Masculinity In The Taming Of The Shrew

924 Words4 Pages
‘The Taming of the Shrew’ brings to our attention the limited amount of social roles to women available in Elizabethan times and the play depicts men’s masculinity as dependent on his ability to dominate and control his wife. Gender, is of course, a huge theme in the playwright, especially as it relates to power. Katherina’s speech accurately articulates many Elizabethan commonplaces about women and marriage. ‘Fie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow, And dart not scornful glances from those eyes, To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor: It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads, Confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds, And in no sense is meet or amiable.’ The first section of Katherina’s speech speaks of women’s beauty…show more content…
Women are not created to fight and argue in the world against other’s rule. However, Kate suggests that instead, the women should make their personalities mild to match with their soft and smooth physique. The dialogue ends in Katherina commanding the women, Bianca and the Widow, to suppress their tempers for it is of no use and obediently give in to their husband’s demands and supremacy. Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ uses a range of imagery to compare and contrast women to a number of other natural beauties. Shrewish or ill-tempered women are seen as rough, untameable and robbed of beauty, they are compared to rebels or traitors to their kings. Those who maintain the mould and give themselves to their duties as a wife are seen as beautiful beings, gentle and kind in nature. Men are given god like abilities and advantages over women and wives. The lords and masters are displayed as decision makers, asset bearers and hold all command over their
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