Comparison Of Elizabethan Marriage In The Taming Of The Shrew

Tina Turner belted out, what’s love got to do with it?” (1984). Keeping this in mind, in order to accurately compare and contrast the relationships between Kate and Petruchio and Bianca and Lucentio, it is first necessary to understand the ideologies of Elizabethan marriages. Shakespeare models “The Taming of the Shrew” after the traditional idea of marriage at the time. His play depicts the business venture of marriage and at times, scoffs at tradition. Within this framework, Kate is shown to be the “shrew” and is therefore considered a societal infidel. Bianca, her sister, is portrayed as a kind soul, willing and able to do anything to please her suitors. Marriage in Elizabethan times, among the middle class it would seem, was considered a business transaction. Love was not necessary. Money, land and a dowry were the main components. In “The Taming of the Shrew,” did love eventually win out at the end between either of these couples?

Elizabethan marriages “were frequently arranged so that both families involved would benefit. Marriages would be arranged to bring prestige or wealth to the family. Many couples would meet for the very first time on their wedding day! This particular Elizabethan custom usually applied to the nobility, but the married or religious life were the only real options for the Elizabethans (a career for a woman was absolutely unheard of!) Regardless of their social standing women and men were expected to marry.” (Alchin, 2012) It is evident love was the least important factor of marriage.

Analyzing first the wooing stage between both couples, it becomes clear early on, money was a major factor. Petruchio states, “Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, and every day I cannot come to woo. You knew my fat...

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...son the similarities between these two relationships are few and far between. The most obvious is that Lucentio and Petruchio begged for their hands in marriage. They professed their wants persistently to Baptista. Another similarity not so easily observed, both wives converted by the end of the play. One could argue that Bianca was beginning to grow into the shrew and Kate, the obedient wife.

So, did love win out? In my personal opinion, both men loved their wives. I think Lucentio was in love in the beginning and Petruchio grew to love Kate. He tells Kate at the end, “Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate.” (Shakespeare, 2003-2014) He did manage to keep his bombastic ways until the end in calling her a wench. However, that declaration does show his affection for her and I believe Kate, rather than being submissive, had fallen in love with him as well.