How far do you agree with the opinion that courtship and marriage are undermined and ridiculed in “The Taming of the Shrew”?
How far do you agree with the opinion that courtship and marriage are undermined and ridiculed in “The Taming of the Shrew”?
Shakespeare’s drama “The Taming of the Shrew” is set in the Elizabethan era, and marriage and courtship was very different than how it is in the present. Back then it was the parents who picked suitors for their daughters. This choice would be final for the daughters but often women rebelled against the decision as they wanted to choose their own suitors. “Romeo and Juliet” is an example of this. In our “Taming of the Shrew” this is no different as Baptista Minola chooses the suitors in which marry his daughters.
We first see this undermining of courtship and marriage when Petruchio speaks of his view on marriage, in Act I “be she as foul as Florentius’ love, as old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd as Socrates Xanthippe or a worse”. He doesn’t care what his wife will be like; all he cares for is money. This is a very disrespectful view of marriage and a great first instance of illustrating Elizabethan attitudes to it. The courting between Petruchio and Katherina is very differently than typical courting that couples would participate in. Petruchio prefers a more forceful approach to courting as, in Act II Scene I, he pulls her onto his lap and “holds her” down so she cannot move. Between them they start to insult and make a mockery of each other for example “No such jade as you, if me you mean” and “What is your crest-a coxcomb?” This wouldn’t be the standard for courting during the Elizabethan Era, as fighting and mocking each other are definite wrongs. This is because Petruchio’s and Katherina’s personalities clash and this is a great example of how Shakespeare mocks the traditions of marriage and courtship.
Courtship and Marriage are again jeered as Baptista treats it like an auction and Gremio and Tranio are bidding in Act II Scene I, “…that she shall have, besides an argosy…” says Gremio and Tranio replies with “…Than three great
Shakespeare’s drama “The Taming of the Shrew” is set in the Elizabethan era, and marriage and courtship was very different than how it is in the present. Back then it was the parents who picked suitors for their daughters. This choice would be final for the daughters but often women rebelled against the decision as they wanted to choose their own suitors. “Romeo and Juliet” is an example of this. In our “Taming of the Shrew” this is no different as Baptista Minola chooses the suitors in which marry his daughters.
We first see this undermining of courtship and marriage when Petruchio speaks of his view on marriage, in Act I “be she as foul as Florentius’ love, as old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd as Socrates Xanthippe or a worse”. He doesn’t care what his wife will be like; all he cares for is money. This is a very disrespectful view of marriage and a great first instance of illustrating Elizabethan attitudes to it. The courting between Petruchio and Katherina is very differently than typical courting that couples would participate in. Petruchio prefers a more forceful approach to courting as, in Act II Scene I, he pulls her onto his lap and “holds her” down so she cannot move. Between them they start to insult and make a mockery of each other for example “No such jade as you, if me you mean” and “What is your crest-a coxcomb?” This wouldn’t be the standard for courting during the Elizabethan Era, as fighting and mocking each other are definite wrongs. This is because Petruchio’s and Katherina’s personalities clash and this is a great example of how Shakespeare mocks the traditions of marriage and courtship.
Courtship and Marriage are again jeered as Baptista treats it like an auction and Gremio and Tranio are bidding in Act II Scene I, “…that she shall have, besides an argosy…” says Gremio and Tranio replies with “…Than three great