally act in the way that she was expected. At the end of the book, after Katherine was turned and Bianca was beginning to reject the standards of a wife at that point in time, Lucentio was no longer impressed with her.

    Read More

  • Taming Of The Shrew Quotes

    920 Words  | 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew the question of who is the real "shrew" is a subject of much debate. Throughout the play, the characters of Katherina and Bianca are portrayed as contrasting figures, with Katherina being described as the initial "shrew" and Bianca being seen as the sweet, submissive woman. As the play progresses, we see the switch between the two women as Katherina becomes more obedient and Bianca’s true colours are shown. At the beginning of the play, Katherina is depicted as a sharp-tongued, unruly woman who defies authority and engages in verbal battles with those around her. Her behaviour is exemplified when she strikes Petructchio, and he responds, "I swear I'll cuff you if you strike again" (2.1 222)

    Read More

  • Petruchio's Treatment Of Women In The Taming Of The Shrew

    594 Words  | 3 Pages

    Men think they are better than women, and they also think that women should be submissive to them, so many times in history men have tried making their wives treat them like lords. In William Shakespeare's book The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio is abusive to his new wife Katherine as he attempts to tame her. There are so many things that he does to make her a better woman, person and wife. His first step of the plan is starve her. On their wedding day he shows up extremely late and he comes wearing clashing clothes that are very old and ugly.

    Read More

  • The Taming Of The Shrew Dialectical Journal

    685 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lincoln Ealefoh, Mrs White, English, 5/30/2018. The conflicts in the taming of the shrew Dear Journal, There has been a lot of disagreements going on among me and others for different reasons, also something new about me is that I have finally gotten married to petruchio though I am still not interested in him, to make it worse he lives in a dusty old big house with many servants he matreats. Immediately after my marriage I supposed my sister we be getting married and they would expect me to come with Petruchio and see how we are coping and with no surprises we won’t not in this kind of house, I know nothing good is going to make out of this. (Man vs man)

    Read More

  • Taming Of The Shrew Sexism Analysis

    815 Words  | 4 Pages

    From Sexism to Social Reformation Many actions and ideologies of the characters in The Taming of the Shrew create an overarching conflict between comedy and sexism for most readers. Specifically, the relationships between the men and women introduce controversial topics such as obedience and love which must be questioned thoroughly. The conditions of Petruchio and Katherine’s marriage was more “traditional” in the sense that it was primarily patriarchal, and that Kate was expected to be subservient and obedient. While this is sexist, on the surface, this was not the intended meaning behind the works.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Deception In Taming Of The Shrew

    1215 Words  | 5 Pages

    Taming of the Shrew is a dramatic comedy in which several suitors try to captivate and marry a beautiful woman named Bianca. However, the suitors stumble upon an issue; Bianca’s older sister, Kate, is not married. Bianca is only eligible for marriage if Kate is married, so the suitors set out to find Kate a man. During Taming of the Shrew, the suitors of both Kate and Bianca are dishonest and deceive the sisters using disguises and mind games which results in a breakdown of all the characters.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Shakespeare's Taming Of The Shr

    465 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ever wonder about gender roles in Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew? In Taming of the Shrew, the gender roles affect the characters in a rather negative way, and when they surface in the play, it’s rather shocking. This essay will discuss how gender roles affect the characters in what I believe is a negative way, and how they surface in the play. In this play, the men appear to have a particular idea on how all women should behave.

    Read More

  • 10 Things I Hate About You Analysis

    1055 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout history, women have always been considered inferior to men. Women are typically supposed to stay home and care for the children, quieter than men, do not need an education, and are supposed to listen and do what they are told. The men are the ones in charge. They are “always at the top”, expected to work to provide for their family, and tell their wives what to do. When reading “Taming of the Shrew” by Shakespeare and watching “10 Things I hate About You” directed by Gil Junger, the stereotypes and gender role of Katherine (Kat) and the sisterly relationship between Katherine (Kat) and Bianca come across.

    Read More

  • Taming Of The Shrew Research Paper

    778 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Taming of the Shrew, women were put down and constantly ridiculed if they spoke up, and the play’s main focus was on Petruchio’s ability to turn Baptista’s eldest daughter Katherine into a submissive wife. Petruchio plotted to treat Kate like a falcon that needed to be tamed and announced to the audience “This is a way to kill a wife with kindness, and thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humor. He that knows better how to tame a shrew, now let him speak” (TOTS 4.1.185-187). If a man did the things that Petruchio did back then today, he would never have a wife and would be constantly ridiculed for his misogynistic views, but back then, the men were applauded for putting a woman like Kate in her place. Women are so much more independent today than they were in the past and today they would never give into being “tamed” by a man in order to be made into a smaller version of

    Read More

  • Taming Of The Shrew Women

    1785 Words  | 8 Pages

    Katherine must construct a front of ideal womanhood, obedient and passive, to avoid persecution and further accusations of being a shrew. Only through this is she able to exist in this society that punishes women for protecting and speaking for themselves. Using this front she is able to suggest deeper meaning within her newly filtered speech. Even in the face of true shrews such as Petruchio, she is able to fly under the patriarchal radar and maintain her personhood by using her

    Read More

  • Petruchio's Deception In Taming Of The Shrew

    809 Words  | 4 Pages

    She was described as a “shrew”, bring us back to the title “Taming of the Shrew”. Petruchio knew that Katherine was tamed when she finally complied with him. On the road to Padua, Petruchio "breaks" Kate. He pretends that the sun is the moon and demands that Kate go along with what he says. Then, when they encounter an old man, Petruchio pretends that the old man is young girl, which Kate also goes along

    Read More

  • Feminine Roles In Shakespeare's Othello

    713 Words  | 3 Pages

    Feminine roles in William Shakespeare’s Othello have been discussed to depict the traditional female figures who follow the expectations of the Elizabethan patriarchal society; however, the figures of Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca, also present some characteristics which endorse the modern gender norms of women behaviour. To start with, at the beginning of the play Desdemona is depicted by her father as passive, innocent and obedient. Like Sinfield states in Cultural Materialism, Othello, and the Politics of Plausibility “a woman should obey the male head of her family, who should be first her father (…) then her husband”, hence, when Desdemona marries Othello without her father’s consent she is, at the same time, disobeying the Venetian society; she does not enter the institution of marriage directly from her paternal domination, she displeases him. However, her active personality disappears once she marries Othello.

    Read More

More about The Role Of Katherina In The Taming Of The Shrew

Open Document