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Example research essay topic: Taming Of The Shrew End Of The Play - 1,527 words

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The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare is an introduction in the ever present battle of women to be loving and caring wives, while at the same time holding on to our independence. Its plot is derived from the popular war of the sexes theme in which males and females are pitted against one another for dominance in marriage. The play begins with an induction in which a drunkard, Christopher Sly, is fooled into believing he is a king and has a play performed for him. The play he watches is what constitutes the main body of The Taming OfThe Shrew. In it, a wealthy land owner, Baptista Minolta, attempts to have his two daughters married.

One is very shrewish, Katherine, while the other is the beautiful and gentle Bianca. In order to ensure Katherine is married, Baptista does not allow Bianca to be wed until Katherine is, forcing the many suitors to Bianca to find a mate for Katherine in order for them to vie for Bianca's love. This play has been criticised and condemned for its blatant sexist attitude it has toward women but upon closer examination of it and the intricacies of its structure it is revealed that it is not merely a story of how men should put women in their place. The play is, in fact, a comedy about an assertive woman coping with how she is expected to act in the society of the late sixteenth century and of how one must obey the unwritten rules of a society to be accepted in it. Although the play ends with her outwardly conforming to the norms of society, this is in action only, not in mind.

Although she assumes the role of the obedient wife, inwardly she still retains her assertiveness. It is curious to note the role of women in Shakespearean literature. Many critics have blasted the female characters in his plays as two-dimensional and unrealistic portrayals of subservient women. Others have asserted that the roles of women in his plays were prominent for the time and culture that he lived in, his intent in creating characters to inspire much controversy. Two works, Taming of the Shrew, and Twelfth Night, stand out particularly well in regards to Shakespeare's use of female characters. If you could examine these two plays, you would see that Shakespeare, though conforming to contemporary attitudes of women, circumvented them by creating resolute female characters with a strong sense of self.

The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and has weathered well into our modern era. For all the praises it has garnered throughout the centuries, it is curious to note that many have considered it to be one of his most controversial in his treatment of women. The taming of Katherine has been contended as being excessively cruel by many writers and critics of the modern era. George Bernard Shaw himself pressed for its banning during the 19 th century.

The subservience of Katherine has been labeled as barbaric, antiquated, and generally demeaning. The play centers on her and her lack of suitors. It establishes in the first act her shrewish demeanor and its repercussions on her family. It is only with the introduction of the witty Petruchio as her suitor, that one begins to see an evolution in her character. Through an elaborate charade of humiliating behavior, Petruchio humbles her and by the end of the play, she will instruct other women on the nature of being a good and dutiful wife.

Both plays portray female characters unwilling to accept the female role of passivity. Katherine rebels against this stereotype by becoming a shrew, a violently tempered and belligerent woman. She endures reprimands, chiding, and humiliation in the course of her chosen rebellion. Curiously enough, Katherine voluntarily accepts the role that society would impose on her at the close of the play. It is important to note though, that she freely resumes this role, and that does do so out of her own sense of self. It is a personal choice based on her own desires.

Katherine realizes that propriety is as much a signature of self-respect as respect for others, and she has a husband whom she need prove nothing to because he already respects her. The reason for Katherine's shrewish demeanor is never given in the play, though it could be interpreted as an act to discourage suitors or to sibling rivalry between Katherine and her sister Bianca. In any case, no clear rationale is given to the audience as to the reason for Katherine's behavior. It is enough to say that the actions of her father and sister do not relieve the situation as well. Throughout the whole of the play, her father treats her as a commodity to be bargained away to whoever is willing to take her. Granted that he doesnt view Bianca as anything more than a commodity as well, but he clearly favors her over Katherine as unspoiled merchandise.

Bianca has a rather small role to play in the whole of things. She seems to be the archetypal young lady of quality. Her lack of understanding for her sister causes them to quarrel and results in Bianca taking the physical worst of it, whilst Katherine is blamed for her belligerent nature. The entire presence of family in the play gives Katherine her motivation and explains much of the whole situation in the dialogue. Katherine a very different individual. Yet, she shares the same characteristics that Shakespeare imparted onto many of his heroines.

Each is resolute and knows her own mind. Though society demands certain behavior from them, they chose to undertake a different path to deny that behavior. That self is promoted over the public image, and yet not averse to returning to society's established roles if it serves their needs and wants. The entire concept of choice and free-will, of which Shakespeare was so fond of, applies as equally to his feminine characters as to his masculine.

It is this very important point which establishes the conclusion that Shakespeare did indeed create realistic and meaningful female characters. In The Taming Of The Shrew, courtship and marriage are not so much the result of love but rather an institution of society that people are expected to take part in. As a result of the removal of romance from marriage, suitors are judged, not by their love for a woman, but by how well they can provide for her. All suitors compare the dowry each can bring to the marriage and the one with the most to offer wins the womans hand in marriage. This competition for marriage is like a game to the characters of the play. While discussing the courtship of Bianca with Gremio, Hortensio says He that runs fastest gets The ring (Act I, scene i, l. 140 - 141) likening receiving permission to wed Bianca to winning a race.

In the game, however, women are treated like objects that can be bought and sold rather than as human beings. This is expected since the society is a patriarchal one. For example, Lucentio, Train and Petruchio are all defined with reference to their fathers and all the elderly authority figures, like Baptista and Vicentio, are men. The taming of Katherine is not a womens shrewishness being cured as much as it is a woman being taught the rules of the patriarchal game. Katherine has learned how to be assertive and with this knowledge is able to control men, and a woman controlling a man is considered against the rules of the game. The play ends with Katherine proving that she is truly cured of her shrewishness and is the most obedient of the three newlywed wives at the end of the play.

This is demonstrated in her soliloquy when she lectures the other wives on the proper way in which a woman should behave: I am ashamed that women are so simple To offer war where they should kneel for peace, Or seek rule, supremacy, and sway, When they are bound to serve, love, and obey. (Act V, scene ii, l. 161 164) Although it is interpreted that Katherine is being of a woman finally acting the way in which she is supposed to act, it is difficult to believe that a character as vibrant and strong-willed as Katherine is changed so easily. It would seem more logical that Katherine would simply be acting the part of the obedient wife in order to be accepted in the society in which she lives. Katherine can play a part 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 Vincent as a woman and says, Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet (Act IV, scene v, l. 37)...

The obvious sexist attitude of the play does not hinder it because of the reasons stated above. You must also take into account the attitudes of sixteenth century England and the fact that the play is a comedy and I dont think its meant to be taken seriously. 363


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