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The Theme Of Marriage In Taming Of The Shrew

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The important theme of marriage in the play The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, is the key to the dominance of men in the Elizabethan Era. During these times, it was socially expected for men to be powerful and be in charge, while women had to be there for a man’s beck and call and always follow the rules given to them. In The Taming of the Shrew, it begins with a young girl named Kate who is made to marry a man named, Petruchio. This marriage is only arranged for the benefit for Kate’s family and Petruchio’s friends, disregarding the feelings of Kate. Shakespeare uses this theme in The Taming of the Shrew to play with the Elizabethan stereotypes and expectations around marriage and how reversing the roles of femininity and masculinity in a relationship can produce a thought-provoking romantic comedy.
During the 17th century, women were not believed to be capable of choosing an appropriate husband. So, it was rare to be married to anyone out of love, “Your parents and friends are better equipped than you are to look out for your best interests, being mature and experienced in the world. Let …show more content…

Women were feminine and soft-spoken while men were masculine and tough. In a relationship between the two, the man was the boss of the household and the woman had to obey her husband's orders, "Defining masculine and feminine characteristics allowed writers like Shakespeare to draw males with certain 'feminine' characteristics and females with certain 'masculine' characteristics” (Gerlach). Women were second-class citizens and the only way to go up in class was to marry a wealthy man. This also meant the woman had to give all of her property to the man she was to marry and soon become the property herself. But Kate on the other hand, does not feel like she applies to the rules and constantly ridicules Petruchio. The way she acts is nowhere near the stereotypical

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