Some interpret William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew as a representation of equals in a marriage, however, that is not the interpretation Shakespeare intends. The patriarchal society in which men dominate women in every way sets specific standards for how a husband should act and how he should treat his wife. The patriarchy does not consider men and women equals at any level. Critic Harold Bloom claims Kate and Petruchio are “social equals,” but that is not the case. Regardless of critics’ beliefs that the play displays a forging of a partnership, Shakespeare uses Petruchio and Katherine to promote male chauvinism by suggesting men dominate women as they take away their voices and change their identities.
While Petruchio uses his higher …show more content…
Petruchio quickly reinforces his role as the dominate in the relationship and orders Kate, “That you shall be my wife, your dowry ‘greed on, / And, will you, nill you, I will marry you” (Shakespeare 2:1:285-286). Petruchio makes a decision for Katherine without her say, and he ignores any attempt that Kate makes to voice her opinions. As he takes away any role Kate could play in their relationship, Petruchio begins to not allow her voice to have any effect on life changing decisions and, “Petruchio establishes his dominance by verbally confirming her command while physically preventing her words from achieving their intent” (Detmer 141). Continuing to enforce his dominance over Katherine, Petruchio takes away her voice after they marry. On their way to Kate’s father’s home, Petruchio begins to state untrue statements as his truths to her. Kate tries to correct her husband, but Petruchio proves superior to her. To establish dominance over Kate and put his voice as hers, Petruchio tells her, “It shall be moon, or star, or what I …show more content…
Men emotionally force Katherine to change who she is because she does not fit a set standard of what men expect a wife to be. Through the play, Kate loses more of her identity to male dominance. Petruchio takes Kate to his home and immediately begins to punish Kate. He claims to be taming her, but he wants her to change herself completely. While Petruchio punishes Kate for acting as herself, he bans his servants from offering help to her, “She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat. / Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not” (Shakespeare 4:1:197-198). Petruchio’s only intent is to tame Kate and change her identity because she is not his ideal wife. While he claims that he is merely making her calmer, in actuality he forces her to change her identity. He dominates Katherine while he treats her as an animal that can be tamed and “Petruchio reduces Kate to an animal capable of learning only through deprivation of food and rest, devoid of all sensitivity save the physical” (Kahn). Evidently, Petruchio wants to change Katherine’s identity because she is not what he wants. Shakespeare expresses how men dominating women can lead to women losing their identity and changing to fit the men’s idea of an ideal woman. Katherine’s identity is lost as she is degraded and changed to be
While Petruchio uses his higher …show more content…
Petruchio quickly reinforces his role as the dominate in the relationship and orders Kate, “That you shall be my wife, your dowry ‘greed on, / And, will you, nill you, I will marry you” (Shakespeare 2:1:285-286). Petruchio makes a decision for Katherine without her say, and he ignores any attempt that Kate makes to voice her opinions. As he takes away any role Kate could play in their relationship, Petruchio begins to not allow her voice to have any effect on life changing decisions and, “Petruchio establishes his dominance by verbally confirming her command while physically preventing her words from achieving their intent” (Detmer 141). Continuing to enforce his dominance over Katherine, Petruchio takes away her voice after they marry. On their way to Kate’s father’s home, Petruchio begins to state untrue statements as his truths to her. Kate tries to correct her husband, but Petruchio proves superior to her. To establish dominance over Kate and put his voice as hers, Petruchio tells her, “It shall be moon, or star, or what I …show more content…
Men emotionally force Katherine to change who she is because she does not fit a set standard of what men expect a wife to be. Through the play, Kate loses more of her identity to male dominance. Petruchio takes Kate to his home and immediately begins to punish Kate. He claims to be taming her, but he wants her to change herself completely. While Petruchio punishes Kate for acting as herself, he bans his servants from offering help to her, “She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat. / Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not” (Shakespeare 4:1:197-198). Petruchio’s only intent is to tame Kate and change her identity because she is not his ideal wife. While he claims that he is merely making her calmer, in actuality he forces her to change her identity. He dominates Katherine while he treats her as an animal that can be tamed and “Petruchio reduces Kate to an animal capable of learning only through deprivation of food and rest, devoid of all sensitivity save the physical” (Kahn). Evidently, Petruchio wants to change Katherine’s identity because she is not what he wants. Shakespeare expresses how men dominating women can lead to women losing their identity and changing to fit the men’s idea of an ideal woman. Katherine’s identity is lost as she is degraded and changed to be