Women In The Taming Of The Shrew

William Shakespeare was a man ahead of his time, in his words, in his actions and in his notions, including his stance on feminism. His play, The Taming of the Shrew, demonstrates his views on women and the views of the male-dominant Italian society. Even though Katherine and Bianca live in a society dominated by men, they are still successful in retaining their independence as women. The sisters are able to remain independent from their father, their husbands and the men around them who all are given authority over them. Though examining the two characters’ actions to gain independence, on can recognize Shakespeare’s views on feminism and its impact to the society. In order to secure herself and her independence in the society, Katherine
willingly submits herself to Petruchio’s notion of the ideal wife. Katherine has transformed from a “curst” shrew, violent and savage, to a gentle and soft-spoken woman. Katherine’s soliloquy in Act V, scene ii proves the effectiveness of Katherine’s change in perspectives.
Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper | Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee... But love, fair looks and true obedience- | Too little payment for so great a debt... My mind hath been as one of yours, | My heart as great, my reason haply more... And place your hand below your husband’s food; | In token of which duty, if he please, | My hand is ready, may it do him ease.
(Shakespeare V ii, ll.
152 - 195)
Her obedience and trust can definitely be perceived from the soliloquy, and it is these acts of obedience that has gained her her freedom. She earned Petruchio’s trust, in turn, she is able to do as she likes as long as she is faithful to him. With this transformation, Katherine is also aware of her social standings as a wife of a wealthy gentleman. Her new social position allows her to effectively order about the servants and people of lesser social standings. She is able to retain her independence with the power to command, even as a woman. Similarly, Bianca is well able to retain her independence of women when she became married. She had acted most gentle and “proper” before she had gotten married. This was a clever ruse to allow her to capture her chance at marriage. With marriage to Lucentio, who had succumbed to her charms, she achieves infinite freedom. She is able to disobey her husband’s calling as it can be seen in the following lines: “Sir, my mistress sends you word | That she is busy and she cannot come ” (Shakespeare V ii, ll. 87-89). Bianca is able to act as she wants and to be independent, while benefitting from her status as a married woman and her husband’s
devotion. Before Katherine had become a wife to a husband, she was a daughter to her father, which also had a set of rules and regulations which would limit her independence. However, she was able to be freed from such restrictions and expectations from her father by acting shrewdly. She had done things that are improper as a woman of her standing, which reflected badly on Baptista, her father. Also, her argumentative nature had not escaped her father, who had often fallen prey to her harsh words. As result, Baptista had grown to ignore and dislike her. “For shame, thou hiding of a devilish | spirit ” (Shakespeare II i, ll. 27 - 28) For a father to say such harsh words to his daughter indicates that Kate is in his disfavour. Since she is out of favour with her father, she is able to do as she likes as a woman from a wealthy family. By way of comparison, Bianca is also able to gain independence from her father even when she was unmarried. Much like her name sake, Bianca had acted innocent and gentle. She had complied to Batista’s every whim, as can be seen proof by: “Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe.” (Shakespeare I i, l. 82). With her father’s favour, she is able to do anything that she wishes. Her father would dote upon everything she does, rather than chastise her. In short, Bianca was able to exercise her independence even when living under the roof of her father’s house as a subservient daughter. As Katherine was able to do with her father, she was also able to remain independent from men around her. She was also able to remain independent from men around her. She had purposely acted out against the molds of a “perfect” women, shattering the illusions of the men around her. In turn, they began to treat her like one of them and began to separate her from the rest of the population, male or female. However, within this isolation, she has found freedom and independence to do whatever she would like. She is not restricted by anybody and she does not care for the criticisms of the men, and therefore being able to capture her independence. Likewise, Bianca is able to keep herself independent from the men around her. She has always been percieved as the “ideal” women, perfect in every men’s eyes. With such reputation comes the ability to control men to do her bidding. This is exemplified in the source in which Bianca meets her new tutors, Lucentio disguised as Cambio and Hortensio disguised as Litio, fight over who get to teach her first. Bianca has exerted her control by declaring that what she wills will happen. “Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong, | To strive for that which resteth in my choice: | I am no breeching scholar in the schools; | I’ll not be tied to hours nor ‘pointed times, | But learn my lessons as I please myself. | And, to cut off all strife, here sit we down.” (Shakespeare III i, ll. 16-24). With her ability to contro,l the general population of men, Bianca is therefore able to retain her independence as a female. On the whole, Katherine and Bianca Minola has portrayed William Shakespeare’s views on feminism to society as they remain independent from their authorizing male figures. Baptista, Petruchio and Lucentio, and other men of Padua has unwillingly given independence to Bianca and Katherine, and in turn, they are able to thrive in the male dominant society of Renaissance. The characters, Katherine and Bianca, from the play The Taming of the Shrew is the epitome of pro-feminism literature of the Elizabethan era.