The Modern Shrew
UNIVERSITY OF TARTU
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
THE CONTEMPORARY SHREW: AN ANALYSIS OF TWO MODERNISED FILM APPROPRIATIONS OF SHAKESPEARE 'S THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
BA thesis
LIIS KAASIK
SUPERVISOR: LECT. RAILI PÕLDSAAR
TARTU
2008
ABSTRACT
The aim of the thesis is to analyse how the contemporary context and genre conventions have affected the representation of different characters and the plot in two modernized film versions of The Taming of the Shrew, ShakespeaRe-Told Taming of the Shrew (2005), directed by David Richards, and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), directed by Gil Junger. The thesis is divided into four sections: Introduction, Historical and Theoretical Background, Analysis of the Modernised Film Appropriations of Shakespeare 's The Taming of the Shrew and the Conclusion. The Introduction states the aim of the thesis, explains the importance of Shakespeare 's work in contemporary world and introduces the films discussed in the thesis. The second section of the thesis, Historical and Theoretical Background, firstly defines the terms adaptation and appropriation, discusses the different methods of adaptation and appropriation literature, theatre and film, with special attention to the advantages film has over the other means of reinterpretation. The section also gives an overview of Kenneth Rothwell’s classification of Shakespeare, in particular recontextualisation. Finally it gives examples of different film versions of The Taming of The Shrew. The Analysis of the Modernised Film Appropriations of Shakespeare 's The Taming of The Shrew gives a short overview of the films analysed discusses the influences the chosen genre has on the mode of reinterpretation. Then the representation of the main characters – Katherina, Petruchio, Bianca, Baptista, Hortensio, Gremio, Lucentio or their counterparts – will be discussed along with the relations inside the Minola family, the relations between Bianca and her suitors
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
THE CONTEMPORARY SHREW: AN ANALYSIS OF TWO MODERNISED FILM APPROPRIATIONS OF SHAKESPEARE 'S THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
BA thesis
LIIS KAASIK
SUPERVISOR: LECT. RAILI PÕLDSAAR
TARTU
2008
ABSTRACT
The aim of the thesis is to analyse how the contemporary context and genre conventions have affected the representation of different characters and the plot in two modernized film versions of The Taming of the Shrew, ShakespeaRe-Told Taming of the Shrew (2005), directed by David Richards, and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), directed by Gil Junger. The thesis is divided into four sections: Introduction, Historical and Theoretical Background, Analysis of the Modernised Film Appropriations of Shakespeare 's The Taming of the Shrew and the Conclusion. The Introduction states the aim of the thesis, explains the importance of Shakespeare 's work in contemporary world and introduces the films discussed in the thesis. The second section of the thesis, Historical and Theoretical Background, firstly defines the terms adaptation and appropriation, discusses the different methods of adaptation and appropriation literature, theatre and film, with special attention to the advantages film has over the other means of reinterpretation. The section also gives an overview of Kenneth Rothwell’s classification of Shakespeare, in particular recontextualisation. Finally it gives examples of different film versions of The Taming of The Shrew. The Analysis of the Modernised Film Appropriations of Shakespeare 's The Taming of The Shrew gives a short overview of the films analysed discusses the influences the chosen genre has on the mode of reinterpretation. Then the representation of the main characters – Katherina, Petruchio, Bianca, Baptista, Hortensio, Gremio, Lucentio or their counterparts – will be discussed along with the relations inside the Minola family, the relations between Bianca and her suitors
References: ShakespeaRe-Told: The Taming of the Shrew(2005) The film begins with introducing Katherine Minola, a bad-tempered single woman in her thirties making a career in the British parliament by running for the position of the leader of the opposition 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) The film begins with introducing Katarina Stratford (Katherina Minola), a teen rebel who objects to all norms of high-school popularity and is perceived by others as a “heinous bitch” Richards, David (Director). 2005. ShakespeaRe-Told: The Taming of The Shrew [Television programme]. United Kingdom: BBC Secondary Sources Henderson, Diane E. 2003. A Shrew For The Times Revisited. In Burt, Richard and Lynda E. Boose (eds). Shakespeare The Movie II. London and New York: Routledge Palliser, D.M Pickford, Mary. 1955. Sunshine and Shadow, An Autobiography. New York: Doubleday & Co. Inc. Rothwell, Kenneth. 2001. A History of Shakespeare on Screen : A Century of Film and Television. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Rowbotham, Sheila