The Taming of the Shrew: Is it still relevant in Modern Society or are we all just delusional?
Controversy sparks legacy. The Taming of the Shrew is controversial within many groups of society. Some feminists use excerpts from the text as evidence of female oppression, domestic abuse, power struggles within Shakespeare's time. From a feminist perspective, the character development of Katherine portrays the conformity needed to survive in the Shakespearean era. Additionally, the play uses satirical elements to transform what could be interpreted as a tragedy into the social commentary as it is typically interpreted. The Taming of the Shrew is still relevant today through the constant reproduction, and in turn interpretation, of the elements, themes and concepts that surround the controversy that is Shakespeare and his work.
It is obvious from the first reading of The Taming of the Shrew that the societal norms of the Shakespearean era drastically contrast to modern-day. The play contains many examples of oppressive violence, it also holds many references to the severe class and sex divide of the play, and in turn Shakespeare's time. This can be seen throughout Act 2, Scene 1 where Katherina strikes and binds Bianca. Not only does this show the bitter relationship between sisters caused through the favouritism of their father, but it also depicts the ongoing violence within society and the Minola Family. Additionally, the relationship between Petruchio and Katherina is unhealthy and abusive, as seen in Act 4, scene 5 where Kate is starved until she complies with Petruchio's demands. Many characters display some variant of this violent behaviour throughout the duration of the play. Towards the end of the play, Petruchio demands that Kate agrees to his absurd belief surrounding the sun and the moon. She complies after enduring physical and emotional blackmail, stating: "And be it moon, or sun, or what you please… henceforth I vow it shall be so for me." (Act 4, Scene 5). From a superficial lens, it may appear that the Shrew is finally tamed. However, her actions can also be interpreted as Kate pretending to be obedient as a way to pacify her husband and his friends.
As Furstnau suggests this play satirizes not the woman herself in the person of the shrew, but male attitudes toward women.” (Accessed 21/08/2018). Kate is portrayed as an intelligent, quick-witted woman, therefore it would not be out of character for her to rely on Petruchio’s ignorance to manipulate her situation into what she desired in her new lifestyle. Shakespeare's work is still relevant today because even though sexism has no longer been enabled by the law, there are many unfortunate situations where society turns a blind eye.
There are two particularly strong themes prevalent throughout the play: power and segregation. Not only is there a power imbalance between the sexes but also the classes. In the induction, the Lord believes that it would be ‘hilarious’ to convince a poor man that he had all the riches he desired and that all his poverty was just a fevered dream. This is a cruel but truthful replica of the era in which The Taming of the Shrew was created. Another prominent theme of the play is the favouritism displayed between the two sisters. Baptista has a blatant disregard for Kate and her abrasive personality. In one instance, he states to Kate that she is a “hilding of a devilish spirit.” (Act 2, Scene 1). Furthermore, in an article written by Erin Furstnau, she states that, “Baptista is determined not to marry the sought-after Bianca until he gets an offer for the unpopular Kate, not for the sake of conforming to the hierarchy of age as his opening words imply, but out of a merchant’s desire to sell all the goods in his warehouse.” (Furstnau, Accessed 21/08/2018). Eventually, however, he does answer for his resentment towards his oldest child, as ignoring Bianca's ‘indecent behaviour' led to her elopement.
When questioning Shakespeare's work and the relevance it has in modern society one only has to look beyond the play to its very substance and make the alarming observation that these themes can still be applied today. Although as a society many developments have occurred in the representation of equal human rights, many issues are left ignored to protect the conservative views of the population. Shakespeare's works are a form of social commentary. As with many types of humour, his work takes something that would otherwise be harrowing and turns it into a product that can be enjoyed by the audience. Humour doesn't always stay relevant; however, the social commentary it represents does. One adaptation capitalises on the "Love is battlefield" (Vox, 2016) concept is Phyllida Lloyd's production with an All-Female Cast.
Many of Shakespeare's plays use accents and dialogue that is typically associated with the working class and emphasises it for comedic purposes. In the case of Lloyd's performance, it takes this idea and runs with it into a more contemporary time. In The Taming of the Shrew, the serving-class do not have long monologues, only speaking to support their lord's jests. In Act 1, Scene 1, when Sly is first introduced, the huntsmen merely respond to the Lord's statements with phrases such as, "I warrant we will play our part" and the like. This depicts the servitude that ties the lower-class to the lords, furthering the notion that like Kate, they have not power nor status to say no. The Taming of the Shrew is still performed today because the social commentary of Shakespeare's time can be adapted and applied to current global and social issues.
Shakespeare’s works are in constant reproduction because they are relevant. In the case of The Taming of the Shrew, it has remained current through controversy and conflict. Furthermore, the interpretation of the play and its themes have been duplicated again and again each in a new political climate filled with its own faults and problems. The blatant domestic abuse and female oppression throughout the play have led to many academics interpreting and analysing a work that was written over 400 years earlier, yet still is being compared with issues in modern society especially issues that stem from history such as; sexism, racism, and poverty. Societal problems do not fix themselves overnight, thus researchers use text such as Shakespeare to develop patterns and trends for the further. The fundamental issues of the world are what make Shakespeare's work relevant because, like his plays, the issues read once and ignored for the rest of most adults lives.
References
1. Feminist Themes in and Critiques of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Retrieved (20/08/2018) from http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/shrew/efurstnau.htm
2. Grady, C. (2016, August 24). Is it possible to make a feminist Taming of the Shrew? 2 new adaptations try. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2016/8/24/12131772/taming-shrew-phyllida-lloyd-anne-tyler-vinegar-girl
3. Power and gender in The Taming of the Shrew. (2016, July 29). Retrieved from https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/power-and-gender-in-the-taming-of-the-shre
4. Taming of the Shrew: Entire Play. Retrieved (20/08/2018) from http://shakespeare.mit.edu/taming_shrew/full.html
Comments
Post a Comment