"Taming of the Shrew"

Paper Summary:

This paper closely examines gender roles and their effect on relationships in "Taming of the Shrew". The paper discusses the courtship and marriage of two couples, Katherine and Petruccio and Lucentio and Bianca, and shows how Katherine and Petruccio's contentious personalities, and non-traditional courtship leads them to a deeper and more satisfactory union than the more orthodox Bianca and Lucentio share. The paper brings out how conformity to standard gender roles can lead to a relationship based on false ideals.

From the Paper:

"In Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare explores gender roles and their effect on relationships. The play chronicles the courtship and marriage of two couples, Katherine and Petruccio, then Lucentio and Bianca. Initially it seems that Lucentio and Bianca have the ideal relationship and that Petruccio will be miserable with Katherine the titular shrew. This however is not the case. The play exposes the ways in which conformity to standard gender roles can lead to a relationship based on false ideals. While Katherine and Petruccio may not have had a traditional start to their relationship they are honest with one another. In contrast Bianca and Lucentio find themselves in what ultimately appears to be an unhappy marriage."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Shakespeare,William. The Taming of the Shrew. New York, NY: Washington Square Press, 1992

More papers on "Taming of the Shrew":

• Book Review # 116664 : "Taming of The Shrew"
• Analytical Essay # 136103 : "Comedy in "Taming of the Shrew"
• Book Review # 75726 : "Gender Themes in 'The Taming of the Shrew'"
• Analytical Essay # 2384 : "Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew"

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