Taming The Shrew Women

The comical play Taming the of the Shrew written by the renowned Shakespeare is the epitome of male dominance and the direct and indirect disparaging of females in a modern perspective. Many literature scholars argue that this is normal for women in the 1590s, but that does mean this play is not misogynistic. It ranges from the way the men try to woo Katherina and Bianca, to the way Kate is treated by her husband, Petruchio. Many also argue that this does not reflect Shakespeare’s view on women, that it is all for the comic relief. But since this is written in a time period where women were viewed as nothing but treasure, it is easy to pick out.
When it comes down to marriage and money, the men treat it to what would be equivalent to a business
The major problem here is that he is restricting her from basic human necessities, modernly known as mental and emotional abuse. The technique Petruchio plans on using to “tame his shrew” is what is used to tame falcon; inferring she is a vicious animal. He directly implies this when he says “That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites/ That bate and beat and will not be obedient.” (IV.i….). Petruchio wants kate to “come and know her keeper’s call” (IV.i…) which is to restrict her from sleeping; leaving his poor wife sleep deprived. Not only does he leave her sleep deprived, but he also leaves her starving. His logic being that if “she stoop, she must not be full-gorged,/ For then she never looks upon her lure.” (IV.i…). Ultimately, if Kate is well fed and rested, she will not obey Petruchio. So until she is not as privileged as she used to be and is well behaved, Petruchio will continue to use these techniques that mentally hurt
Both men try to woo Bianca by disguising themselves as Cambio (Lucentio) and Litio (Hortensio). Lucentio, disguised as Cambio, right off the bat jumps into the cold pool and confesses his love for Bianca saying “I am Lucentio,/ hic est, son unto Vincentio of Pisa, Sigeia tellus,/ disguised thus to get your love.” Bianca hears out Lucentio but quickly turns the tables and says “I trust you not” (III.i…). Tables turn again when Hortensio realizes his fragile ego is dwindling and chances are slipping away when says “You may go walk, and give me leave awhile./ My lessons make no music in three parts” (III.i…) to Lucentio. Overall, both men do not want their fragile egos to dwindle away and kept proving their power until Kate had to