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Erika Kim
Mr. Chung
LA 2 PIB/H Period 6
23 March 2016
Historians Essay
William Shakespeares play, The Taming of the Shrew, takes place in Elizabethan England
in the latter half of the 16th century. The play follows the story of Katherine, the shrew, being
tamed by her husband, Petruchio, with a parallel storyline about Bianca, the perfect daughter and
woman, and her love Lucentio. The events and culture of the Elizabethan Era influenced
Shakespeares writings, for the play is rich with the themes of social norms, gender roles, and
sexism. About four centuries later, the 1990s could also be used as the setting of The Taming of
the Shrew. Although the experiences of Katherine and Petruchio are unlikely to occur in the
1990s United States, the character developments and themes from the original play can be
transported to the modern era. The Elizabethan era and the American 1990s have many
differences in historical context, social life, and English language usage.
Several important events occurred in the Elizabethan age and the 1990s. Queen Elizabeth
of England ruled during the latter half of the 16th century, as per the name of the period. Under
her firm reign, England became the greatest naval power in the world. The age of the
Renaissance, a period of the rebirth of Greek and Roman classics, and the age of Reformation
characterized the 16th century. Johannes Gutenbergs printing press was created before the
Elizabethan era, but still remained a great tool in increasing knowledge and learning among the
populace (Elizabethan Era). In Europe, religion was an issue as Protestants and Catholics
often clashed. Four hundred years later, the 1990s began with the fall of the Soviet Union in

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1991 and continued with the U.S. economy prospering. President Bill Clinton governed the U.S.
from 1993. The 1990s are characterized by the new cable TV era, with popular television shows
such as Friends and The Simpsons, and the digital age. By the end of the decade, mobile
phones, the web, affordable laptops, and 3-D games had been created. The Elizabethan era and
the 1990s have little in common with each other in historical background.
Social life during both eras includes religion, the family, and the role of women, which
are unique to each era. Entertainment in different mediums was an important part of both time
periods. Religion was central to society in Elizabethan England, as Anglicanism was the national
Protestant religion, started by King Henry VIII. Daily life differed according to social status,
which were the nobility, clergy, and peasants. In the family, members worked and lived in close
units, but the women were dependent and subservient to men. Women were to be seen and not
heard, and those who acted beyond their respective spheres were looked down upon and
ostracized, such as Katherine. This era also saw the introduction of the theater as a cheap form
of entertainment and leisure in which Shakespeare thrived. In the 1990s, pop culture diffused
with new technology, such as the World Wide Web, Internet, and personal computer. Young
people were subjected to greater pressure to conform to the social norms for youth popularized
by pop culture (Golway). Entertainment became a must for daily life, with television programs,
CD players, and cellphones by the end of the decade (Family Through the Years: 1990s).
These gadgets and entertainments took time away from family time and loosened the traditional
family bond. Women became more equal to men in politics, economics, and society, but total
equality had not been reached yet.
The English language has changed and developed over the years. Many words that were
used in Shakespeares time are now no longer in use, or their meanings have changed. William

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Shakespeare added over 1700 new words to the English vocabulary, such as the words bedroom,
accused, and hint (Words Shakespeare Invented). However, during this era, the lower classes
still had limited vocabulary. It is interesting to note that the alphabet had 24 letters as opposed to
the current 26. Vocabulary and slang are different from the late 1500s to the 90s as culture has
changed. Slang phrases from the 1990s include as if, whats the 411?, and whatever. The
cultural diffusion of slang from media, television, and the globalization of the 1990s caused the
English vocabulary to expand and spread.
Shakespeare was a great playwright from the Elizabethan era, writing numerous famous
plays, including The Taming of the Shrew. Although there are not many correlations between the
16th century and the 1990s, the two different time periods present different perspectives on
historical events, social life, and English language use that affect the plot of The Taming of the
Shrew.

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Works Cited
Andersen, Kurt. "The Best Decade Ever? The 1990s, Obviously." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 07 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
Ayto, John. "Twentieth Century English - an Overview." Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford
University Press, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
"The Elizabethan Age." Shakespeare in American Communities. National Endowment for the
Arts, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
"Elizabethan Era." ELIZABETHAN ERA. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
"Family through the Years: 1990's." Kids Need Both Parents. N.p., 27 May 2015. Web. 23 Mar.
2016.
Golway, Terry. "Life in the 90's." America Magazine. America Magazine, 01 Jan. 2000. Web. 23
Mar. 2016.
Mabillard, Amanda. Words Shakespeare Invented. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000. Web. 23
April 2016.
Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. New York City: Simon & Schuster, 2014. Print.