Essay on Kate in William Shakespeares The Taming of the...

Kate in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Katharina or Kate, the shrew of William Shakespeares The Taming Of The Shrew is sharp-tongued, quick-tempered, and prone to violence and violent outbursts, especially to anyone who tries to win her love. This is shown from the beginning in Act One with the scene among Hortensio and Gremio and her. When Gremio proclaims her too rough (I.i.55) and Hortensio claims that they want mates of gentler, milder mould (I.i.60), she strikes back with such words as To comb your noddle with a three-leggd stool and paint your face and use you like a fool. (I.i.64-65)†¦show more content†¦A woman of that time not only did not have the individuality and independence that we today take for granted, apparently she didnt even have rights to her own children. According to Mary Beth Rose of the Shakespeare Quarterly, a mother had no legal rights over guardianship of her children unless explicitly appointed as guardian by her husband in his willà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦According to the law, in sum, the married woman did not exist (Rose 293). Societys expectations concerning a womans role in a marriage during Shakespeares lifetime were that a woman should sacrifice her individuality in submission to her husband. Such a sacrifice is totally unacceptable to Katharina, who enjoys her independence. Most of Shakespeares society believed that the woman should submit to her husband, and yet they did not necessarily expect the wife to sacrifice all of her independence and sense of self. During the Renaissance the nature of womankind was a major topic of debate. Numerous dialogues, defenses, paradoxes, and tributes devoted to sustaining womans excellence were published, and in them history was rewritten to include the achievements of womankind. Often these texts demonstrate that women are capable of acting with prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice, and thus are capable of being independent of male political and moral authority. (Benson 98) I imagine Katharina to be a very beautiful girl.Show MoreRelated Kate Controls Her Own Actions in William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew1386 Words   |  6 PagesKate Controls Her Own Actions in William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew Who is primarily in control of Kates actions in William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew? Is Kate primarily controlling her actions, or do other characters in the play control her? If you just read through the play, but dont study it in-depth, it appears that Kate is controlled by other characters actions towards her, but is this actually the case? Isnt it very possible that Kate is actually in control of all herRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew889 Words   |  4 PagesIn many accounts, William Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew, is often criticized for its seemingly misogynistic themes; such as the thought of â€Å"taming† a woman, thus making her completely submissive to her husband. While in the opening of the play, Katharine, ill-tempered but seemingly impenetrable, gets pulverized by Petruchio’s contradicting her words, and also saying disgusting jokes in an intense verbal arguement. In another example, one of the other main characters, Bian ca, was bet on by severalRead More Essay on Contrasting Couples in The Taming of the Shrew820 Words   |  4 PagesUse of Contrasting Couples in The Taming of the Shrew      Ã‚   William Shakespeares comedy, The Taming of the Shrew illistrates the difficulty of trying to tame a headstrong, stubborn, and a high-spirited woman so that she will make a docile wife. 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The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. Humanists advocated for the freedom of the individualsRead MoreThe Elizabethan Era715 Words   |  3 Pageswhich was named after Queen Elizabeth I, is often referred to as the Golden Age of England. It was a time of great change for England. It was a time of new ideas and new ways of thinking. William Shakespeare played an enormous role in the Elizabethan theatre; his unique writing style in â€Å"The Taming of The Shrew† influenced modern day literature. Queen Elizabeth played a huge role in the Elizabethan era (â€Å"Queen†). The reign of Queen Elizabeth I is referred to as The Golden Age (â€Å"Queen†). ElizabethRead MoreThe Film Kiss Me Kate versus The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare602 Words   |  3 PagesThe Film Kiss Me Kate versus The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare There have been many Shakespearean plays that have been made into movies throughout the years. One that may not be so easy to come across is â€Å"Kiss Me Kate†. This movie stars Kathryn Gayson ,as Lilli Vanessi, and Howard Keel, as Fred Graham. This is a adaptation of Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew.† The movie contains a story with in a story. The movie is about a man, named Fred Graham, who makesRead MoreGender Roles During Elizabethan Society1099 Words   |  5 PagesPham, Sok, Hamsafar, and Wilhemsen, â€Å"Gender Roles in Elizabethan Society.†; Petit, â€Å"A Look at Male Gender Roles in Shakespeare’s Renaissance.).. The men could vote and all actors on stage were men. In general, men had every advantage in that time period (Ram, Pham, Sok, Hamsafar, and Wilhemsen, â€Å"Gender Roles in Elizabethan Society.†; Petit, â€Å"A Look at Male Gender Roles in Shakespeare’s Renaissance.). During the Elizabethan age, marriages were generally viewed as a business relationship than anythingRead MoreDiscrimination of Women During the Elizabethan Era: The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare941 Words   |  4 Pagesthan women. William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew has characters such as Petruchio, Baptista, Katherine, and Bianca that show how men overpowered women. During the Elizabethan era, there was heavy sexism. Women were discriminated. Through Shakespeare’s language, men could speak to and about women in a disrespectful and derogatory manner. Women were voiceless and deprived of their right to speak. Women were inferior to men. During the Elizabethan era, through Shakespeare’s language, and