The Portrayal Of Women In Sixteenth Century Literature

The literature of a particular era is greatly influenced by the contemporary social, political, and cultural issues present during the time. Sixteenth century lifestyle and way of living was completely different from the way we live our lives in the 21st century. One of the very apparent social issue brought to light in the Sixteenth century was the traditional role of women during this time. Many contemporary sixteenth century writers portrayed women in their ideal form in the literature they produced, which caused great problems for women during this time. The portrayal of the “ideal” woman was based on the established protocols of the ideal way women were expeted to behave according to sixteenth century societies standards. In literature,
Katherine is viewed as a hostage while Petruchio is a kidnapper. Petruchio abuses Katherine in a systematic and sophisticated manner, to the point where it almost does to seem to be abusive. As stated by Detmer, “the abuser and the hostage-taker assert complete control over the victim’s thoughts and actions through fear and intimidation” (Detmer p.284). The end of the story is interpreted by Detmer as Kate’s “proud mind, that is, her will or her sense of self” (Detmer p.281), is squashed, or “killed”, by “kindness” (4.2.179). Even if Shakespeare has depicted the story as a light comedy, there is a violence hidden within the lines of the story. “The play locates both women’s objected positions in the social order of early modern England and the costs exacted for resistance” (Boose 923). Petruchio is very cunning and well knows exactly how to tame his wife and crush her spirit without physical violence. The controlling and coercive methods Petruchio uses to tame Katherine are similar to the actions found in one particular kind of domestic-violence dynamic, known as the Stockholm syndrome (Detmer. p.284). Shakespeare's Petruchio is, in terms of Stockholm-syndrome categories, the quintessential abuser (Detmer. p.284). Another author, Brown, further claims that 'Petruchio is not interested in a wife as human being or a companion; rather he sees the woman as a source of financial security and cares only about himself.” (Brown 292). She goes on to state that “men want to make their wives into models of womanly submissiveness and obedience”(Brown 294), which was a common goal of many males during this century. On surface level, Petruchio’s actions are not necessarily viewed as violent, because no physical beating is involved in Katherine’s taming, but his measures are just as harmful. By “taming” Katherine, like one would a horse,