Portrayal of Inward Significance in The Taming of the Shrew bu William Shakespeare

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Aristotle once said, “The aim of art is to represent no the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” Here, Aristotle explains that it is not the appearance that is important, but how you are that makes you significant. In William Shakespeare’s play, The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare illustrates this virtue in Petrucio, Tranio, and Hortensio, men who have different outfits for different situations. Petrucio, who is a man well known through Italy, comes to Padua to find a wealthy wife and fortunately Kate, he daughter of Baptista Minola must be married off before her more cherished sister who has suitors lines up waiting for their chance for the fair maiden. This problem is resolved when Petruchio steps in to marry Kate, and during their wedding Petrucio is dressed up as a bum not changing his personality, but does this in attempt to tame his newly wedded wife. This opened a window of opportunity for the suitors of Bianca to win her heart. Dressed in different outfits, Hortensio and Tranio is one of the many who disguises themselves to play a different role in order to win the maiden, Bianca. Throughout the play, Hortensio and Tranio come up with devious tactics pretending to be someone else to get close to Bianca. By the end of the play, Petrucio, Hortensio, and Tranio is dressed in different outfits, but still maintaining the same personality symbolizing the theme clothes do not make the man. From the fancy apparels to the dull and lifeless clothing, Petrucio is still the same person that was first introduced in the play. Through the cruel ways Petrucio treats Kate throughout the play, he is still the same man that walked into Padua looking for a wealthy wife, even though he has different costumes for dif... ... middle of paper ... ...ause that is what makes you special. Well in the play each character had their role to fulfill making them each important. With Petrucio’s different ways of taming Kate, he has also taught a lesson that cloths are not important, and they do not make who you are. Illustrating the same idea, Hortensio and Lucentio through the play never changed personalities or how they present themselves. In any situation, these characters portray the idea of being yourself and not allowing anyone else to change who you are. Indeed, this is not a play concerning one’s sincerity and integrity, but these topics are used to enlighten the readers to the pleasure that lies in a positive outlook in life. If high schoolers were to learn this virtue, they may find their problems of not fitting in solved. Therefore, the secret to being significant does not lie in appearance, but our actions.

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