Sexism in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare our independence. Its plot is derived from the popular theme of the "war of the sexes" in which men and women compete for dominance in marriage. The play begins with an introduction in which a drunk, Christopher Sly, is tricked into believing he is a king and has a play performed for him. The piece he is watching constitutes the essence of The Taming of the Shrew. In this play, a wealthy landowner, Baptista Minola, attempts to marry off his two daughters. One is very clever, Katherine, while the other is the beautiful and sweet Bianca. In order to ensure that Katherine is married, Baptista does not allow Bianca to marry until Katherine is, forcing Bianca's many suitors to find a mate for Katherine so that they will fight for love by Bianca. This play has been criticized and condemned for its blatant sexist attitude towards women, but closer examination and the intricacies of its structure reveal that it is not simply a story about how men should “put women in their place”. The play is, in fact, a comedy about an assertive woman confronted with how she is expected to act in late 16th century society and how one must obey the unwritten rules of a society to be in it. accepted. Although the play ends with outward conformity to society's norms, it is all about action and not mind. Although she assumes the role of obedient wife, internally she still maintains her confidence. It is curious to note the role of women in Shakespearean life...... middle of paper ...... Katherine is a woman. ultimately acting the way she's supposed to act, it's hard to believe that a character as dynamic and strong-willed as Katherine could change so easily. It would seem more logical that Katherine would simply play the role of the "obedient wife" in order to be accepted into the society in which she lives. Katherine can “play a role” very well and can even enjoy doing it. This is shown on the road to Padua from Petruchio's house when Kate is forced to address Vincentio as a woman and say to him: "Young budding virgin, fair, fresh and sweet" (Act IV, scene v , l. 37). The Obvious The sexist attitude of the play does not prevent it for the reasons mentioned above. You also have to take into account the attitudes of 16th century England and the fact that the play is a comedy and I don't think it's meant to be taken seriously..

Essay / Sexism in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare our independence. Its plot is derived from the popular theme of the "war of the sexes" in which men and women compete for dominance in marriage. The play begins with an introduction in which a drunk, Christopher Sly, is tricked into believing he is a king and has a play performed for him. The piece he is watching constitutes the essence of The Taming of the Shrew. In this play, a wealthy landowner, Baptista Minola, attempts to marry off his two daughters. One is very clever, Katherine, while the other is the beautiful and sweet Bianca. In order to ensure that Katherine is married, Baptista does not allow Bianca to marry until Katherine is, forcing Bianca's many suitors to find a mate for Katherine so that they will fight for love by Bianca. This play has been criticized and condemned for its blatant sexist attitude towards women, but closer examination and the intricacies of its structure reveal that it is not simply a story about how men should “put women in their place”. The play is, in fact, a comedy about an assertive woman confronted with how she is expected to act in late 16th century society and how one must obey the unwritten rules of a society to be in it. accepted. Although the play ends with outward conformity to society's norms, it is all about action and not mind. Although she assumes the role of obedient wife, internally she still maintains her confidence. It is curious to note the role of women in Shakespearean life...... middle of paper ...... Katherine is a woman. ultimately acting the way she's supposed to act, it's hard to believe that a character as dynamic and strong-willed as Katherine could change so easily. It would seem more logical that Katherine would simply play the role of the "obedient wife" in order to be accepted into the society in which she lives. Katherine can “play a role” very well and can even enjoy doing it. This is shown on the road to Padua from Petruchio's house when Kate is forced to address Vincentio as a woman and say to him: "Young budding virgin, fair, fresh and sweet" (Act IV, scene v , l. 37). The Obvious The sexist attitude of the play does not prevent it for the reasons mentioned above. You also have to take into account the attitudes of 16th century England and the fact that the play is a comedy and I don't think it's meant to be taken seriously..

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