Forget Love, It's Greed

          The theme that is imposed in Taming of the Shrew is that greed will overpower the purpose of love and getting married. Petruchio asks to get married to Kate because of the money he would get after marrying her since her family has a lot money. This takes over the meaning of getting married because he hadn't met her beforehand and still marries her aside from her shrewish because of the money. Greed is also shown by Grumio, Lucentio, and Hortensio being in competition to have Bianca for themselves. Reasons that are for themselves avoiding the fact that they are just using Petruchio to get Bianca. This theme counterparts Creon's behavior in Antigone. This antagonist character demonstrates greed by ignoring Antigone's reasoning of wanting to properly bury her brother, Polynices. After doing so, she then gets threatened to death even though she will be getting married to Creon's son, Haemon. The greed of Creon ruins Antigone and Haemon's love and soon to be marriage, in addition, Antigone's belief.~Mufaro M.

Main controlling theme

In The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare there is one overruling theme of the play. The overruling theme is everyone will be tamed at some point in time, eventually you will become repudiate. Wether it is by old age, another human or just nature you will always be tamed. One specific example from the play is when Kate was actually tamed. This is an example because Kate didn't want to be tamed and fought her hardest, she probably fought harder than anyone else would to not be tamed but it still happened. This theme works for Antigone also because it suggests that play it proves that everyone is tamed at one point

Men Above Women

In Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, there are many themes prevalent throughout the text. A salient theme found within the play is the imbalance of power between the genders. The patriarchal society within Shakespeare’s time is reflected onto the text and it creates the structure of character relationships. For example, Baptista Minola imposes his male authority over Kate and Bianca, postponing the marriage of Bianca until Kate is married. Another example is Petruchio and his taming of the shrew, Kate. He obtains an almost hypnotic control over Kate and this is proven at the sun and moon scene on the way to Padua as his authoritative power over his female subordinate is exercised. This theme can be compared to the power that was held by Creon in Antigone. Creon has a power over the women and citizens and it is comparable to the power of Petruchio and Kate. This theme of a patriarchal society is constant through Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

  - Nick Porter

Or are you?

Lucent is a young rich student, while Train is a servant. The theme in the play The Taming of the Shrew is that roles have effect on people's happiness. Lucent is happier now that he is rich and gets to do whatever he wants. “Have you so soon forgot the entertainment, her sister Katherine welcomed you withal (52)”.  This quote emphasizes that with wealth you can have whatever you want. Tranio is not as happy anymore because he is now a servant . A person’s happiness is based on wealth, gender and education. Role playing ignites the theme in this play because not everyone is who they are supposed to be. The theme in Antigone and The Taming of The Shrew are similar because in Antigone the theme is family is above the law even at expensive costs(death),  characters in each text give up a lot. Tranio gives up a lot and becomes a servant while Antigone gives up her life for the loyalty to her family.

 

Mark G.

Marriage The Heavy Weight

    The Taming of the Shrew provides an interesting outlook on marriage.  Marriage is only seen as a motive of love for Luciento.  Most other characters see marriage as a must-have to look good.  When Petrucio first arrives he states he has come to find a wife.  He makes marriage appear to be something that only the lowest of the low don't have.  In the end Katherine who has been a shrew all her life comes to the decision that marriage is more important than independence.  In the play marriage is set up as an economic factor too.  The main reason Signor Baptista accepts Luciento as Bianca's suitor is that Luciento offers more money than Hortensio for Bianca's hand.  The fact that the suitors pay to marry the bride shows how unacceptable being a bachelor in that society truly is.  These topics all add up to the theme that marriage is strongly influenced by social pressures and the idea of marriage causes people to change themselves rather than be an outcast.

Marital Bliss

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare has many different topics, yielding many themes in the process. Marriage is a process of mutual consent is a theme highlighted in the play. Three marriages are portrayed in the story. Petruchio is married to Kate, Lucentio is married to Bianca, and Hortensio is married to the former widow. Towards the end of the novel, the three men make a bet to see which bride will respond to their calling. When only Kate responds, the men are baffled and go on to witness a lengthy speech that emphasizes how a woman should treat her husband. The brides display various reactions to their husbands but all encourage the theme by showing three separate marriages that operate differently yet successfully. A similar theme in Anthem could be described as the following: it is better to be an outlaw with your spouse, than free in loneliness. These two texts show very intimate relations with men and woman. Anthem is different by showing that the woman gives her freedom to be with her man, whereas The Taming of the Shrew shows a more casual and realistic portrayal, while still highlighting a similar theme.

Lies in Disguise

               In Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare one of the major themes is, deception is a way of getting what you want. This theme is illustrated throughout the entire play of Taming of the Shrew and from most of the characters.  One example from the play is when Hortensio and Lucentio disguise themselves as Bianca’s tutors in order to court her, along with Tranio pretending to be Lucentio. By Hortensio and Lucentio disguising themselves as tutors, it conveys their true feelings for Bianca even though they are not allowed to court her until her sister Katherine is married. Another situation in which the theme is displayed in the play is when Tranio, still disguised as Lucentio, finds a fake father for the real Lucentio in order to say to Baptista that he approves of the marriage between Bianca and Lucentio. One of the last and most prominent forms of deception in the play is in Act IV scene i when Petruchio does not let Kate eat or sleep because he claims that the food and the bed have to be perfect for his new wife. He does this because he repudiates the fact that she cannot be tamed. The theme that deception is a way of getting what you want is also present in the story of Anthem by Ayn Rand because the society deceives its people into believing that there is only one unified “WE” not an individual “I.” Even though both of the themes are very similar, they are also very different due to the different methods of deception. In Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare uses deception by disguise, but in Anthem Ayn Rand uses mostly lies and brainwashing. Both of these methods of deception point to the same theme that deception is a way of getting what you want.

Obediance is Dependant

One theme in The Taming of the Shrew is obedience is dependent on the person. This theme is saying how obedience, which Webster's dictionary defines as dutiful or submissive compliance, isn't totally defiant. For example, even though petruchio tamed Kate; and she is now obedient toward him it would not work with every person. Like, if Lucentio tried to tame Bianca then he would miserably fail since she is wiser and would not fall victim to his little "pranks." This is why it is not dependent on the person. Another example is if Petruchio tried to tame Bianca he would not succeed due to her personality and their relationship. In The Hunger Games this is the same since catniss cant be "tamed." Thus she is not obedient to the capitol. being tamed is also a common motif.
             -Whitney Marshall

Changing Your Identity only shows the real you.

A main theme in the play Taming of the Shrew is that role changing emphasizes different life styles and personalities. The induction of The play shows Christopher Sly a drunken man going from poor to rich due to a joke played on him by a wealthy man.  This shift of role changing emphasizes the fact that poor people are a joke to made fun of and the wealthy have a right to due so,”Sirs,I will practice on this drunken man...if he were conveyed to bed, wrapped in sweet clothes” the Lord explains his plan to his men.  The lives of women and men are also different. As a man dresses to be Sly’s wife this lays stress on the fact that women don’t have the right to work or act. This also shows that men are the more dominant. Another role change in Taming of the Shrew is when Lucentio switches with Tranio, the personalities of the two men come forth when they decide to change Roles. Tranio is somewhat of a kiss up, “in brief, sir, sith it your pleasure is...because so well I love Lucentio. Lucentio seams passionate because he’s willing to trade places and pretend to be someone just to get close to a girl he only made eye contact with. In Brave, Merida shows her true personality when she has to change her role into a proper princess. Merida is not the most ladylike and when she has to act so, she highlights her tomboy side. She shows the audience the major difference between herself and the show she puts on for her country. When a character changes roles they reveal personality traits and the difference in lifestyles of characters.
-ALI W.
identity

The Power of Men in Taming of the Shrew

In The Taming of the Shrew many different topics and ideas unveil themselves through out the play while a salient theme of the power of men over women reveals itself through Petruchio and Baptista. Baptista Minola demonstrates his power by postponing the marriage of Bianca until someone takes Kate away. In doing this, Bianca, as well as her suitors, must wait to achieve true love and marriage. The main depiction of this theme in the play emerges from Petruchio and his actions towards Katherine after their marriage. In the sun and moon scene on the way to Padau, he forces Kate to agree with him even when his logic is quite impractical. But, by doing this, he demonstrates his power over her and eventually "tames" her. This relates to the power that the Capital has on its districts in The Hunger Games. The Capital forces the districts to believe that the Hunger Games is a way to honor those lost in the wars but really it is just a way to demostrate the power that the Capital has over its people.
-Cooper Snowbarger

Ode to Decepiton

The theme that prevails through Shakespeare’s play Taming of the Shrew is that relationships are deception-made games that are occasionally played with more than two or more people, even if one of those people isn’t known by both couples. This theme is *emphasized* through the story by Gremio and Hortensio attempting to marry Bianca, but is unlucky to find that Bianca’s father will not let her be courted by another man until her older sister (Kate) is courted first. Kate is considered a shrew that no one would like to court which is due to her jealousy of her sister Bianca,” What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see She is your treasure, she must have a husband…”-Pg.37. Reluctantly, Hortensio’s friend Pertuchio is looking for a woman to marry and is desperate. This is where the deception ties into this “relationship”. Hortensio persuades Pertuchio to marry Kate. Now that his has happened, no matter what happens between Kate and Pertuchio or Bianca and her lucky suitor, there will always be this deception in their relationship. In other words, the other key people in the relationship of Bianca and her suitor are arguably Pertuchio, Hortensio, Kate, and Baptista. This type of relationship is similar to those of the equalities love in Anthem. It may not seem like there is a third person in their relationship, but there is an element that plays a role in their relationship which is the government which *evokes* in the separation of man and woman.  But during the time setting of this play, women were thought of as prizes, and in a game where u win prizes, many people will cheat to win.

Relentless Relationships

One theme in the play Taming of the Shrew is relationships are determined by the way you treat others and the way others treat you. Throughout the play, there are accounts of deception, misleadings, and cunning evations from the truth. Many of these scenes are from the actions of Lucentio, Tranio, Grumio, Hortenio, and Petruchio in their attempt to achieve their desires, whether that is Bianca or money by taking on disguises or the identity of another person. In the poem "Daddy", the speaker is feeling distant, neglected, and thinks badly of her father because of the way she was treated by her father. The speaker thinks so badly of her father that she goes to the length of comparing their relationship to the Holacost, her being a Jew and her father a German. The relationships may be different in the two works of literature, but both express a common theme: relationships are deternined by the way you treat others and the way others treat you.

-Sydney B

Stereotypical Roles of Men vs. Women in Society

“The Taming of the Shrew” emphasizes important themes throughout the play, but it reveals one universalizing theme.  “The Taming of the Shrew” expresses a theme of  differences in gender result in different stereotypical roles. The theme is shown when Bianca is considered the perfect wife because she is beautiful, well-mannered, and seems to be the person who would follow her husband. She is considered the stereotypical woman. On the other side, Katherine is not a stereotypical woman or wife. She is loud, rude, and wants to be in control. In the play, it is inferred that the stereotypical role of a woman is to be quiet and obedient. Therefore, a motif of “Taming of the Shrew” would be patriarchy because the society is male dominant. In the play, Lucentio, and Petruchio are the ones that are supposed to be obeyed. It resembles a theme similar to “Antigone”. In “Antigone”, Antigone is not considered a proper woman because she does what she believes and she is also loud. Ismene is considered the proper woman because she obeys her uncle and is true to the kingdom. she follows Creon's orders and doesn't think for herself. The society in this play is also patriarchal. Creon's orders are made to be followed. In both plays a character challenges the roles of women and men in society.

Disguise

The major theme conveyed in The Taming of the Shrew is the idea that disguise can easily change a person. For example, in the Induction of the story, Christopher Sly is drunk and led to believe, by the real lord and his serving men that he is the king of the city. Sly says, “…call me no ‘honor’ nor ‘lordship’…Am I a lord…or have I dream?”(Shakespeare 9-11). Another example of disguise in the play is in Act 3, Scene 1, when Lucentio is disguised as a schoolmaster and Hortensio as Litio, who are both Bianca’s suitors. Hortensio as Cambio, says to Bianca, “Sirrah, I will not bear these braves of thine”(Shakespeare 52), which shows the role play of how a servant like Hortensio, who usually does what Bianca says, will easily change to become someone who refuses to follow Bianca’s orders. This play is different from all other texts we have read this year in relation to the theme because, many other texts deal with themes of not giving up, looking deeper into something, and confessing to events when consequences can become even worse. This text is different because it explores the idea of  role play and how disguise changes a person entirely.

-Anna Eckhoff

Fooled into love?

                             The play Taming of the Shrew  was written by Shakespeare but unlike his other novels like Romeo and Juliet the main characters do not fall into “true love”.  In the play, Taming of the Shrew a theme that is emphasized in the play is the disregard for true love and relationships for the economic and social opportunities in marriage and relationships. Petruchio chooses to wed Kate mainly because of her wealth and also to get a good social status. When Petruchio tells Hortensio what kind of wife he is looking for he says she must be “One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife- As wealth is a burthen of my wooing dance- Be she as foul as was Florentius love, As old as Sibyl and as curst and shrewd as Socrates’ Xanthippe or a worse…” (pg. 27) Petruchio is bluntly stating he doesn’t care who he marries or what she looks like as long as she has money so he can make his father proud. It is depicted that Petruchio only wants to marry for money while Lucentio wants to marry Blanca because it was love at first sight. It is a dichotomy that happens in the play, these two couples have come together for many different reasons. Another text that this theme has shown up in is in the short story, The Tiger’s Bride, the daughter is lost because of money to the Beast, forced into a relationship, but she does eventually find true relationships with the Beast. It is an example of the relationship starting because of economic reasons but ending with true love.    

--Tiana

Society affecting individual happiness.

There are many themes in the play The Taming of the Shrew, but to me one that stuck out most was how society affects individual happiness. In this story the author elucidates there are social standards to be met by certain people. How Bianca and Kate must act like well mannered young ladies, and Luciento must act like an intelligent young man. These social roles put pressure on people which is why the author emphasizes that Kate is unhappy, and Luncitento and his servant Tranio dress up as different people so they have different standards to fulfill. This is a major theme because without society affecting people most of the characters wouldn’t act or done the actions they did in the play. The Taming of the Shrew’s theme is the same theme I would connect to the other story we read Anthem. In Anthem the main character Equality has social standards to fulfill with his occupation. But because of his society and the standards he is unhappy, and wishes to change everything. All in all the main theme of The Taming of the Shrew is how the society affects peoples individual happiness and this theme relates to the story, Anthem.

Marriage: The Beast

The theme in the play The Taming of the Shrew is about hoe all of the characters in the story struggle with marriage and love. The theme I gave the story is: Marriage is hard to start and keep going. Petruchio struggles with Kate on page 149 where he says to the widow,” Come on, I say, and first began with her,” meaning he has trouble when he first started trying to date her .Petruchio’s marriage with Kate is hard to keep up with him. He finds trouble doing things she needs and trying to hold himself back from ‘wanting’ things such as kisses or other desires like that.

Powerful Hands

In The Taming of the Shrew, a prominent theme is that the power is placed in the hands of men and women must submit to them.This is shown throughout the play by Kate's taming. Kate's taming is first emphasized when they are on there way to Padua. Kate says that the sun is shining and is correct but Petruchio assets that the moon is shining. Kate is tired of arguing so she gives in. " And be it moon or sun or what you please."(92) This theme is also displayed when Kate is ordered to come to Petruchio and obeys right away. " What is your will,sir, that you send for me ?" (106) The theme that the power is placed in the hands of men is explored in other texts. In Antigone, a patriarchy is up held as in The Taming of the Shrew. The men are in charge of women and intend to keep it that way in both texts. The man with the main power in both books over exercise there available power and take it to an extreme. The two texts differ because in The Taming of the Shrew the women submit but in Antigone she fights the whole way.

Taming of the Shreme

       A theme suggested in Taming of the Shrew is gender and the power it has on people. This is also known as patriarchy. This theme occurs at many points during the play. It is solidified by the way that Petruchio is able to tame Kate. From the start of the play, Bianca has many suitors that want to marry her. The suitors realize that before they can court her, they must find a husband for Kate; one that will be able to tame her. Once Kate married Petruchio, she was able to be tamed because of the male presence. After the marriage of Bianca and Lucentio, Kate was obeyed everything that Petruchio asked her to do. Taming of the Shrew is a book that shows patriarchy in earlier times. The books that I read are usually more current. Because of this, none of them show patriarchy because of many past feminist stands that were made. 

Cant be a low class women

One of the main topics of the play "The Taming Of The Shrew" is the social in balance in the society of a country, such as the plays setting, Italy. A theme you can pull our of this topic, is if you are neither rich nor male in a society, you are nothing. Even in the first couple of pages, it is apparent that being high class and rich is important to survive in this community. Christopher Sly is described as the opposite of one of these people, and is made fun of for it. He is even pranked because of his social standards! He gets so drunk it ignites an opportunity for the pranking to happen. This prank lasts a long time throughout the play, so it is a good example. Being a women in the society means you pretty much have zero opportunities for anything in life. Throughout the play, the women are treated like property. They are forced to marry a certain man, have to act proper, and the "get back to the kitchen" jokes from present times are a reality. Sex rivalry is apparent in any story, past and present, but is very visible in "Taming Of The Shrew"

How far will you go?

Taming of The Shrew is a play that shows how far people will go to find the ones they love. One of the themes that this play explores is that even a person with the most unattractive qualities may find love through obedience and submission. Throughout the book, Kate is portrayed as a shrew, bad tempered and aggressive. One example of this is when she is insulting Petruchio, "Asses are made to bear and so are you." Kate elucidates her unattractive qualities by insulting everyone. At the end of the play, Kate is "tamed" and doesn't argue with Petruchio. "Forward, I pray, since we have come so far, And be it moon or sun or what you please." They end up getting married and living their lives. One text that has an opposite meaning than this play is "Barbie Doll." Instead of finding true love at the end, the girl ends up dead because of her unattractive traits.
Gordon

Social Roles Theme in The Taming of The Shrew

In The Taming of The Shrew one of the possible themes that the play conveys is all about Social Roles, what determines these roles, if you can change them, and what affect these roles have on an individuals happiness. The very first time we see this theme is in the Induction. In the Induction a lord decides to trick a passed out beggar to believe that he is truly a lord when he wakes at his expense. This is shown in the quote "O monstrous beast, how like a swine he lies!... what think you, if he were conveyed to bed, Wrapped in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers, A most delicious banquet by his bed,... Would not he beggar then forget himself?" on pages 4-5 of the Induction as the lord begins to think of his idea for a practical joke on Christopher Sly. This shows a lot about social roles and part of the theme for Taming of the Shrew. This shows the huge contrast between Beggars and Lords. Showing how lords in that society were allowed to act as they pleased and have what they wanted (often, and in this lords case making them insensitive, disconnected from their people, and cruel), while beggars were to lie in the gutter and be taken advantage of as the lords may please. This quote also confronts the idea of changing roles as the lord jokes "would not the beggar forget himself?" suggesting that roles in this society were very permanent to the point that being a beggar condescends just his social role and becomes part of his person, making just a suggestion that a beggar may become a lord a joke. This is also shown later on when Petruchio marries Katherine and then announces that she is now his property. This is shown in the quote "She is my goods... she is my house... my horse, my ox" in Act 3, page 64.
This shows the social roles of men vs. women rather than Beggar vs. Lord. This quote shows how women in this society are put into the roles of propert and men into the roles of owners. Throughout the book women are also expected to be very mild and "tame" while men are expected to be commanding and ambitious. This all reveals a Theme of The Taming of The Shrew about social roles and how (at least in the depicted societies) they are very difficult to change and can have a huge affect on person, specifically their happiness. Another text that can connect to this theme is Anthem. In Anthem's dystopian society people are given roles and forced to be those roles, and some people were content with this while others tried to rebel against their roles. This connects to the theme about social roles, how they are chosen, and if we can change them from The Taming of The Shrew

Hiding from something or someone?

The major theme in the play, Taming of the Shrew, is the idea that anyone can disguise themselves as a different person, especially to get what they want. For Example, in the introduction Christophero Sly is blatantly used for personal amusement by a Lord. It was the Lord’s idea to have everyone around him disguise themselves as servants to pretend that Mr. Sly, a drunken old man, is a wealthy good looking king. In the play of the play, in order to get the girl they all want, most of the men dress up as each other to make them look bad or even to make their actual self look good. This theme is not very well related to in other texts but can be used similarly in  the poem,"Barbie Doll," by her being not goood enough even though she didnt disguise herself she practically did what they wanted and cut off her nose and legs or she got a nose job and got thinner and in this case bot can be disguises. A book it can relate to is "The Mokingjay," part of The Hunger Games series when the people in district 13 disguise themselves as peace keepers or other types of guards to get to the president. They were disguised because they wanted something and they couldnt get it on their own or looking like themselves.

Marriage as Domestication?

There are many themes in the Taming of The Shrew. Such as, the process of marriage is a process of domestication, and if this is so then true love and happiness is not present. An example of this is when petruchio is with Kate at the dinner table. Petruchio “doesn’t like the meat” he states,”Tis burnt and so is all the meat. What dogs are these?” and in response kate says,”I pray you husband, be not so disquiet.The meat was well if you were so contented” This is showing kate trying to connote to Petruchio that the meat is infact well and that  she is not happy with not eating, thus showing that petruchio clearly didn’t want the best for her and this was part of the taming process. Also, we know that true love is not present because Petruchio reveals that he does not care for what his wife is like but he would rather have the money instead. So one could say that another theme of the Taming of The Shrew is one that explores the economic aspects of a relationship.

With the theme of Marriage being a process of domestication and having a lack of happiness, this could relate to the story My Last Duchess. Due to the fact that both stories involve the male trying to take control over the female, and the female or wife ends up with no happiness. Keep in  mind that both relationships were for money in the first place. They both explore marriage as of not having true love.

Men vs.Women

The play “The Taming of the Shrew” develops many themes throughout the text.  However one theme is ubiquitous in the play.  The relationship between man and woman is suggested as a stereotype.  In “The Taming of the Shrew” the idea that men are a more dominant sex is a main theme that helps the story evolve.  In Katherine’s final speech she says “Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper.”  This quote emphasizes the difference between male and female and say’s to readers that patriarchy has followers in the play.  In the play Petruchio forces Kate to marry him and doesn’t care how she feels about their marriage.  This reveals how he, a man, is dominant in decisions and that the mind of Kate, a woman, is insignificant.  Together these two examples from the text demonstrate the theme that men are the more dominant sex.   A theme that compliments the one in “The Taming of the Shrew” is found in the play of “Antigone.”   There is a similar situation where the men are trying to control women but a female named Antigone try’s to defy the rule of men.  She replaces the character of Katherine in “The Taming of the Shrew.”  Together these two plays promote the idea of gender roles and express the concept of how males are physically and emotionally more dominant then females.

The Shrew is Tamed by the Goodness and Heart She Posesses Within

In "The Taming of the Shrew" by Shakespeare, Katherine Minola is portrayed as a very mean, vicious, impulsive, and stubborn woman: a shrew, at the beginning of the play.  

"...she is an intolerable curst 
And shrewd and froward, so beyond all measure
That were my state far worser than it is
I would not wed her for a mine of gold." (28)

Hortensio delineates the fact that Katherine is not easy to love. Therefore, there is no suitor who is interested in seeking her hand in marriage. However, most people see her beauty from the outside, but when met it is obvious that Katherine is not as beautiful within as she appears. When a suitor named Petruchio comes along, he instantly falls in love with Katherine. Without regard for what others are saying about this shrew, Petruchio is willing to risk everything to tame her and wed her despite the opinions of other suitors. This feeling of affection Petruchio has revealed to Katherine is what ignites a change of character in her. The shrew is tamed by the goodness and heart she posesses within, which Petruchio has drawn forth from Katherine.

"Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot,
And place your hands below your husband's foot,
In token of which duty, if he please,
My hand is ready, may it do him ease." (109)

"The Taming of the Shrew" relates to "Antigone" by the fact that her sister, Ismene, realizes that she was too scared to do what was right even though that, by the face of society, it would be wrong. She was not willing to risk burying her brother, who had been forbidden from the kingdom for betraying his people and left vulnerable (as he is dead) in an open field for birds to pick at him. Ismene was tamed by Antigone in realizing that now Antigone must face a tragic death that she was not willing to accept as well. Ismene regrets not taking part in the proper burial of her brother, and she realizes that she could have been there for her family and face the consequences of society as it is.

The Dominance of Patriarchy in The Taming of the Shrew:

                The Taming of the Shrew tackles the prominent theme of the negative effect of a patriarchal society on free-thinking and independent women. Kate is a young girl who does not conform to society’s expectations of a sweet and mild-mannered girl; she is loud and insulting. She is forced into marriage, and because she is a woman, she must be “tamed”, or turned into the desirable woman according to society. The whole play centers on Kate’s taming, because in a community where males dominate, females must be turned into appealing and desirable simply to please men. Women are viewed as lesser in worth, and their intellectual worth is repudiated because women do not have power, or even access to it. Another work of literature with similar theme is the poem “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy. A girl is born with brains and talent; however, people cannot see that because they only see fault in her physical appearance. “She was healthy, tested intelligent… everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs” describes that she is a girl whose intellect has no worth because she does not fit into society. Thus, she is forced to conform: “In the casket displayed on satin she lay/with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on/a turned-up putty nose/dressed in a pink and white nightie/Doesn't she look pretty?” The last stanza of the poem shows her transformation, and finally, everyone accepts her, just as Kate is accepted after she is tamed.

Gender roles in Shakespeare's words

In Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, gender roles always dominate what people do in life. Females are most always believed to be inferior to Men. Baptista displays his dominance over his fully matured daughters by choosing which of them is to be married first. Petruchio and Lucentio also reffer to the 2 women as objectives, rather than people. This theme is also reflected in Antigone, as when Ismene always refers to the fact that they must obey their male overlords when arguing with Antigone. But unlike The Taming of the Shrew, Antigone attempts to break this theme by disobeying her male superiors. Gender roles dominate what people do in life during the time periods that these texts were written in, and are clearly dominant over all other themes.

A Shrew's a Shrew

In the Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, one important theme arises; social roles emphasize the mood of the characters as having positive or negative connotation. This occurs at a few points throughout the play. Kate belongs to a lower social class than Petruchio, the man she was forced to marry. In their marriage, because Petruchio maintains his role as the dominant, he is much happier than Kate. Kate's social role fulfills her actions as a shrew. Another example is at the very beginning, with Christopher Sly. Sly is at a very low social role, and he is so low the upper classmen decide to play a practical joke on the drunkard. For now he is happy, as he is being portrayed as someone in a high social class/role, but he will be very upset and in a poor mood once the truth is revealed. This theme relates to our summary reading of Oedipus Rex. Oedipus was happy to be the ruler, being in a high social role. But the peasants were in a low social role, and were very unhappy, with Rex and with the social class they fell under.

How to Tame your Shrew

In The Taming Of The Shrew, by Shakespeare a major theme of the text is: Women should give power to their husband, and are meant to be controled by the husband. Shakespeare shows this in the general feel of the play, and especially in Kate's final speech and the contest of the wives. When the widdow and Bianca do not come at thier husband's command, but the "shrew" Kate does, then it is displayed how the husbands feel about their wives. During Kates final speech at the end of the play, she states "thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper... such duty as the subject owes to the prince, even such a woman oweth to her husband." this statement shows that shakespeare meant this to be a theme. When the text is Juxtaposed with annother text, Antigone, the difference is large. Antigone's theme is more of a: Woman can have power to change the makups of entire countries. This theme contrsts with the Taming of the Shrew theme because it gives power to women instead of taking it from them. The themes are similiar because they both reflect on women compared to men. The Taming of the Shrew's theme takes power from the women in the story, showing the feeling toward women at the period in history.

Theming of the Shrew

In the play, The Taming of The Shrew, a major theme that can be found is that marriage is an economic institution. This theme can be found in multiple places throughout the play such as the marriage choices of Petruchio and Hortensio. Petruchio marries Kate for her father's money, and Hortensio also marries a rich widow. Another example that emphasizes this theme is when Baptista wants to make sure that Lucentio has enough money to keep Bianca alive if he was to die. These two examples convey the themeby showing that Petruchio, Hortensio, and Baptista were all looking for people that had money for their marriage. This theme does not connect to any other piece of literature that we have read because in none of these pieces of literature is marriage shown to help be an economic gain.