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Cross dressing in Shakespeare
Cross dressing in Shakespeare
Cross dressing in 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.
Examine the different ways in which Shakespeare presents the attitude towards marriage in the play, ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’
Petruchio physically asks her to sit on his lap “come sit on me” in a
William Shakespeare is a master of satire, and it is very evident in his work “The Taming Of The Shrew”. His use of exaggeration is impeccable, and he managed to make the entire work one giant parody. Through this satire, he makes a very important social commentary, using his influence to bring new ideas into people’s minds, and make them realize the flaws in their
find a wife. "I come to wives it wealthy in Padua; If wealthy, then happily in
Petruchio came to Padua. Petruchio could tame Katherine for the right amount of mazuma. Before Petruchio's advent, Katherine, the terrible, feral shrew, caused quandaries with everyone. All that kenned her execrated her. She felt very jealous of her pulchritudinous sister Bianca, because of her suitors and her resplendency. Katherine endeavors to commence fights with Bianca all of the time. She even hit Bianca. No one wanted to espouse Katherine until Petruchio arrives in Padua to find a wife. "I come to wives it affluent in Padua; if affluent, then ecstatically in Padua" (ShakespeareIii76-77). He and one of Bianca's suitors, Luciento had a conversation. As a jape, Luciento mentioned to Petruchio espouse Katherine. Petruchio thought of the profit and thought it could be great. "Petruchio can have no illusions about the fabled shrew, Katherine, for others are expeditious to tell him quite frankly what to expect"(Vaughn27). Petruchio and Katherine's father meet and decide that Petruchio will get twenty-thousand crowns if he weds Katherine. Petruchio and Katherine meet, but they do not start off on the best of terms. But Petruchio decides they should...
In the play The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, Petrucio recognizes, respects and desires Katherine’s strength of character. Petrucio is a clever man who sees beyond facades because he uses them himself. (II, i 46) (II, I 283 - 89) He is stimulated by Katherine’s sharp tongue and harsh actions. He proves this many times throughout the play.
in this play, women are used as a symbol of male power, or lack of it.
By exaggerating characters to the point where they represent a group of people but do not resemble them closely, Shakespeare was able to portray characters negatively without losing an audience. Many of the characters in The Taming of the Shrew are extreme. Katherine is the most heinous person in the city, Bianca is the fairest, and Petruchio is perhaps one of the crudest of the upper class. For example, Petruchio says that “women are made to bear” (II. i). This could be seen as offensive as it is saying that women’s sole purpose is to bear children. However, by placing the quote in the midst of banter between two clashing extremes, Shakespeare is able to acknowledge a point of view without offending people. His use of humor lightens the mood so that Shakespeare can touch on real issues without drawing reactions. Shakespeare uses humor again in the play when Petruchio says “rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man” (III. ii). Petruchio is implying women’s dependence on men but when he says this he is drawing a broken sword and waving it around like a madman at the guests of his wedding. Shakespeare again manipulates gend...
During the Shakespearean era, obeying husbands and fathers was looked at so highly that it matched obeying the King of England; the uppermost pedestal was reserved for the Shakespearean man. Gender roles lead to the development of self-individualism which divided the men from the women by establishing a deep distrust of women into the men along with an authoritative dominance, and in hand locked women into a permanent submissive position. One of the most oppressed groups throughout history has been women, which were socially, economically, educationally and religiously oppressed during the time period of Shakespearean society. Social normality and political views has been throughout time, arguably the most extreme oppression enforcement over social outcaste subgroups. Society also held a strong grip on artists and the creative messages of the work that artist deliver to the world, which can depict a sometimes hidden, or subtle dropping of opinions of the hard hitting issues at hand during the present time period. Shakespeare is deemed as one of the greatest known writer’s in English history, not only because he was tremendously attentive towards the Elizabethan era and the diverse struggles that haunted the streets of England in everyday life’s routine, but because he did more than just take notice, as he acted upon the travesties he observed by weaving the representation of the world he came to know through his artwork, leaving the world with irreplaceable pieces of literature and insightful history of Shakespearean society.
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, deals with marriage. The ideas explored are primarily shown through the characters of Petruchio and Katharina. We are introduced to the trials and tribulation's which present themselves in their everyday lives. The characters bring up a traditional concept of male domination. Through the play we see the need for domination through Petruchio, and the methods he uses to dominate. While these ideas of male domination have remained a constant throughout the years, however recently there has been a change toward equality.
A long time ago, a drunken man fell asleep outside an alehouse. This man, Christopher Sly, was discovered by a mischievous lord who took him into his home. The witty lord then convinced Sly that he was a lord, as well. The lord then put on a play for him. The play, The Taming of the Shrew, was about the two young daughters of Baptista. The youngest daughter, Bianca, wished to wed but her father, Baptista, would not allow this until his eldest daughter, Katherina, was married. Under normal circumstances, it would be easy to find a husband for Katherina with all her beauty, but all her beauty was covered by her shrewd personality. By this time Bianca's suitors were growing very impatient, so they decide to team up and find a husband for Katherina. In jest they mentioned their plan to a friend, Petruchio, who surprisingly agreed to marry Katherina. All her beauty and wealth were enough for him. Katherina reluctantly was wed to Petruchio and she was taken to his home to be tamed. With Katherina out of the way, Bianca was now allowed to marry Lucentio, who offered her father the highest dowry for her. In the final scenes of the play, Katherina proves that she is tamed by winning an obedience contest at a dinner party. Katherina is now even more in accordance with her wifely duties than Bianca. A fare is a type of comedy based on a ridiculous situation. The Taming of the Shrew, an eminent example of a farce, is the first of three farces written by Shakespeare.
... between Petruchio and Kate is contrasted with the superficial properness of the relationship of bianca and lucentio.
Battle of the Sexes would have been another appropriate title for this play because the entire play is women verses men, men verses women. This battle of the sexes shows no boundaries between the rich and poor, young or old, man or women. The basis of all the rivalry stems from the fact that the men in this play look at the women as if they were objects, instead of human beings with feelings. This theory that women are merely objects creates an environment that the women have to adapt to and survive in and the environment of a person will depict what he or she will become, resulting in a battle between the sexes.
Petruchio could possibly just be trying to get his woman the best food possible, or in the case of his wedding, the best tailored clothes for Kate. Petruchio brings in a tailor for his wedding, and when the dress doesn’t live up to his expectations, he lets the tailor know (IV.iii.113-121) “O monstrous arrogance!... that thou hast marred her gown.” Petruchio cares so much about getting everything for his wife to be perfect that he does not let one thing fall out of line for his wedding preparations. These things could be taken as sexist acts; however they were just acts... ...
In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare creates humour through his characters by creating false realities (as demonstrated by Petruchio’s behaviour and attire in the scene of his wedding) and by the use of subterfuge and mistaken identity (shown in the final scenes with the transformation of Kate and Bianca’s respective personas). He also uses irony quite extensively, especially towards the end of the play (as can be seen in the final ‘wager’ scene).