Essay on the Battle of the Sexes in Taming of the Shrew

The Battle of the Sexes in Taming of the Shrew Battle of the Sexes would have been another appropriate title for this play because the entire play is women verses men, men verses women. This battle of the sexes shows no boundaries between the rich and poor, young or old, man or women. The basis of all the rivalry stems from the fact that the men in this play look at the women as if they were objects, instead of human beings with feelings. This theory that women are merely objects creates an environment that the women have to adapt to and survive in and the environment of a person will depict what he or she will become, resulting in a battle between the sexes. The Taming of the Shrew is set in a time period that did not accept†¦show more content†¦Bianca was described as sweet and quiet. She never spoke out of turn, and was always obedient, qualities that men desired in their future wives. For the majority of the book, this is how Bianca acts, but the audience watching the play is able to see small parts where there is another side of Bianca a side that she keeps hidden from the males in her society. One clear example of this is in Act 1 Scene 1 when Bianca whispers to her sister Katherine so that no one else can hear her; Content thee in my discontent? This clearly shows that Bianca is a good actress. She is able to convince all the men, including her father that she is sweet, good and the perfect model of a women in this time period while letting her true self show through to her sister. Katherine on the other hand presents herself in a very different way. She is moody, sullen, angry, rude and outspoken all the time. These are not characteristics that are desired in a wife. Katherine doesnt care though, she goes to above everyones criticism, which comes from her father along with other random suitors to Bianca and she chooses to be her own person. She refuses to be polite simply because that is what is expected of her. The consequences of acting in this such a manner are that the men in the society refuse to marry her, they jest at her expense, and she is at risk to have to become an old maid and live with her father for the rest of her life. Her father cant waitShow MoreRelatedGender Roles in the 16th Century1909 Words   |  5 PagesFebruary 23rd, 2014 Essay 1 Gender Roles in the 16th Century: Men on the Battlefield, Women in the Kitchen One of the most fundamental themes while reading Shakespeare is the prominent reminder of women at the end of the 16th century and their roles placed under men, as women were a threat to the masculinity, and thus, power held by men. There are clear misogynistic elements in all of the works performed through Shakespeare’s plays, most predominantly appearing in The Taming of the Shrew. As quoted within