Question 2: “In The Taming of the Shrew, women are either required to ‘tame’ their desires or

to find satisfaction only through their associations with men on whatever level.” To which
extent do you agree with this statement.

William Shakespeare’s most recognised comedic play “The Taming of the Shrew” sets off in
the late 1590’s during the Italian renaissance period, throughout this period the equality of men
and women were not the same scale. Although the play is portrayed through the means of
comedy, as it is analysed throughout history by various critics, there are serious topics that can
be picked out from the play that would be seen as controversial compared to current times. One
major topic that is mostly acknowledged is the treatment of the female gender. In the induction
of the play, the treatment of women can be easily recognised. Although the play addresses the
notion that woman are either required to ‘tame’ their desires or to find satisfaction only through
their associations with men on whatever level., this is not the only challenge that women had to
face in this era. There are other major restraints that were placed upon women such as their
own independence as a person, having the freedom to work jobs that only men could have,
being the breadwinner of the family and the expectations of a women. These were some of the
many issues that could be examined in this comedic play.
In the induction of the play, where the treatment of women that can be seen through a minor
character, Christopher Sly, a drunkard beggar who was being who was being made as
entertainment for a lord in a tavern. During the induction, there is a scene where the lord
disguised one of his boy servants to act as Sly’s wife and Sly who is under the influenced tries
the bed his wife almost immediately and for the wife to satisfy him. In this scene, the treatment
women faced was first seen here, as it is shown that women had no say in a marriage, and they
had to always be attentive for their husband. In the official plot of the play, it can also be seen
through the character, Baptista, Katharine and Bianca’s father. Through this character the
power that men held and the freedom of independence as a women can be analysed, as it is
shown where Baptista has the say and right to choose a husband for his daughters and they
could only be married off once he allows it.
The topic of women having the freedom to work the same jobs as men is another discussion
that can be used the oppose the statement. As in this era women would not be anything more
than a housewife especially those who came from middle class or higher their purpose were to
be able to make allegiances through other families. Their freedom as their own person did not
exist, women from a lower class still couldn’t do any job that would be equal to a man, their
jobs were mostly ‘feminine’ jobs that only women could do, they had to work with what were
given them by men. Another challenge women faced were the expectations of a women, the
expectation on how they should act and how should they portray themselves, the main
character Katharine goes against this challenge as she is depicted as someone wild and untamed
as to how a women should behave. Women were to be pure and portray daintiness and
femininity as how Bianca is portrayed. Also, during this era a women had to always be
obedient and submissive to their husbands and fathers, this was where the comedy of the play
was shown as Katharine was not submissive and it was presented to be comedic but later on in
the play it is shown that Katharine was eventually tamed by Petruchio. This was an eyeopener
as it is shown that even the ‘wildest’ can be tamed and women will never have the future of
being able to be their own person during those times.
(Was not able to create due to time limit)

-Reina Heeraman