Sexism in Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew - 726 Words

How would you feel if you were thought as incompetent towards the other sex? The play, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew,† by William Shakespeare leans towards a sexist viewpoint. It was written in the 1500’s, a time where women were seen as property to men. Many other Shakespearean plays were also considered sexist, because Shakespeare writes all of his plays around the central story of a man, and a woman’s relationship. It was rare that anyone during this time period was not sexist because this was how society generally functioned. As children were raised they were taught that they were either superiors to woman, or that they were inferior, and incapable. Many characters in â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew,† show sexism through their words and actions, sometimes without directly meaning it. From Kate, and Petruchio’s first meeting it is evident that he expected her to bow down to him and act like the â€Å"true woman† of the time period. This is because woman were seen as property to men, and expected to please them in every way possible. In the quote â€Å"This is the pointed day that Katherine and Petruchio should be married, yet we hear not from our son-in-law.† (III. ii. 1 -3.) It was the day of Kate and Petruchio’s wedding, and Petruchio was late, reflecting that he does not care about Kate’s feelings, or expectations for him. This tells me it was his first effort in taming her. At the same time, Petruchio was showing that he believes he will be dominant over her. ThereforShow MoreRelatedDiscrimination of Women During the Elizabethan Era: The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare941 Words   |  4 Pageswomen. William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew has characters such as Petruchio, Baptista, Katherine, and Bianca that show how men overpowered women. During the Elizabethan era, there was heavy sexism. Women were discriminated. Through Shakespeare’s langua ge, men could speak to and about women in a disrespectful and derogatory manner. Women were voiceless and deprived of their right to speak. Women were inferior to men. During the Elizabethan era, through Shakespeare’s language, and inRead MoreSexism in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Essay example1104 Words   |  5 PagesSexism in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare is an introduction in the everpresent battle of women to be loving and caring wives, while at the same time holding on to our independence. Its plot is derived from the popular war of the sexes theme in which males and females are pitted against one another for dominance in marriage. The play begins with an induction in which a drunkard, Christopher Sly, is fooled into believing he is a kingRead MoreHamlet: a Feminist Approach Essay examples1224 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet: A Feminist Approach Sexism: the belief or attitude that one sex is inherently superior to, more competent than, or more valuable than the other (most commonly used for male superiority). This idea that women are weak is not a new one in the modern world. It has been studied for countless years along with the concept of a patriarchal society. A patriarchy is defined as a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it. Such systems currentlyRead MoreInterpreting Katherinas Speech in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew1997 Words   |  8 Pagesin William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Kate’s changes in Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ are going to be examined here. I will look at Elizabethan attitudes towards women and see if Kate resolves to conform to these views or to retain her shrewish persona. Additionally I will examine Shakespeare’s use of devices in her final speech (to see whether she is tamed) and how she is portrayed in Zeffirelli’s film. Women in Shakespeare’s time were not