The Taming of the Shrew

851 Words2 Pages

Almost everyone on Earth wants to marry someone else that shares similarities with him

or herself. However, one must ask themselves for what purpose. Is it for money, lust, or is it for money? Most of the time in our day and age, love is the main purpose of marriage. Usually, two people who love each other very much decide that they want to spend every single day of the rest of their lives together with one another. Nevertheless, love is not always the main purpose of marriage. In some cases, one person chooses to marry the other simply because of the economic advantages. This simply means that one of the persons is only marrying the other for money. In William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, the theme of marriage as an economic institution is prevalent. Tranio, Petruchio, and Hortensio express the theme of marriage as an economic institution.

Petruchio is one of the characters that expresses this theme. In the beginning of the play, when everyone is trying to find someone to marry Katherine in order to gain Bianca’s hand in marriage, he bluntly states, “Here comes your father. Never make denial / I must and will have Katherine to my wife,” (The Taming of the Shrew, Act II, Scene 1, Lines 294 – 295). Petrucio clearly believes that he will have her. Even though he is already wealthy, he still wants to receive what her father is offering as a dowry for her. Secondly, at the end when he has finally tamed Katherine, he makes a wager with the three other men that have gotten married. He says that she is the only one that will actually listen to him.

“Nay, I will win my wager better yet, And show more sign of her obedience,

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Her new-built virtue and obedience,” (The Taming of the Shrew, Act V, Scene 2,

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...n for himself, since he says that whoever has the most stuff will have her hand in marriage. He tries to make what he is doing seem nice, but it is clear what his intentions are.

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In conclusion, the characters Tranio, Petruchio, and Hortensio, express the theme of marriage as an economic institution. No matter what, marriage will almost always have something to do with money. William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is just one example in literature that contains the theme of marriage as an economic institution. Many people believe that marriage is always based on love, but this wonderful piece of literature shows otherwise. But we must realize that this is false. Money is not always the reason for two people to get married. The points expressed in this essay show how The Taming of the Shrew expresses the theme of marriage as an economic institution.

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